When we think about elite athletes, we picture individuals who are physically gifted, incredibly strong, and relentlessly dedicated to their sport or discipline. While these qualities are important, what separates the greats from the goods sometimes has very little to do with their muscles or fitness routines. It's their control over that very foundation of life: breath. Introduced into the mix are breathwork, breath training, and the application of mouth taping as key elements in taking a professional athlete to his or her best.
The Oxygen Connection
While breathing is essential in a human's life, in an athletic performance, it becomes all the more crucial. The relationship between good breathing and increased endurance forms the foundation of why breathwork and breath training are important.
Stamina means being able to sustain a lower degree of performance over a longer period. The foundation is: that with exercise particularly at high intensities the demand for oxygen in the body is strongly increased. An effective supply of oxygen to the working muscles is a prerequisite for maintaining performance and delaying the onset of fatigue. Here is how breathwork and training contribute to this process:
- Proper breathing techniques, in particular, the diaphragmatic and rhythmic kinds of breathing, allow more efficient usage of an athlete's potential lung capacity. Deeper breathing engages the use of the diaphragm, enabling the greater exchange of oxygen and increasing the quantity available for energy production.
- It is considered one of the major reasons for tiredness, the lactic acid that builds up in muscles. Thus, correct breathing can help regulate the pH level of the blood and reduce the accumulation of lactic acid, delaying fatigue of muscles.
- As athletes develop their muscles for endurance, they can form respiratory muscles that can fight against continuous stress. Breath training exercises put strength into the respiratory muscles, which aid athletes in breathing easily during rigorous activities.
Breathwork: The Key to Mental Focus
But beyond these physiological advantages, breathwork also has much to do with an athlete's mental game. It is staying calm and focused under pressure and focusing on performance objectives. Controlled breathing methods, be it box breathing or the Wim Hof method, help get athletes into a very clear mental state and eventually keep them there during the competition.
Mouth Taping
While nose breathing is preferred due to its filtration and humidification properties, one still finds oneself in habitual mouth breathing during intense exercise. Here, the possible results might be a risk of dehydration, lowered oxygen uptake, and possibly reduced performance. This takes us into the application of taping the mouth.
Mouth taping is a process where a specialized, breathable tape is applied over the mouth during the night or training sessions. The tape, by physical obstruction, encourages nasal breathing. Mouth taping helps train athletes to breathe through their noses, even during high-intensity exercise, to help the body optimize its oxygen intake and reduce respiratory rate for improved general oxygen utilization. This generally leads to improved athletic performance and a reduced risk of dehydration. Read more about Mouth Taping For Sleep: Benefits and Side Effects.
Becoming the Best
Every athlete seeking excellence in sports is looking for that extra edge, whatever that hidden secret may be that will push them headlong into peak performance. The inbuilt power behind breathwork, breathing training, and mouth taping cannot be ignored. Read more about Know About The Facts About Mouth Taping for Sleep.
Whether that be breathwork or breath training, all levels of competing athletes should focus on making this a part of their everyday training ritual. This could be partnered with sports science professionals or specially qualified trainers, calling on those experts for help in tailoring it to the individual requirements and goals of the athlete. One can increase the oxygenation of body cells, enhance endurance, and focus both body and mind toward excelling at the pinnacle in their chosen sport by using the power of the breath.