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The Importance of Breathing While Exercising: Mastering Your Breath for Better Performance

At Newsom Fitness, we believe that the simplest things can sometimes have the biggest impact, and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to breathing during exercise. Breathing is an automatic process that we rarely think about. However, during a workout, breathing becomes crucial for maximizing performance and ensuring the body gets the oxygen it needs.

Whether you're lifting weights, running, or practicing yoga, breathing properly is essential to help your muscles perform better, recover faster, and prevent injury. This blog will explore the science behind breathing during exercise, different breathing techniques for various activities, and how mastering your breath can make a noticeable difference in your fitness journey.


Why Proper Breathing During Exercise is Important

Understanding why proper breathing is important begins with knowing what happens inside your body every time you take a breath. Here's a breakdown of the process:


  • Oxygen Intake: Your lungs bring in oxygen with every breath.
  • Circulation: Oxygen is transferred to your bloodstream and circulated to your muscles, organs, and tissues.
  • Energy Production: The oxygen helps convert nutrients into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which fuels your muscles for movement and exertion.


In short, oxygen is your body’s fuel, and during exercise, your muscles need more of it to meet increased energy demands. Breathing efficiently ensures that your muscles get the oxygen they need to function properly, preventing early fatigue and promoting optimal performance.


Dr. Corbin Hedt, a physical therapist at Houston Methodist, explains: “When you exercise, your body’s need for oxygen increases because it’s working harder. Proper breathing ensures that enough oxygen reaches your organs and tissues, maintaining high performance levels and reducing the need for your body to overcompensate (hyperventilate) afterward to normalize these systems.”


The Consequences of Improper Breathing

Improper breathing during exercise can lead to several problems, from decreased performance to potential health risks. Let’s explore some of these consequences:


  • Reduced Workout Performance: If your muscles aren’t getting enough oxygen, they fatigue faster. This can limit your stamina, making it harder to sustain high-intensity exercise or push through challenging workouts.
  • Delayed Muscle Recovery: During exercise, your muscles produce lactic acid as a byproduct of energy production. Without proper oxygenation, lactic acid builds up, leading to muscle soreness and slower recovery times.
  • Health Risks: Improper breathing can result in dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting. Those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions need to be particularly careful, as poor breathing can exacerbate these issues during high-intensity workouts.


The Benefits of Proper Breathing

When you master the art of breathing during exercise, the benefits extend beyond your workout session. Let’s look at the key advantages of proper breathing:


1. Improved Endurance

Proper breathing ensures that your muscles receive a steady supply of oxygen, which allows them to work harder for longer periods. By delaying muscle fatigue, you’ll be able to sustain a higher intensity for a longer duration. Whether you’re running a marathon, cycling, or swimming, breathing properly can help you go the extra mile.


2. Better Mental Focus

Breathing plays a crucial role in maintaining mental focus and concentration. When you control your breath, you regulate your heart rate, which helps you stay calm and focused, particularly during high-intensity workouts or competitive sports. A consistent breathing rhythm helps ground you, allowing you to maintain proper form and avoid distractions.


3. Reduced Stress

Exercise is a stressor on the body, especially high-intensity workouts. However, controlled, deep breathing can lower cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone) and engage your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm the body and mind. This can reduce the negative impact of stress and help you maintain a more relaxed state, even during challenging exercise.


4. Faster Recovery

Proper breathing isn’t just about performance—it’s also about recovery. Deep, efficient breathing helps your body remove waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid from your muscles more quickly, which reduces muscle soreness and accelerates recovery so you can be ready for your next workout sooner.


5. Injury Prevention

Breathing correctly helps stabilize your core, especially during exercises that require balance and coordination, such as weightlifting. Engaging your diaphragm while breathing deeply can protect your spine and reduce the risk of injury to your lower back, neck, and shoulders.


Different Breathing Techniques for Different Exercises

Breathing during exercise isn’t one-size-fits-all. The way you breathe depends on the type of activity you’re performing. At Newsom Fitness, we emphasize the importance of adapting your breathing technique to the demands of your workout. Let’s look at some breathing techniques for different types of exercise.


