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Guest Blog with Andrew Ritchie Tips for Optimal Breathing On and Off the Court

22nd September 2020

We’re thrilled to feature this guest blog by Andrew Ritchie from Performance Breathworks, who provides some tips for optimal breathing for performance on and off the court.

The importance of breathing as a tool to promote a healthy and happy lifestyle has been forgotten over the past few hundred years.

Our ability to control and connect with our breathing gives us the power to manage our state effectively and optimise situations that once may have been detrimental to our well-being.

If we are aware of our breathing and start to implement some simple tools that have been long forgotten we can begin to take back the reins and improve so many aspects of life and performance both on and off the court.

The first port of call is to start breathing functionally is always to focus on nasal breathing at all times.

Some key benefits of nasal breathing are : 

• The nose helps to clean, filter and warm the incoming air subsequently acting as a far better line of defence than the mouth.
• Breathing through the nose harnesses the gas nitric oxide which pools in the nasal cavity. This gas then acts as a dilator to the blood vessels and soft tissues allowing for far better delivery.
• Another key benefit to nasal breathing is it elicits the use of the main breathing muscle the diaphragm to pull the air into the lower portion of the lungs where the majority of the blood sits allowing for a better mix of oxygen and blood to be delivered around the body and brain.
• This deep belly breath which activates the lower portion of the lungs also helps to stimulate the vagus nerve which is fundamental in creating a calm relaxed response to all forms of stress – essential as we live and try to function mid pandemic post lockdown
• The belly breath using the diaphragm also acts as a stabiliser to the spine and promotes functional movement.

Here is a simple step by step guide to use the breath to alleviate stress, and promote rest, recovery, whilst improving focus and concentration. Think P.A.S.T

Posture – If you are sitting or standing pretend there is a string pulling you up from the top of your head to help lengthen your spine allowing the diaphragm to have sufficient space. Alternatively, if you are lying down have your knees bent feet flat on the floor.

Awareness – Be aware of your breathing and also your breathing mechanics to do this place your hands at your sides under your lower ribs AS YOU BREATH IN FEEL YOUR HANDS MOVE OUT. You do not want upper chest breathing concentrate on your hands moving out as you breath in. If you find this hard to do sitting or standing try lying down as this is the easiest position to breath functionally.

Slow – Slow your breathing down we are looking for a count of inhale for 4 seconds and exhale  for 6 or inhale for 5 and exhale for 5.

Tolerable Air Hunger – Please remember if you are pregnant or have any medical conditions you don’t focus on air hunger just relaxed soft breaths. If you are in good health try to minimise the flow of air coming in so you begin to notice a slight air hunger.

Air Hunger – what is it and why do we need it ?

The reason we experience hunger for air is due to a build up of carbon dioxide (Co2) in the body. This will then make you feel the urge to gasp and breathe. However the issue is that we have become very sensitive to the build up of Co2 and as a result we breathe way too much and dump Co2 out of the body when we actually need it.

We need it because oxygen can’t be as readily realised from the blood to the body and brain unless there is a presence of Co2. So by noticing a slight hunger for air we are actually getting more oxygen to where it needs to go.

You may notice this in a warming of the hands and feet, you may also notice saliva building in the mouth this is a natural response as your body moves into a more rest, and digest dominant zone. This rest and recover zone is massively helpful for all individuals and has huge implications for those wishing to effectively recover from the stress of training at all levels of sport.

Another key benefit here is that the tolerable hunger for air helps you to anchor your concentration to your breathing and begin to be able to push outside thought away by focusing your attention onto your breath and allowing a calming of the mind.

This can be an incredibly helpful tool for sporting performance as once the player can direct there new found focus and concentration solely on the game with no unhelpful thought present they can enter into a flow state allowing them to be truly free to play the game

The bodies shift into this rest and recover dominant zone can be measured and trained through heart rate variability (HRV) and HRV bio feedback. Using HRV as a window into the nervous system is being utilised frequently in elite sport with the worlds top performers keeping a close eye on how the nervous system is responding and adapting to all forms of stressors.

As a special Strathclyde Sirens fan offer, Performance Breathworks can offer a block of four sessions for £160 (20% off RRP), with a max of four people per session.

If anyone is keen to book a block of sessions or to discuss a bespoke training plan please email performance_breathworks@outlook.com.