5 Common Breathing Mistakes Athletes Make and How to Fix Them
Breathing, an underestimated asset for sports performance
When it comes to improving their performance, athletes often focus on visible aspects: their endurance, speed, strength or technique. However, there is another factor that is just as crucial and often overlooked: breathing.
Breathing is an automatic, unconscious action. But does that mean we are breathing correctly? Not necessarily. Inefficient breathing can be a major hindrance to athletic performance, leading to early fatigue, slower recovery and reduced endurance.
Many athletes are unaware that they are adopting counterproductive breathing habits without even realizing it. In this article, we review the most common mistakes and show you how to correct them to unlock your full athletic potential.
Development: Identify and correct errors
1. Mistake #1: Breathing through your mouth during exercise
Breathing through your mouth seems natural, especially when the effort becomes intense. However, it is one of the most common and harmful mistakes.
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Why this is a problem:
Mouth breathing bypasses the nose's mechanisms for filtering, humidifying, and warming air. As a result, you inhale raw air that is often too cold or too dry, which can irritate the airways and limit the supply of oxygen to the muscles. It also increases dehydration, as unfiltered air quickly dries out the mouth and throat. -
How to fix:
Practice breathing through your nose, even during moderate exertion. This takes a period of adaptation, as the breathing rate becomes slower and more controlled. A magnetic nasal strip can greatly facilitate this transition by widening the nasal passages, allowing for greater airflow.
2. Mistake #2: Breathing too quickly and shallowly
When exercise intensifies, it is common to increase your breathing speed, often superficially. This gives the impression of providing more oxygen to the body, but it is quite the opposite.
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Why this is a problem:
Rapid, shallow breathing fills primarily the upper lungs, where gas exchange is less efficient. As a result, much of the inhaled oxygen is wasted. This type of breathing also overloads the respiratory muscles, contributing to general fatigue. -
How to fix:
Practice diaphragmatic breathing, which fully engages the lungs. Place one hand on your abdomen and make sure it rises with each inhalation, a sign that you are breathing deeply. With practice, this will become a natural reflex, even during intense exercise.
3. Mistake #3: Neglecting breathing during workouts
Many athletes focus only on their movements, forgetting that breathing must accompany the effort.
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Why this is a problem:
Disordered breathing creates an imbalance between the body's oxygen supply and energy needs. For example, holding your breath during intense exercise (such as squatting or lifting weights) can lead to a sudden drop in performance and a feeling of dizziness. -
How to fix:
Synchronize your breathing with your movements: inhale during the downward phase (relaxation) and exhale during the upward phase (effort). This technique reduces pressure on the lungs and heart, while optimizing oxygen intake.
4. Mistake #4: Not adapting your breathing to the intensity of the effort
It is common to maintain a constant breathing rate, regardless of effort. This rigid approach limits performance.
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Why this is a problem:
Too slow a pace during a sprint or too fast during moderate activity imbalances oxygen delivery, impairing overall efficiency. -
How to fix:
Adopt flexible breathing. For example, for running, try the 2:2 method: inhale for two steps and exhale for two steps. For more intense exercise, switch to a 1:2 rhythm (one inhalation for two exhalations). These techniques allow you to adapt your breathing to your needs in real time.
5. Mistake #5: Ignoring the importance of respiratory recovery
Once the effort is over, many athletes neglect their breathing, thinking that their breathing will naturally return to normal.
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Why this is a problem:
Poorly managed recovery prolongs muscle fatigue and slows the elimination of accumulated carbon dioxide. It can also increase cardiovascular stress. -
How to fix:
Practice breathing recovery exercises, such as slow breathing through the nose (4 seconds of inhalation, 6 seconds of exhalation). These techniques promote relaxation, lower the heart rate and speed the return to a state of rest.
Conclusion: Optimize your breathing, optimize your performance
Breathing is often underestimated, but it is at the heart of your performance. Effective breathing not only improves your endurance and recovery, but it also influences your overall well-being.
Correcting these common mistakes can transform your approach to sports.
What if you could maximize these benefits with a simple, innovative tool?
Our magnetic nasal strip is designed to help you breathe fully, by facilitating the opening of the nasal passages. Try it today to immediately feel the difference in your breathing performance and comfort.