1. Breathing for Cardiovascular Exercises

Cardiovascular activities like running, swimming, or cycling require steady, rhythmic breathing to supply your muscles with a continuous flow of oxygen. Shallow, rapid breaths will make you feel out of breath quickly, while deep, controlled breaths will help keep you calm and increase endurance.


  • Diaphragmatic Breathing: Also known as belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing engages the diaphragm to allow deeper breaths and maximize oxygen intake. This type of breathing is especially helpful for endurance athletes.
    How to do it: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise as you fill your lungs with air. Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly contract. Diaphragmatic breathing improves endurance and helps you remain calm during prolonged cardio sessions.
  • Breathing Rhythm for Running: A common breathing rhythm for running is the 2:2 pattern—inhaling for two steps and exhaling for two steps. This rhythmic breathing helps maintain a steady flow of oxygen and prevents overexertion. For high-intensity intervals, you can switch to a 2:1 or 1:1 rhythm to meet your body’s increased oxygen demands.


2. Breathing for Strength Training

Proper breathing during strength training is essential for both performance and safety. Holding your breath while lifting weights is a common mistake that can lead to increased blood pressure, dizziness, or even fainting.


  • Exhale on Exertion: One of the most important breathing techniques in strength training is to exhale during the exertion phase—the hardest part of the movement. For example, when performing a squat, exhale as you push up to stand. During a bench press, exhale as you push the bar away from your chest.
    Inhale on the Release: Inhale during the easier phase of the movement, such as when you’re lowering the weight or returning to the starting position.
  • Valsalva Maneuver (Advanced): This technique is often used by experienced lifters. It involves holding your breath briefly during heavy lifts to stabilize your core and protect your spine. However, this should be used cautiously, as holding your breath too long can elevate blood pressure and cause dizziness.


3. Breathing for Yoga and Pilates

Yoga and Pilates focus heavily on mindful breathing, incorporating it into every movement. Controlled breathing in these practices enhances concentration, flexibility, and core strength.


  • Ujjayi Breathing (Yoga): Ujjayi, or “ocean breath,” involves taking deep, steady breaths through the nose while slightly constricting the back of the throat. This creates a soft “ocean” sound that helps regulate your breath and focus during yoga practice.
    How to do it: Inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely. As you exhale, keep your mouth closed and constrict your throat slightly to create the ocean-like sound. This technique helps you maintain endurance and a calm mind during yoga sessions.
  • Pilates Breathing: In Pilates, lateral or ribcage breathing is emphasized. This involves expanding the ribs outward while keeping the core muscles engaged, ensuring that your muscles receive oxygen without compromising stability.


4. Breathing for High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT workouts involve short bursts of intense activity followed by periods of rest or low-intensity recovery. During the high-intensity intervals, your body’s oxygen demand skyrockets, making deep, efficient breaths crucial.


  • Inhale Deeply, Exhale Forcefully: During intense phases of HIIT, focus on taking deep, controlled breaths and exhaling forcefully to expel as much carbon dioxide as possible. This helps prevent early fatigue and maintains performance.
  • Recovery Breathing: During the rest periods, focus on slow, deep breathing to help lower your heart rate and prepare for the next round of intense activity.


Common Breathing Mistakes to Avoid

At Newsom Fitness, we encourage our clients to be mindful of their breathing during workouts. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:


1. Shallow Breathing

Shallow, rapid breaths prevent your lungs from fully expanding and limit oxygen intake. This can cause early fatigue and shortness of breath during workouts.


2. Holding Your Breath

Holding your breath during heavy lifts or high-intensity exercise can increase blood pressure and lead to dizziness or fainting. Always exhale during the exertion phase of your movements.


3. Inconsistent Breathing

Inconsistent breathing patterns can disrupt your rhythm and make it difficult to maintain intensity during your workout. Establish a consistent pattern that matches the type of exercise you’re performing.


