Ok…(huff)…do you ever…(puff)…have a little trouble…(huff)…breathing…during your…(puff)…workouts? (We might have to sit down for this one.)

But seriously, it’s time to talk about your breathing. Like most people we know, you’ve probably been breathing since the moment someone first slapped your booty and welcomed you into the world. And you probably think that you’re quite good at it. After all – in, out, in, out – what could be so difficult? 

Well, think again! Because breathing properly during heavy bouts of cardio (think running, Spinning, burpees, etc.) requires a little bit of practice and a lot of know-how to get it right. And you do want to get it right – getting enough oxygen is essential for maintaining endurance, delivering oxygen to the muscles, staving off cramps due to lactic acid build up, and preventing injury. Not to mention, increased oxygen is one of the key ingredients to helping your body burn more fat! Umm, so yeah, breathing is kind of important. With that said, let’s hold our noses and dive right into breathing tips for better cardio. 

Go Deeper

When you’re trying to figure out how to breathe while exercising, you wanna start on the depth or shallowness of your breaths. When we’re deep into a cardio explosion, we tend to take short, shallow breaths that begin and end in the chest. This leads to less oxygenated air entering your lungs, which in turn raises your heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to all sorts of no-no’s. Instead, try and put your focus on diaphragmatic breathing – big word, we know, but it just means your breathing starts in your diaphragm, filling up air in your abdominal area rather than your chest. 

Find Your Rhythm

One of the best parts of cardio, and a goal for all fitness fanatics and gym junkies, is getting in the zone. This is that place where you forget the workout, and yet you become the workout – a place where you simply let go. Before you get there though, a good idea is to find a rhythm to your breathing, to keep your inhales and exhales smooth and regular. When jogging for example, professional runners like to use the 2:2 approach – breathing in for two steps and out for the next two. Counting silently in your head, in conjunction with any regular movements you are doing, will really help you find a steady rhythm. And before you know it, you’ll be doing it automatically!

Better Out Than In, We Always Say

This one’s a shocker. You know that feeling you get when you just can’t seem to get enough oxygen in ya? You’re short of breath, yet seem to be struggling to catch up every time you inhale? Well friend, you might be surprised to know you’re doing it wrong. The feeling of breathlessness is actually a buildup of carbon dioxide, not a lack of oxygen. When you’ve been huffing and puffing a little too hard, try BREATHING OUT all that excess CO2! 

When in Doubt, Talk it Out

When it comes to breathing during cardio, how do you know when you’re going too hard, or even worse, not enough? Here’s a simple trick: talk! If you can barely string two words together… slow it down. If you can name precisely what was lacking in the final installments of the Star Wars series during your cardio sesh… go harder! You want to be somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. 

Get Serious with Recovery

One great way to make sure you’re moving that oxygen in and out is to emphasize your breathing techniques during warm-ups and cool-downs. Before and after the onslaught of cardio, you’ve got a perfect opportunity to get that air flowing. Take deep breaths through your nose while you stretch and as you’re easing up on the aerobics. And remember, your body wants and needs that oxygen, so don’t hold back!

We hope these breathing tips help you on the road to more effective workouts. But wait! You’re probably thinking: I’ve got the breathing down – now where am I gonna find those breathtaking workouts? You’ve come to the right place. With a 7-Day Free Trial with Studio SWEAT onDemand, you’ll have everything you need to get your body movin’, your heart pumpin’, and that air flowin’ – a huge library of awesome streaming workouts, the most passionate trainers out there, and a worldwide community of members pushing you to really get you going. Sign up and let’s do this!