By Col Wajid Hussain
1. Breathing less reduces air intake which results in improved athletic performance, less breathlessness and decreased lactic acid ( its secretion tires one easily) formation.
Proper warming up to 10 minutes before exercise leads to production of more carbon dioxide which improves the release of oxygen from the blood to tissues and organ. Additional benefit is the opening of blood vessels and airways—allowing for better blood flow and easy breathing. The other points are:
• Begin walking at a comfortable pace.
• During warm-up, try to breathe regularly and calmly through your nose , with abdomen gently moving outward as you inhale and gently moving inward as you exhale. As you walk, allow a feeling of relaxation to spread throughout your body.
• After 1 minute or so of walking at a fairly good pace, exhale normally through your nose and pinch your nose to hold the breath.
• While holding your breath, walk for 10 to 30 paces, or until you feel a moderate need to breathe. When you feel this hunger for air, let go of your nose and resume breathing through your nose.
• Continue walking for 10 minutes, performing a breath hold every minute or so.
Breathing Recovery Exercise
2.Following physical exercise, cool down by walking for 3 to 5 minutes, performing the following small breath holds:
• Exhale as normal through the nose.• Pinch your nose with your fingers to hold the breath for 2 to 5 seconds.• Breathe normally through the nose for 10 seconds.• Repeat the first 3 steps throughout your cooldown.• Resume regular breathing. Pak Destiny