Come play my game, I’ll test ya…
So sang the Prodigy and even if Keith Flint seems more than a little bit crazy, he perhaps has a point.
Even under pressure, we still have control over our breathing. Very often, when stressed, we tend to hold our breath slightly, the effect of which is to change to vital gas balance in our blood stream.
Respiration is one of the only autonomic functions over which we can have conscious control, and also the one that has the most profound effect on our physiology and mental state.
With controlled breathing comes situational control, the ability to mentally step back, assess the problem, be it a run, workout or stressful issue at work and regain focus.
One of the fastest ways to control your breath under load is wheel breathing, where you follow an inhale / exhale cycle as though blowing a wheel around, no pausing, no flat points. Instead, you consciously become aware of a smooth, slower, deep pattern that starts to bring everything else back under control.
Even a few cycles mid workout will pay huge dividends, so if in doubt, breathe.
The Camford Clinic 