Cardio (Aerobic) Exercise
When you are walking, running, biking, Spinning, or doing any other form of cardiovascular exercise, try to breathe deeply. "As to whether you breathe through your nose, mouth, or a combination of the two, is a personal preference," says SparkPeople's Nancy Howard, a certified running coach. "Most runners find that mouth breathing provides the body with the greatest amount of oxygen," she explains, and this may be the case for other exercisers, too. Make a conscious effort to keep your breathing both deep and relaxed. Ideally, we should all practice diaphragmatic breathing or "belly" breathing during cardio activities, which contrasts considerably with the shallow chest breaths we do while at rest. Diaphragmatic breathing allows for deeper, fuller breaths and better oxygen delivery during intense exercise. Here's how to do it: