How To Breathe Like A Pro
It’s not a coincidence that our breathing quickens when we get excited or anxious – it is a physiological pattern that is engrained at our most basic operating level. So it reasons that controlling our breathing can also help us control our over-excitement or anxiety.
When we are in that anxious ‘fight or flight’ state, taking quick, shallow breaths from our chest – our blood is being shunted to our internal organs for protection – and away from our extremities, which is not what you want when you are trying to win a hockey game.
Learning to manage your breathing can help you keep a clear head, focus on your task, rather than letting your reptilian fight or flight brain take over. Learning to breathe properly can also improve the function of your torso it’s stabilizers.
When is the last time you thought about your breathing?
For many of you probably NEVER.
I predict that the science of ‘breathing’ will become the next big thing in athlete training. That’s why I use it with the pro and recreational athletes we train at RevCon and they like it!
Here are the benefits…
- Proper breathing helps you manage your nerves and let’s you keep your focus on the task at hand
- Proper breathing let’s you shut down after a game and begin the recovery process – it is also a good way to help you get to sleep
- Proper breathing teaches you to expand your rib cage, letting you take in more air and keep a more supple torso (where we are often stiff)
Try this technique to get started.
Lie on your back, ideally with your feet elevated and knees bent to 90 degrees. You could lie on the floor with your feet up on the seat of your sofa for example.
Put your hands on either side of your rib cage/abdomen and feel that you are filling your chest and your ‘belly’ with air – expanding in all directions, like you are filling a balloon.
Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4 seconds. Try to get in as much air as possible.
Hold your air in for a count of 2 seconds.
Breathe out through your mouth for a count of 6 seconds. Try to get all of the air out of your lungs (but don’t forcefully blow out your air, just let it out).
Repeat this for 3-minutes.
Try it today – you will be surprised at how hard it is to focus on your breathing for 3-minutes. After you have done the exercise, post your comments down below.
Cheers,
M
PS – make sure you try it and post your thoughts below…
HOW SKATERS SHOULD TRAIN DURING THE SEASON.
GOALIES…Are you training like THIS during the season.