4. Breathing Too Quickly

It’s easy to fall into rapid, shallow breaths when pushing yourself during a tough workout, but this can lead to hyperventilation. Focus on taking deep, controlled breaths even when the workout gets intense.


Conclusion

Breathing is often overlooked in exercise, but it plays a critical role in how well you perform, how quickly you recover, and how you feel overall. At Newsom Fitness, we believe that mastering your breath can elevate your workouts and improve your fitness journey. Whether you're running, lifting weights, or practicing yoga, learning to breathe properly is a simple yet powerful way to optimize your performance and achieve your goals.


As Dr. Corbin Hedt puts it, “Our bodies rely on oxygen to function properly, and breathing is how we get that oxygen. During exercise, this becomes even more crucial as our bodies demand more oxygen.”


So next time you hit the gym, remember to focus on your breathing. With each controlled breath, you'll be taking a step toward better endurance, improved focus, reduced stress, and faster recovery. Newsom Fitness is here to support you in every breath you take on your fitness journey.

Better Sleep, Better Life: How Fitness, Nutrition, and Mindful Habits Can Improve Sleep Quality

December 8, 2024
At Newsom Fitness, we know that quality sleep is one of the pillars of a healthy, fulfilling life. Yet, for many, restful sleep can feel elusive—especially when dealing with stress, hormonal changes, or lifestyle disruptions. Sleep plays a critical role in physical recovery, mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall health. However, with the right strategies—including fitness, nutrition, and mindful habits—you can significantly improve your sleep quality and, by extension, your quality of life. Whether you're struggling with stress, navigating the effects of hormonal changes, or just looking to optimize your health, this blog will guide you through how to enhance your sleep through fitness routines, balanced nutrition, and mindfulness techniques. Why Sleep is So Important for a Better Life Before diving into ways to improve sleep, it's important to understand why sleep matters. Sleep isn't just a period of rest; it’s an active process where the body and mind work to restore and repair. During sleep, your brain consolidates memories, regulates hormones, and clears out toxins. Meanwhile, your body works to repair muscles, replenish energy stores, and produce essential molecules like growth hormones. Poor sleep can have a domino effect on nearly every aspect of health: Cognitive Function: A lack of sleep leads to memory issues, decreased concentration, and slower reaction times. Emotional Well-being: Sleep deprivation contributes to mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and depression. Physical Health: Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Hormonal Balance: Inadequate sleep can disrupt the hormones that regulate appetite, stress, and reproductive health. For those going through stressful periods, dealing with hormonal fluctuations, or facing other life challenges, sleep often becomes one of the first things to suffer. Fortunately, by making fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness key parts of your routine, you can improve the quality of your sleep and support better overall health. The Connection Between Fitness and Sleep Quality Physical activity has a profound impact on sleep quality. Regular exercise not only helps you fall asleep faster but also improves the depth and duration of your sleep. This is because exercise increases the time spent in deep sleep, the most restorative phase of sleep, where tissue repair and muscle recovery occur. How Fitness Enhances Sleep Regulates the Sleep-Wake Cycle: Exercise helps regulate your circadian rhythm—the body’s internal clock that tells you when it’s time to sleep and wake up. By maintaining regular exercise, especially outdoors where you’re exposed to natural light, you reinforce your body’s natural sleep-wake patterns. Reduces Stress Hormones: Physical activity reduces levels of cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. High cortisol levels, especially at night, can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Exercise acts as a natural stress reliever, helping your body release tension and prepare for restful sleep. Increases Endorphins: Exercise promotes the release of endorphins, the body's "feel-good" chemicals, which help regulate mood and combat stress. This can create a positive mental state that is conducive to sleep. Improves Mental Health: Regular physical activity can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, both of which are often associated with sleep disturbances. By improving mental health, fitness helps break the cycle of stress-induced insomnia. Enhances Deep Sleep: Exercise, particularly strength training and high-intensity activities, increases the amount of time you spend in deep sleep, which is the most restorative stage of sleep. Deep sleep is essential for muscle repair, energy replenishment, and hormone regulation. Best Types of Exercise for Better Sleep While any