Exceptional lung capacity is necessary for anyone who wants to be a star at singing, running, swimming and yoga. Any activity or sport that requires you to work hard and control your breath can benefit from increasing your lungs ability to process the air you breathe. To increase your lung capacity consider following these steps.
- Test your starting capacity. Before you jump into a new activity or exercise regimen it helps to know your starting point. Ask your doctor about taking a lung test which tests your capacity. This test can be done at almost any time. All you need to do is breathe into a tube that measures how much air you exhale.
- Give up cigarettes. If you are a smoker now is the time to quit. You cannot increase lung capacity at the same time you are sucking in black smoke and tar. None of the following steps will work for you if you remain a regular smoker.
- Start the day with deep breathing. Before you join the rat race each day, take a few minutes to work with your lungs. While laying flat in bed, place one hand flat on your stomach and the other just above so that it rests on your chest. Inhale slowly as much as you can, hold for a count of three, then exhale all of the breath. You should be able to feel your chest expand on the inhale and contract when you exhale. Concentrate and practice so that your lungs take in a lot of air and expand with the breath. Normally we do not use our full lung capacity and breathe deep when going through our daily life. By making this part of our daily routine we can change our lungs.
- Swim. Swimming is an excellent choice for exercise. It requires additional lung capacity and breath control. Start with small practice sessions of a few laps then as your lungs and muscles grow more adept, you will be able to increase your water workout to several laps in the pool.
- Run or bike at least once a week. Adding a strenuous cardio activity such as running or cycling will help expand your lung capacity. Challenge yourself with high endurance runs or strong intervals to push your breathing ability.
- Practice with a breathing tube. When you are looking for lung skill far beyond that of normal exercise you should consider working with a trainer and a breathing tube. Place a small tube made of plastic between your lips so that you can suck in air through the tube. For a few minutes each day, practice slowly inhaling through the tube, holding the air then exhaling. This small tube limits the amount of air you take in and forces your body to work harder to control the breath.
- End each day with yoga. Yoga practice offers many benefits to the body. Through the positions of yoga you can tone and stretch your muscles while at the same time conditioning your ability to control and expand your breathing. Ending the day with yoga poses is also a relaxing way to end and ease your body into sleep.
You can increase your lung capacity. No matter why your activity needs better lung capacity your performance will improve once your lungs are working more efficiently. Follow these steps to increase the capacity and your competitive edge.