Breathing Technique

[Giulia Caruso]

I'm reading stuff around because I'm trying to understand how this works. In my gym different people use different styles: the "sssshh" on every hit, the screamed "RRRAAH" on every hit...

Then I found this article that promotes the "in/out only through your nose" approach.

 

http://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-training/boxing-workouts/boxer-breathing-technique

 

How do you breath? Have you tried different ways and saw improvement in one or the other?

 

I'm always been a mouth breather my whole life, bad habit I took as a kid, but now I'm trying to retrain my breathing to something more functional in fighting, so every advice is welcome!

[bbf3]

Never heard of only breathing in and out through the nose but would be curious to hear from anyone here that does this. 

I breathe in through the nose and try to breathe out through the mouth on each strike. I generally don't scream loudly unless I'm really trying to build up power during padwork (it also helps when I'm really exhausted on the pads), but I do make a noise.

I'm still trying to work on breathing consistently in sparring though. When I'm thinking too hard about going lightly or countering attacks, I tend to hold my breath or breathe in through the mouth.

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

I'm reading stuff around because I'm trying to understand how this works. In my gym different people use different styles: the "sssshh" on every hit, the screamed "RRRAAH" on every hit...

Then I found this article that promotes the "in/out only through your nose" approach.

 

http://www.expertboxing.com/boxing-training/boxing-workouts/boxer-breathing-technique

 

How do you breath? Have you tried different ways and saw improvement in one or the other?

 

I'm always been a mouth breather my whole life, bad habit I took as a kid, but now I'm trying to retrain my breathing to something more functional in fighting, so every advice is welcome!

I'm loud. I make the shhhht, shhhhht sound on the bag most of the time but in pads when I'm feeling free and powerful I'm always yelling. I didn't used to do it because I was self-conscious, but now I don't know whether I'm doing it or not. Generally, if I haven't been yelling I get more tired.

The boys do all different sounds and make fun of each other for if those sounds are higher-pitched, which is how I know they pay any mind to it at all. But the padholders make sounds too. They're all ex-fighters so I don't know if it comes from that but they do it for their own pace and stamina as well. It's all in-through-the-nose, out-through-the-mouth on strikes but you can do short bursts back out through the nose while you're between strikes. Master K always told me to do that.

[NewThai]

I try to nose breathe while I'm running, but when I'm hitting the bag or pads I make noises, kind of growly?

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

I try to nose breathe while I'm running, but when I'm hitting the bag or pads I make noises, kind of growly?

Just make whatever noise comes out of you. There's no benefit of one sound over another. There's a guy at my gym who growls, most sounds are a kind of "hae! hae!" sound. I know a young guy in Chiang Mai and two trainers down here who make a kind of "huh, huh, huh" sound that's really fast, like panting almost - it's a little scary and makes me super aggressive when I hear it. If you go on Youtube and watch videos of famous Thai fighters training (Buakaw, Sam A, Yodsanklai, et al) you'll hear them and probably people in the background as well. Those are the typical sounds of a Thai gym.

[Yuki Napoleon Carthy]

Haha someone in my gym was just talking about making a techno song out of everyone's exhalation noise.

I also used to be self conscious about making noises, but I got over it when I realized what a difference it makes in stamina. In regards to the mouth/nose question: I notice when I'm totally gassed, I breath through my mouth much more, and my trainer generally yells at me for it because I'm not biting down on my mouthpiece the way I should be. I know in yoga, and kung Fu/tai chi, the "in through the nose and out through the mouth" ideology is advocated. You're also encouraged to "breath in your abdomen", but the explanation provided was a little too hippy-dippy for my tastes("to cultivate chi"). Not saying that there isn't a good physiological reason to do this though. If someone knows of one, I'm all ears...

[Giulia Caruso]

I think that "breath in your abdomen" is related to deep breaths using the diaphram, which allows you to store more oxygen in each breath.

 

I noticed too that making noises on each hit helps with the stamina (and intention, in my case). It's not easy to keep the jaw protected by always biting down, as a beginner I'm still struggling a lot with that too.

