Should You Breathe Through Your Nose when You Work Out?

When I first started doing a yoga-āsana practice 30 years ago I constantly heard the cue “breathe through your nose.”

No matter what we were doing: moving between poses, jumping back or forward, holding a challenging pose, lifting the body up off the ground while on my hands, staying longer in a supporting pose while sinking deeper in, and even when laying down to rest and doing nothing.

“Breathe through your nose.”

Yet when I would transfer that to other activities the advice would almost be the opposite. Or at best it was “quick in nose, fast out mouth”, or similar along those lines. Sport, gym, working out. All the same.

Nose breathing stayed with me. And I found greater power.

I do a full set of push-ups, 30 to 50, and breathe purely through the nose, even at an extended smooth pace, not matched to the motion of the push-up.

When spinning, indoor cycling, on the “bike that doesn’t go anywhere”, as someone once described it to me, I keep nose breathing right up to the point where it becomes intense. Such as a sprint after a hill climb. At that level of exertion, I switch to inhale nose, exhale mouth. I just need much more air.

If I reached a level where all I could do was breathe in and out the mouth then this was the point of over-exertion. Breath becomes sloppy and almost counter-productive. So I would return to a high exertion, which is short-lasting, where I can breathe in nose, exhale mouth.

And then back to breathing through my nose, for all moderate, light, and regular activity.

All day.

And if you “breathe through your nose” all (or most) of the day you create for you the best trained possibility that you will “breathe through your nose” when sleeping.

Whenever I watch football (soccer) games I can’t help but see so many of the players, before a corner or freekick for example, standing and waiting with the mouth partially open: mouth breathing.

I can’t help but yell: “breathe through your nose.”

Yet ….. in recent years sport science has caught up with the power of nasal breathing while competing, training, working out, etc. And this has reached the recreational athlete.

After all those years of yoga’s wisdom of “breathe through your nose” it has finally reached a broader public who now find the benefit.

So what’s it all about, breathing through your nose while working out? I break it down here …

The Workout Breath: Unlocking Peak Performance Through Nasal Breathing

Athletes across various disciplines continually seek methods to enhance performance, optimize recovery, and maintain overall health. Finally, the method of nasal breathing is gaining prominence.

Our nasal passages are intricately designed to facilitate optimal respiration. The surface area of the nasal passageways, along with the sinuses, is far greater than what the mouth allows. Breathing through the nose, as opposed to the mouth, serves several critical functions:

• Increased Airway Resistance: Nasal breathing naturally creates more resistance in the airways compared to mouth breathing. This means the diaphragm and respiratory muscles must work harder, strengthening them over time and improving overall breathing efficiency.
• Enhanced Oxygen Uptake: The resistance in nasal breathing slows airflow, allowing the lungs more time to extract oxygen and deliver it to working muscles. This translates to greater endurance and sustained performance.
• Air Filtration and Conditioning: The nose filters and warms incoming air, protecting the respiratory system from irritants and maintaining appropriate humidity levels, reducing the risk of inflammation and airway constriction.
• Nitric Oxide Production: Nasal breathing stimulates the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that enhances blood flow, dilates blood vessels, and improves oxygen transportation within the body.
• Diaphragmatic Engagement: Breathing through your nose encourages the use of the diaphragm, promoting core stability and efficient muscular function, which enhances posture and biomechanics.

Leading exercise science researcher, Prof. George Dallam, conducted a six-month research study on nasal breathing training in runners. Those who trained with nose breathing reached 39.2 breaths per minute through their noses compared to 49.4 breaths through their mouths. Of interest, the nasal breathers maintained the same performance level. That’s an impressive 22% greater efficiency, a significant difference in your running economy or physical exertion capacity.

The Main Advantage: Airway Resistance. Why it Matters for Any Fitness Approach

Breathing through the nose increases resistance in the airways, requiring the respiratory muscles to work harder. While this might feel uncomfortable at first, it offers significant long-term benefits:

• Stronger Respiratory Muscles: Just as lifting weights strengthens skeletal muscles, nasal breathing strengthens the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, improving lung capacity and efficiency.
• Improved CO2 Tolerance: Increased resistance forces the body to become more tolerant of higher carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. A higher tolerance to CO2 allows for better oxygen utilization, delaying fatigue and improving overall performance.
• Greater Breath Control: By slowing the breath, nasal breathing prevents rapid, shallow breathing, which can lead to hyperventilation and inefficient oxygen exchange. This contributes to a more stable heart rate and energy conservation.
• More Efficient Oxygen Delivery: The slower, more controlled inhalation and exhalation allow for a greater percentage of oxygen to reach the bloodstream, fueling working muscles more effectively.

Benefits of Nose Breathing Across All Physical Activities

No matter what the sport, fitness activity, or work out, implementing nasal breathing yields numerous advantages, whether it’s recreational or competitive:

• Enhanced Oxygen Delivery: Despite an initial sensation of reduced airflow, nasal breathing can improve oxygen uptake, crucial for endurance and performance.
• Protection Against Respiratory Issues: By warming and humidifying air, nasal breathing reduces the risk of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and other respiratory discomforts.
• Accelerated Recovery: Activating the parasympathetic nervous system through nasal breathing promotes relaxation and efficient recovery post-exercise.
• Hydration Maintenance: Mouth breathing can lead to increased water loss; nasal breathing helps conserve moisture, essential during prolonged physical activity.
• Improved Mental Focus: Many athletes or recreational fitness buffs report heightened concentration and a greater sense of flow when practicing nasal breathing.
• Adding to Core Stability: Nasal breathing while working out engages the extremely powerful diaphragm muscle, co-opting muscles in the core region that are connected to the diaphragm, to improve overall core stability. This will improve your form whether running, playing tennis, even walking, or any physical activity.

Adoption Among Elite Athletes

The practice of nasal breathing, often facilitated by mouth taping during training and sleep, has been embraced by top-tier athletes:

• Iga Świątek: The world No.1 tennis player was observed practicing with tape over her mouth during training sessions at the Canadian Open.This technique, introduced by her fitness coach, Maciej Ryszczuk, aims to restrict oxygen intake to enhance endurance. Świątek noted that nasal breathing increases heart rate more easily, making on-court activities more challenging and effectively improving endurance without extreme physical exertion.
• Erling Haaland: The Manchester City striker attributes improved sleep quality and recovery to mouth taping, which encourages consistent nasal breathing.
• Various Endurance Athletes: Runners and cyclists have incorporated nasal breathing techniques to enhance performance and reduce respiratory strain.

Challenges and Adaptation Strategies

Transitioning to nasal breathing when engaged in physical activity may present initial challenges: