And, breathe!

 

BREATHING! We all do it, we have to, if we don't, we die, simple as that really, so why on earth and I writing a blogpost on breathing then if we all know how to do it?

I spend a large portion of my working life telling people to breathe, believe it or not. Not just in fitness sessions, but also during hypnotherapy too.

The power of correct breath control is something that we should master, not just for our physical health, but for our mental well-being too.

Focusing on our out-breath can help to calm our minds. Deep breathing to relax helps us to reduce anxiety.

Try now for a while........

Take a big deep breath right from your abdomen, hold it for just a second, relax your shoulders and exhale slowly for a count of four. Do this several times and feel the tension drift away from your body. Do this daily and you will be able to notice a more focused mind afterwards, it just gives you a little reset.

Deep breathing, rather than the shallow breaths taken in from your lungs will help to cleanse your body and mind.

During fitness sessions, my clients sometimes breath-hold when they concentrate, then wonder why they are so out of breath. Try and always focus on your breath, when you exercise keep your breathing regular, always exhale on the hard bit of the exercise and inhale on the easy bit! Then you keep your lungs happy. 

When running I always tell people to keep your breathing even by breathing in for the same amount of steps as you breath out. I am a three step breather, in for three, out for three, unless I'm going up a massive incline, then it's two and two!

Don't take breathing for granted, because one day it will end, that's inevitable, use it for the greater good of your mind and body. And don't forget to push your body in exercise, so that you get 'out of breath!' A lot of people get scared when they are pushed to their limits, but it's good for us, so make sure you do it, maybe in HIIT training, or hill sprints, that's the life force, that's what our bodies need to be stronger.

Have you been reading this and focusing on your own breathing?

Did you try the breath hold exercise? If not, do it now, and enjoy the calm that comes from it.

Happy breathing everyone!