physical activity can contribute to better sleep, certain types of exercise are especially beneficial: Cardiovascular Exercise: Activities like running, swimming, cycling, or brisk walking help reduce insomnia and increase sleep efficiency. Cardio boosts circulation, lowers blood pressure, and helps release stress, making it easier to fall asleep. Strength Training: Building muscle through resistance exercises can improve sleep quality by increasing deep sleep. Activities like weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, or using resistance bands can significantly enhance sleep, particularly when done earlier in the day. Yoga and Stretching: Mind-body exercises like yoga or stretching routines promote relaxation and flexibility, making it easier to wind down before bed. Yoga has been shown to improve both sleep quality and duration, particularly in people dealing with stress or anxiety. Tai Chi: This gentle, flowing form of exercise combines movement with mindful breathing, making it an excellent option for people struggling with insomnia or high levels of stress. Tai Chi has been found to improve both sleep quality and mental clarity. Timing Your Workouts for Optimal Sleep While exercise promotes better sleep, timing matters. Here are some tips on scheduling your workouts: Morning and Afternoon: Exercising in the morning or afternoon is ideal for regulating your circadian rhythm. Exposure to natural light during these times helps signal to your body when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep later in the day. Evening: For some people, vigorous exercise too close to bedtime may energize the body and make it harder to fall asleep. However, others find that gentle evening exercises, like yoga or stretching, help them relax and prepare for bed. Experiment with timing to see what works best for your body. How Nutrition Impacts Sleep Just as fitness influences sleep, what you eat also plays a critical role in how well you rest. Certain foods and nutrients can either promote or inhibit sleep, depending on how and when they are consumed. Key Nutrients for Better Sleep Tryptophan: An amino acid found in foods like turkey, eggs, nuts, and seeds, tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness. Serotonin is then converted into melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. Magnesium: Magnesium plays a key role in supporting deep, restorative sleep by helping to relax muscles and calm the nervous system. Foods rich in magnesium include leafy greens, bananas, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate. Calcium: Calcium helps the brain use tryptophan to produce melatonin. Dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified plant-based milk are good sources of calcium that can contribute to better sleep. Vitamin B6: This vitamin aids in the production of melatonin and serotonin, making it a key nutrient for sleep health. Foods rich in B6 include fish, poultry, bananas, and chickpeas. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3s, particularly DHA, support sleep by promoting the production of melatonin. These healthy fats are found in fatty fish like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds. Foods to Eat for Better Sleep If you’re looking to improve your sleep quality, consider adding the following foods to your evening routine: Almonds: High in magnesium and protein, almonds help regulate blood sugar levels and promote muscle relaxation, which can help you sleep better. Turkey: A well-known source of tryptophan, turkey promotes serotonin production, making you feel calm and ready for bed. Chamomile Tea: Known for its calming properties, chamomile tea contains antioxidants that may reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Kiwi: Studies have shown that eating kiwi before bed may improve both the duration and quality of sleep, possibly due to its high antioxidant content and serotonin-boosting effects. Oatmeal: A bowl of oatmeal provides complex carbohydrates that stimulate the release of serotonin, while also delivering a dose of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Foods to Avoid Before Bed Just as certain foods can promote sleep, others can hinder it. If you’re struggling with poor sleep, try to avoid the following foods and drinks in the evening: Caffeine: While caffeine can give you the energy boost you need during the day, consuming it too late can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, or soda at least 4-6 hours before bed. Sugary Snacks: Foods high in sugar can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, making it harder to stay asleep throughout the night. Alcohol: While alcohol may make you feel drowsy initially, it disrupts your sleep cycle, reducing the quality of your rest and making you more likely to wake up in the middle of the night. Heavy Meals: Eating large or rich meals too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and disrupt your sleep. Try to finish your last meal at least 2-3 hours before bed. Mindful Habits for Better Sleep In addition to fitness and nutrition, developing mindful habits can significantly improve your sleep