There is a ton of pseudo-science out there about mindfulness, but to be honest, I don’t really care about that stuff. Sure, they all say practicing meditation and deep breathing can increase brain function, decrease stress, improve metabolism, and even improve your immune system, but is any of it even real? What I care about most is how it makes me feel. Will I notice a difference when practicing deep breathing for 10 minutes a day? Let’s find out.
I started by doing research; I googled “best breathing exercises for athletes,” as one does. I cataloged a list of breathing exercises I wanted to try from different sources. In addition, I reached out to a teammate and friend of mine who recently qualified for the Olympics and asked him what breathing exercise he recommends.
For the next few months, I tried each exercise for at least a week, either in the morning when I woke up or before my sports practices. I would then record how I felt and whether or not I liked the exercise.
After a lot of experimenting, I have decided that I think these exercises can make a noticeable improvement in my life. First, out of the breathing exercises that I have tried so far, one reigns supreme. This is the Wim Hof Method. This takes 10 minutes and was recommended by my friend, whom I mentioned earlier. Long story short, I really love this exercise because it activates my lungs extremely well delivering oxygen to my whole body. I plan to incorporate it into my daily routine and I recommend you try it out. In addition, afterward I feel very relaxed. This was a common effect of most exercises I tried. I find that simply focusing on my breathing for a period of time is relaxing and calming.
Some other honorable mentions that I have found are Kumbhaka Pranayama and the Physiological Sigh. I find that Kumbhaka Pranayama activates your lungs well, whereas the physiological Sigh is more for mental relief when stressed, sort of a mental reset. These are nothing crazy, but I liked them.
In the end, I am very glad that I set out to do this, and I am not done learning and experimenting. My takeaway is that these exercises definitely helped me in the right circumstances, and I will keep doing them. I also enjoy the daily discipline/routine aspect of doing something every day. However, as with all mindfulness, this is something that is extremely personal and requires experimentation. And maybe it’s just not your thing; that’s okay, too.
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