Your Breath May Be Holding You Back
As a performance coach, I often see athletes and individuals focus solely on their exercise routine, nutrition, and recovery when it comes to enhancing their performance. However, there’s one crucial element that often goes overlooked: breath work. Just like you carefully select exercises, plan your nutrition, and prioritize recovery, intentional breathing can play a significant role in unlocking your performance and overall well-being.
Breathwork, a practice that involves conscious control of the breath, has been used for centuries in various cultures and traditions for its numerous benefits. From reducing stress and anxiety to improving physical and mental performance, breathwork is a powerful tool that can be easily incorporated into your daily routine to unlock your full potential.
How many times throughout the day do you catch yourself mouth breathing? I know I catch myself a few times a day. The human breath is an autonomous function performed without consciousness so we rarely pay attention to it unless it is a moment of fight or flight.
One of the key aspects of breathwork is its impact on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is responsible for regulating our body’s physiological responses. By consciously controlling our breath, we can influence the ANS and shift from a state of stress and tension to one of calm and relaxation. This can be especially beneficial for athletes, as it allows them to optimize their performance by reducing pre-competition jitters and improving focus and concentration.
A Significant Role
Breathwork also plays a significant role in optimizing our oxygenation and energy production. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing increases oxygen delivery to our cells, muscles, and brain, enhancing their functioning. Additionally, proper breath control can help regulate carbon dioxide levels, which can influence our body’s pH levels and prevent fatigue during physical activity.
Incorporating breathwork into your daily routine can also have a profound impact on your mental well-being. Even just a few simple guided breaths helps to calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and improve emotional regulation. This can be especially beneficial for athletes who face the pressure of competition or individuals who experience stress in their daily lives. You will often see players at the free throw line in a basketball game take a big breath before their foul shot routine. When you are calm and focused, you can make better decisions, react more effectively to challenges, and perform at your best.
Be Intentional: Unlock Performance
Just like you carefully select exercises to target specific muscle groups or plan your nutrition to optimize your energy levels, intentional breathing can also be tailored to your specific needs and goals. There are various breath work techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and box breathing, that can be used in different situations to achieve specific outcomes. By working with a breath work coach like Brian Peters or incorporating breath work exercises into your routine, you can fine-tune your practice to suit your unique requirements.
With Strength,
Colin Masterson
Let's Connect on Social!