quality. Mindfulness practices can help calm your mind, reduce stress, and prepare your body for rest. 1. Practice a Relaxing Bedtime Routine Creating a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. Some tips for establishing a bedtime routine include: Dim the Lights: Lowering the lighting in your home at least an hour before bed can stimulate melatonin production and help regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Limit Screen Time: The blue light emitted by phones, computers, and televisions suppresses melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. Try to avoid screens at least 30 minutes before bed. Read or Listen to Music: Instead of scrolling through your phone, engage in a relaxing activity like reading a book or listening to calming music. 2. Meditation and Deep Breathing Mindfulness meditation and deep breathing exercises are excellent tools for promoting relaxation and reducing stress. These practices help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for slowing down heart rate and preparing the body for sleep. How to Practice: Try spending 5-10 minutes focusing on your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose for four counts, hold for four counts, and then exhale slowly through your mouth for another four counts. This simple exercise can calm your mind and body, making it easier to drift into restful sleep. 3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) involves tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in your body, from your toes to your head. This technique helps release physical tension and promotes a sense of calm before sleep. How to Practice: Start by tensing the muscles in your feet for 5-10 seconds, then relax them completely. Move up through your body, tensing and relaxing each muscle group. By the time you reach your head, your body will feel more relaxed and ready for rest. 4. Journaling If stress or anxious thoughts are keeping you awake, journaling before bed can be a powerful tool for clearing your mind. Writing down your thoughts, worries, or even a list of things you’re grateful for can help alleviate mental clutter and promote a sense of peace. The Impact of Hormones on Sleep For those dealing with hormonal changes—whether due to menopause, pregnancy, or stress—sleep can be particularly difficult. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol all play a role in regulating sleep, and any imbalances can disrupt the sleep cycle. For Women: Hormonal changes during menopause, pregnancy, or the menstrual cycle can cause sleep disturbances such as hot flashes, night sweats, or insomnia. Regular exercise, stress management, and dietary changes (like increasing magnesium intake) can help balance hormones and improve sleep. For Men: Testosterone levels in men decline with age, which can lead to sleep problems. Incorporating regular strength training and ensuring proper nutrition can help support hormone balance and promote better sleep. Conclusion At Newsom Fitness, we believe that better sleep truly leads to a better life. By incorporating fitness, balanced nutrition, and mindful habits into your routine, you can significantly improve the quality of your sleep and, by extension, your overall health and well-being. Whether you're dealing with stress, hormonal changes, or simply looking to optimize your rest, these practices can help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Remember, sleep is a foundational aspect of health. Prioritize it, and you’ll notice improvements in your physical performance, mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall quality of life. 

Age with Confidence: A Guide to Fitness, Wellness, and Self-Care for Aging Gracefully

December 1, 2024
At Newsom Fitness, we believe aging is about growing stronger and more confident, not slowing down. Aging gracefully means embracing changes with a positive mindset, self-care, and a fitness routine that adapts to your needs. This blog dives into essential fitness tips and wellness practices to help you stay active, healthy, and vibrant at every stage of life. From managing weight and improving bone health to maintaining flexibility and mental clarity, discover how to take charge of your well-being and age with confidence, supported by the guidance and expertise of Newsom Fitness.

Resistance Training: Building Strength, Enhancing Health, and Empowering Lives

November 17, 2024
At Newsom Fitness, resistance training is more than just lifting weights—it’s a path to a healthier, more empowered life. This blog explores how resistance training supports health at any age, from building muscle strength and enhancing metabolism to improving bone density and mental well-being. For women and older adults especially, strength training plays a vital role in managing age-related changes, including bone health and muscle mass. Learn how resistance training fits into a balanced fitness routine, and discover the profound benefits it offers for body, mind, and resilience. Join Newsom Fitness in harnessing the power of resistance training to live stronger and healthier every day.
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