Hey, athletes! We all know that dedication, intense training, and proper nutrition are cornerstones of athletic success. But what if we told you there's an often-overlooked factor that could be holding back your performance, recovery, and even your mental game? 

We're talking about your breath.

Breathing is fundamental to life, but how you breathe can profoundly impact your athletic journey. Far too many athletes, even elite ones, unknowingly adopt "dysfunctional" breathing patterns that limit their potential [1]. Let's dive into why your breath matters and how to harness its power.

The Hidden Hurdle: Dysfunctional Breathing in Athletes

You might be surprised to learn that a staggering 90.6% of competitive athletes in one study showed dysfunctional breathing patterns [1]. Even among elite endurance athletes, almost half exhibit these patterns [2].

So, what exactly is dysfunctional breathing? It's a less efficient way of breathing, often characterized by shallow upper-chest breathing, over-reliance on accessory respiratory muscles (like those in your neck and shoulders), and reduced engagement of your diaphragm [1]. Think of it as "apical breathing" or "thoracic-dominant breathing".

This isn't just about feeling a bit winded. Dysfunctional breathing can have serious consequences for athletes:

• Increased Injury Risk: It's linked to various musculoskeletal issues, including low back pain, neck pain, and even ankle instability [1]. Improper breathing can influence functional movement patterns, increasing your vulnerability.

• Reduced Performance: It can lead to premature fatigue, decreased ventilatory efficiency, and affect how well your muscles receive oxygen [3].

• Mental Strain: Dysfunctional breathing can trigger stress responses, leading to anxiety, panic, dizziness, and confusion, severely impacting your focus and mental well-being [4]. This is especially true given the high physical and psychological stressors competitive athletes face [5].

The Solution: Mastering Your Breath with "Breath Tools"

The good news? Your breathing can be improved, and integrating conscious breathing strategies into your routine can be a game-changer [4]. The goal is to move towards a diaphragmatic breathing pattern, which involves the proper use of your diaphragm and synchronized movement of your entire trunk.

Here are some "Breath Tools" and their benefits:

1. Slow-Paced Breathing (SPB) This is about intentionally slowing your breathing rate, typically to 4-10 breaths per minute [6].

1. Physiological Boosts: Improves lung capacity and overall respiratory function, leading to better oxygen delivery and efficiency [2]. It also reduces the work of breathing [4].

2. Enhanced Recovery: Boosts parasympathetic nervous system activity and heart rate recovery, crucial for bouncing back faster between sets or after intense workouts [7].

3. Mental Edge: Significantly reduces stress and anxiety, improves focus, concentration, and emotional regulation, helping you perform under pressure and cope with daily demands [1]. It might even make exercise feel easier [4].

A popular SPB technique is the 4-7-8 method: inhale through the nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale through the mouth for 8 seconds. This can be easily practiced at rest, before exercise, or even during recovery periods between sets [7,8].

Check out breth's version of this exercise called 234.

2. Deep (Diaphragmatic) Breathing Focus on breathing deeply into your abdomen, ensuring your lower ribs expand laterally and anteriorly, rather than just raising your chest [6].

   1. Benefits: Reduces the work of breathing, improves postural control, and can help prevent exercise-induced dyspnea (breathlessness) [4,9].

Check out breth's version of this exercise called Belly Breathing.

3. Nose Breathing At rest, and even during low-to-moderate intensity exercise, breathing through your nose offers distinct advantages.

1. Benefits: Filters, humidifies, and warms inhaled air, increases nitric oxide production (a vasodilator and bronchodilator), and can enhance diaphragmatic function [4] It also positively impacts cognitive function and emotional states [10].

4. Active Exhale: Consciously extending exhaling can amplify breathing benefits.

   1. Benefits: Improves heart rate variability, ventilatory efficiency, and can optimize blood flow and reduce flow limitation [4]. Humming during exhalation (Bhramari Pranayama) can significantly increase nitric oxide [11].

Check out breth's version of this exercise called Double Exhaling.

Bringing It All Together: Your Breth Action Plan

The science is clear: optimizing your breathing pattern is a powerful, yet often untapped, resource for athletes [12].

