How to breathe during exercise

Yoga's all in the breath Photography Thinkstock

It's easy to take breathing for granted.

But tune in to your breath when you're, say, halfway through a sun salutation during yoga or running for a finish line and you'll find that it not only feeds your muscles fresh oxygen but also clues you in to whether you can up your intensity. To get the most out of every breath when you workout, follow these breathing tips.

How to breathe when running

The Expert Danny Dreyer, author of ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running

How? With closed lips, breathe in sharply and deeply through the nose. Then purse your lips, as if you're trying to blow out a candle, and exhale through your mouth. As you run, breathe in for one step and out for two.

Why? "The rapid inhale and slower exhale in this technique fills your lungs from the bottom," Dreyer says. "Breathing exercises help you take in more air when you inhale and empty your lungs completely when you exhale." The result? "Your muscles receive more glycogen, which lowers your chances of cramping up."

How to breathe in yoga

The Expert Elena Brower, owner of Virayoga in New York City, USA

How? Use the Hindu breathing method called ujjayi. First, inhale once with your mouth open and then exhale the same way, making a "ha" sound. Then close your mouth and continue making the same sound while inhaling and exhaling through your nose (you'll sound like Darth Vader).

Why? "Your breathing is the barometer of all your poses," Brower says. Gasping for air? Back out of the pose. "Always give preference to deeper breathing over deeper postures." What's more, this breathing technique is largely responsible for the yoga buzz that keeps you coming back for more.

How to breathe when strength training

The Expert Tom Holland, exercise physiologist and personal trainer

How? Exhale through your mouth when you lift weights and inhale through your nose when you lower. Rule of thumb: Take two seconds to raise the weight and three to four seconds to lower it.

Why? Focusing on your breath keeps your brain in the game so you're more likely to pay attention to overall form, Holland says.

How to breathe when cycling

The Expert Tom Holland

How? "The key to breathing on a bike is to go in through the nose and out through the mouth and to be as relaxed as you can be," Holland says. When your intensity increases on climbs or long rides, breathe more forcefully: deeper, quicker inhales through the nose and rapid exhales through the mouth.

Why? "The more relaxed your breathing is, the more relaxed your entire body will be," Holland says. "Relaxed breathing conserves energy, prevents fatigue, and improves endurance." And using forceful breaths when you're beat will get more oxygen to your muscles.

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