How to check if you breathe correctly during workouts

How to check yourself

To check if you're breathing correctly during exercise, pay attention to the following:

• rhythm - your breathing should be even and synchronized with your movements. If you’re gasping for air or breathing irregularly, it may indicate improper technique.
• depth - inhale deeply through your nose, and exhale fully through your mouth. If you’re breathing shallowly or only through your mouth, your body might not be getting enough oxygen.
• connection with exercises - for strength training, inhale during relaxation (lowering weights) and exhale during effort (lifting weights). For cardio, follow a natural rhythm, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
• comfort - if you tire quickly, feel dizzy, or experience chest tightness, you may need to adjust your breathing technique.

You can test yourself: Try saying a few words during your exercise. If it’s difficult, you’re likely breathing incorrectly or too intensely.

Why it is important to breathe correctly during a workout

You will get a burst of energy

Trainer Jennifer Sobel explained that you should think of proper breathing as fuel that supports your body during a workout. If you breathe fully and rhythmically, you should feel like you have a constant supply of energy to get through even the toughest workout.

Improper breathing will also put stress on your nervous system, so use breathing to help you stay relaxed. If you feel lightheaded, it may be a sign that you are not breathing correctly.

Muscles become relaxed

If you feel tension and stiffness during your workout, Sobel recommends refocusing your attention on how you are breathing.

If you're not getting enough oxygen, you'll likely feel it as tight and constricted muscles during your workout. Proper breathing helps you feel fluid, relaxed, and move optimally.

If you notice that your chest is tense, it's a good idea to take a time-out and start breathing deeply before returning to your workout.

Your stomach expands

The diaphragm is the primary breathing muscle, and when it lowers during inhalation, your stomach should expand. The most common mistake during inhalation is raising the chest instead of expanding the belly, and in more extreme cases, the stomach actually sucks in during inhalation, preventing the diaphragm from lowering properly.

The best way to avoid this improper breathing is to practice diaphragmatic breathing.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.