• Start with Awareness: Simply becoming more aware of your breathing pattern during daily activities and light exercise is the first step.

• Practice Slow & Relaxed: Incorporate slow, diaphragmatic breathing exercises into your warm-ups, cool-downs, and even during recovery periods in your training.

• Explore & Experiment: Try nose breathing during easy efforts, experiment with active exhales, or even try novel breathwork exercises like box breathing.

• Seek Guidance: Given the high prevalence of dysfunctional breathing, consider having your breathing pattern assessed by a qualified professional (like a physical therapist or coach specializing in breathing mechanics). They can help identify specific areas for improvement and tailor interventions.

• Practice Daily: Use wearable technology, like Breth, to help you stick to the plan. 

At Breth, we believe that mastering your breath isn't just about better performance; it's about better health, faster recovery, and a more enjoyable, sustainable athletic journey. Start today – unlock your potential, one breath at a time!

References

1. Shimozawa Y, Kurihara T, Kusagawa Y, Hori M, Numasawa S, Sugiyama T, Tanaka T, Suga T, Terada RS, Isaka T, Terada M. Point Prevalence of the Biomechanical Dimension of Dysfunctional Breathing Patterns Among Competitive Athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2023 Feb 1;37(2):270-276. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004253. Epub 2022 May 24. PMID: 35612946.

2. Sikora, M., Mikołajczyk, R., Łakomy, O. et al. Influence of the breathing pattern on the pulmonary function of endurance-trained athletes. Sci Rep 14, 1113 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51758-5

3. Chang YC, Chang HY, Ho CC, Lee PF, Chou YC, Tsai MW, Chou LW. Effects of 4-Week Inspiratory Muscle Training on Sport Performance in College 800-Meter Track Runners. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Jan 15;57(1):72. doi: 10.3390/medicina57010072. PMID: 33467421; PMCID: PMC7830231.

4. Harbour E, Stöggl T, Schwameder H, Finkenzeller T. Breath Tools: A Synthesis of Evidence-Based Breathing Strategies to Enhance Human Running. Front Physiol. 2022 Mar 17;13:813243. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.813243. PMID: 35370762; PMCID: PMC8967998.

5. Ford JL, Ildefonso K, Jones ML, Arvinen-Barrow M. Sport-related anxiety: current insights. Open Access J Sports Med. 2017 Oct 27;8:205-212. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S125845. PMID: 29138604; PMCID: PMC5667788.

6. Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:353.

7. Buxton JD, Grose HM, DeLuca JD, Donofrio TP, LePre VR, Parrish CW, Gerhart HD, Prins PJ. The Effects of Slow Breathing during Inter-Set Recovery on Power Performance in the Barbell Back Squat. J Hum Kinet. 2024 May 17;93:93-103. doi: 10.5114/jhk/185935. PMID: 39132422; PMCID: PMC11307190.

8. Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P. Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults. Physiol Rep. 2022 Jul;10(13):e15389. doi: 10.14814/phy2.15389. PMID: 35822447; PMCID: PMC9277512.

9. Cavaggioni L, Ongaro L, Zannin E, Iaia FM, Alberti G. Effects of different core exercises on respiratory parameters and abdominal strength. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Oct;27(10):3249-53. doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.3249. Epub 2015 Oct 30. PMID: 26644685; PMCID: PMC4668176.

10. Zelano, C., Jiang, H., Zhou, G., Arora, N., Schuele, S., Rosenow, J., et al. (2016). Nasal respiration entrains human limbic oscillations and modulates cognitive function. J. Neurosci. 36, 12448–12467. doi: 10.1523/ JNEUROSCI.2586-16.2016

11. Weitzberg E, Lundberg JO. Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002 Jul 15;166(2):144-5. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC. PMID: 12119224.

12. Migliaccio GM, Russo L, Maric M, Padulo J. Sports Performance and Breathing Rate: What Is the Connection? A Narrative Review on Breathing Strategies. Sports (Basel). 2023 May 10;11(5):103. doi: 10.3390/sports11050103. PMID: 37234059; PMCID: PMC10224217.