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

You're also encouraged to "breath in your abdomen", but the explanation provided was a little too hippy-dippy for my tastes("to cultivate chi"). Not saying that there isn't a good physiological reason to do this though. If someone knows of one, I'm all ears...

 

I think that "breath in your abdomen" is related to deep breaths using the diaphram, which allows you to store more oxygen in each breath.

 

I noticed too that making noises on each hit helps with the stamina (and intention, in my case). It's not easy to keep the jaw protected by always biting down, as a beginner I'm still struggling a lot with that too.

My experience with that deeper breathing is that it also slows your breath, which helps keep your heart-rate down as well. When you're "red lining" as they call it when you panic, your breath becomes shallow and your heart-rate rockets and you can't respond to anything. So the deep breaths not only get oxygen to your muscles where it's needed, but it also helps you focus and stay relaxed... as well as you can relax while someone is trying to hit you in the face, haha.

Everyone mouth-breathes as they become stressed or tired. Obviously, you get better with this as you become more comfortable and experienced, but watch ANY fight and you'll see people mouth-breathing in later rounds. Or in the UFC after 2 minutes because those guys gas like crazy. What I'm saying is it's normal to EVENTUALLY be breathing through your mouth as you fatigue and you will never totally get rid of it, so don't have unrealistic expectations. It's not being a beginner so much as being an oxygen-breathing mammal.

[Giulia Caruso]

It's not being a beginner so much as being an oxygen-breathing mammal.

Damn. Stupid body needing stupid oxygen...

 

I'll look for some deep breathing tutorials online, the only technique I know is the counting/numbers one, like: inhale, pause, exhale, pause - but I really don't know how to apply that while throwing punches...

[Yuki Napoleon Carthy]

Always glad to hear it's not just me. I tend to feel like I've failed somehow when I get gassed while training, like I didn't prepare my cardio well enough. I have to remind myself that that's one of the main purposes of training. You have to push the boundaries if you want to move them.

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

Damn. Stupid body needing stupid oxygen...

 

I'll look for some deep breathing tutorials online, the only technique I know is the counting/numbers one, like: inhale, pause, exhale, pause - but I really don't know how to apply that while throwing punches...

Just exhale while striking. You don't have to count, just coordinate it with your punches the same way you do with pushups or whatever. Breathe in between strikes, breathe all your air out on a strike and don't hold your breath.

[Giulia Caruso]

Just exhale while striking. You don't have to count, just coordinate it with your punches the same way you do with pushups or whatever. Breathe in between strikes, breathe all your air out on a strike and don't hold your breath.

So inhale through the nose between strikes and exhale through the mouth (eventually with sound) on the strikes.

I'll work on that, thank you!

[Lobo11]

I realize that this doesn't apply to when you're in an exchange or getting mobbed on.  I do, however, see it routinely apply in latter rounds when things have gone to hell in a hand-basket and fighters are pushing the limits of human performance.  Anyways, always loved this quote...

To quote the legendary New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard, when asked how runners should breathe, “Breathe through your mouth. Breathe through your nose.  Suck the air in through your ears, if you can.” 

[Rachel Bond]

I never breathe properly. I take one big breath and try to do everything with that... I don't know why I do this but the noise thing does help to exhale.

[CECordasco]

I'm so glad to have found this topic! I've been training for about two months and we've started incorporating longer, heavier pad rounds. Usually, towards the middle I notice that I've started holding my breath because I start to feel lightheaded. Not good! 

I also practice yoga, and have gotten into a pretty good rhythm synchronizing breath and movement in that context- it's so much easier when it's slow and stretchy!

In Muay Thai, I'm generally pretty good about making my "hush!" noise on a strike, but I'm not great at breathing in. Thanks to everyone for their advice!

[Maya Flores]

I found this nice link from the muay thai guy's website on how letting out grunts while training is good for your body and mind. According to this, it causes more oxygen to rush to your brain. 

For myself, when I hear the huh! oosh! or any sound being bellowed out, I get intimidated. That might have added benefits, too.

 

http://www.muay-thai-guy.com/muay-thai-grunt.html