Improving Your Breath Hold for Surfing

12 December, 2016

As you go along with your surf lessons Moana, you will be able to discover the importance of being able to hold your breath when face with underwater conditions while surfing. One of the most important survival skills that you need to have is being able to hold your breath underwater. This is especially helpful if you are pushed underwater by big waves that you might have not anticipated.

1. The first thing that you need to do is to do cardio routines. This type of exercise enhances the capacity if the lungs. While doing the cardiovascular exercises, it will be best if you fully exhale before taking in breathes. Doing so will allow your lungs to contract and expand in a more relaxed way. As your lungs expand, its capacity to take in oxygen also increases.
2. Try to lose weight. A body with a lot of excess fats lessens the efficiency of oxygen use. Taking on a proper diet while doing cardiovascular routines helps in losing excess weight and body fat. Lighten the load and help your body to efficiently use the oxygen that the lungs take in.
3. Quit the habit of smoking. Help your lungs by quitting bad habits like smoking. The lungs need to be healthy for it to function well. Quitting will enable your lungs to recuperate and to properly function in releasing the carbon dioxide and taking in oxygen.
4. Maintain proper nourishment. Eat well. Nourish your body with fruits, vegetables, protein rich food and vitamins to help your body in improving your blood circulation. The oxygen is being transported to different parts of the through the blood circulation.
5. Do yoga or breathing exercises. There are various forms of yoga exercises that will help improve your breathing techniques. Most yoga breathing technique will teach you about properly breathing from deep within your diaphragm. Inhaling and exhaling technique using the diaphragm is mostly practiced by people who want to increase their lung capacity. Diaphragm breathing helps your body to get rid of the low quality air. The technique involves trying to breathe in for 5 seconds and breathing out by pushing out every last bit of air in your lungs for 5 seconds as well. You can do this exercise for at least 2 minutes, make sure that you have a partner present when doing this exercise because you might pass out if you are not used to deep breathing.

Tips for Holding your Breath Underwater

• Relax your body and conserve your energy. Allow the waves to help you surface.
• Take as much air as you can when you surface.
• Restrain from swallowing, this will decrease your urge to open your mouth underwater. Swim to the direction of the shore.

Surfing is a fun activity that everyone can enjoy. You just need to get your body conditioned for you to be safe at all times. If you practice your surfing regularly, being able to hold your breath underwater also comes naturally. Get great surf lessons and tips from Surf & Sun regularly by checking out our blog!