Breathing—it’s the one thing we all do automatically, yet so many of us do it incorrectly when it matters most. In daily life, poor breathing habits might go unnoticed, but in the CrossFit box, inefficient breathing can limit your performance, impact recovery, and even increase your risk of injury. Proper breathing is an essential skill, one that plays a key role in bracing, stabilizing, and powering through intense movements. Let’s dive into why breathing matters, why we’ve forgotten how to do it right, and how to improve.
Why Breathing Matters in CrossFit
Breathing is not just about oxygen exchange; it’s a tool to brace your core, stabilize your spine, and optimize movement efficiency. Whether you’re performing a heavy back squat, cycling through thrusters, or pacing a long AMRAP, your breath can dictate your rhythm and capacity. Proper breathing supports:
- Core Stability: Diaphragmatic breathing helps create intra-abdominal pressure, a key component in protecting your lower back during lifts.
- Endurance: Controlled breathing ensures a steady oxygen supply, helping you maintain pace and avoid early fatigue.
- Recovery: Intentional exhalations during rest breaks lower your heart rate and speed recovery between efforts.
Why We Forget How to Breathe Properly
Modern lifestyles are a big culprit. Many of us spend hours sitting, hunched over desks or devices, leading to shallow, chest-focused breathing. Stress compounds this, prompting quick, shallow breaths that engage only the upper chest. Over time, these patterns become our default, and we lose touch with diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, which engages the full capacity of our lungs.
In CrossFit, improper breathing often shows up when athletes:
- Hold their breath unnecessarily during movements.
- Over-breathe (pant) during high-intensity efforts.
- Forget to brace and breathe simultaneously, leading to poor midline stability.
Breathing and Bracing: A Dynamic Duo
Bracing and breathing go hand-in-hand in CrossFit, especially during heavy lifts. To create a stable platform for movement, you need intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure acts like a natural weight belt, protecting your spine and transferring force efficiently through your body. Here’s how it works:
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your diaphragm rather than lifting your chest. This draws air deep into your lungs.
- Core Engagement: As you inhale, engage your core by tightening the muscles around your midsection. This locks in the pressure.
- Controlled Exhalation: Exhale during the exertion phase of a lift or movement, maintaining tension in your core.
For example, during a back squat, take a deep diaphragmatic breath before descending, brace your core, and exhale as you rise out of the bottom of the squat.
The Role of Nose Breathing
Nose breathing is often overlooked but has significant benefits for CrossFit athletes:
- Efficiency: Breathing through your nose filters and humidifies the air, making oxygen delivery more efficient.
- Calm and Control: Nose breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you stay calm and focused during workouts.
- Enhanced Recovery: Controlled nasal breathing during rest periods helps lower your heart rate more quickly.
In contrast, mouth breathing can lead to over-breathing, which may cause hyperventilation, inefficient oxygen use, and reduced endurance. Training your body to rely on nose breathing, especially during lower-intensity movements, can improve overall performance.
Improving Your Breathing Habits
Like any skill in CrossFit, proper breathing takes practice. Here’s how to start:
1. Master Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Practice lying on your back with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, ensuring only your belly rises. Exhale slowly.
- Incorporate this technique into warm-ups, cool-downs, or even daily mindfulness routines.
2. Use Breathing to Enhance Bracing
- During lifts, focus on creating intra-abdominal pressure before initiating the movement.
- Inhale through your nose, brace your core, and exhale forcefully during exertion.
3. Train Your Nose
- Start with lower-intensity workouts, like rowing or jogging, and breathe exclusively through your nose.
- Gradually build tolerance by increasing intensity while maintaining nasal breathing.
4. Sync with Movements
- For cyclic movements like box jumps or wall balls, establish a breathing rhythm to match your reps.
- For heavy lifts, time your breath to brace effectively during the load phase and release during the lift phase.
5. Practice Recovery
- Between sets or during rest periods, focus on slow, deep breaths through your nose. Exhale longer than you inhale to activate recovery.
Reap the Benefits of Better Breathing
Improving your breathing mechanics doesn’t just make you a better CrossFit athlete; it enhances your overall well-being. With proper breathing:
- You’ll lift heavier, with greater control and safety.
- Your endurance will improve, allowing you to tackle longer, more intense WODs.
- Recovery will become faster and more effective, reducing burnout and fatigue.
Final Thoughts
In CrossFit, every rep, lift, and step begins and ends with a breath. By reclaiming control of your breathing, you unlock new potential in your training and life. Take the time to reconnect with this fundamental skill, and you’ll see the impact in every workout—one breath, one lift, one WOD at a time. See you in the gym!