Practicing nasal breathing during exercise helps regulate exercise intensity, improves respiratory muscle engagement, and promotes nervous system recovery after training.

noli's read

The idea that nasal breathing naturally limits exercise intensity is supported by studies showing lower ventilation compared to oral breathing (Journal: Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness). Regarding muscle engagement, nasal breathing encourages greater diaphragm activation, which may improve core stability, although the evidence remains primarily observational on small groups. The 'down-regulation' effect on the nervous system is consistent with literature on cardiac coherence, where slow nasal breathing promotes parasympathetic tone (Meta-analysis: Frontiers in Psychology). However, it is important to note that for very high-intensity efforts, nasal breathing can become a limiting factor for oxygen intake; Andy Galpin often qualifies this by suggesting a mix of both depending on the need. This advice is therefore an interesting approach for managing effort and recovery, but its overall effectiveness depends on the practitioner's ability to maintain this breathing mode under load.

the sources

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