Move of the Month: Diaphragmatic Breathing
We have all had those days where we are running late and with lots on our mind — we run into the gym or workout space and just ‘go through the motions’ because our mind is elsewhere, or we are just focused on getting through it. Often this is where injury happens because we simply are not mindful of what we are doing.
If you are having one of those days, take 2-3 minutes before your warm up to ‘get in the zone’: to get your mind to where you need to be to have a fantastic workout.
One way to do this is diaphragmatic breathing. With one hand on your belly, and one hand on your chest, focus on big deep breaths that will move the hand that is on your belly. Focus on breathing into your diaphragm and expanding your ribcage and belly. While doing this, only think about your breath and put everything that happened that day to the side.
Not only will this breathing help you get mindful about your upcoming workout, but it’s also fantastic at improving posture and thoracic mobility. The diaphragm is just another muscle that needs to be trained and stretched because we tend to take shallow and short breaths that only breathe into our chest.
Aim for a minimum of 1 minute of breathing, and eventually getting to 3+ minutes. You will be surprised how focused you can be after doing this.
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