Have you ever heard of Hypoxic Training? Or maybe if you have heard and looking for some more information on it?
Do you ever feel that you have been working too hard on something, and are unable to achieve the results you want? Did it ever cross your mind that it might not be about trying too hard, but about trying smartly?
Well, today I want to share one such smart fitness technique that is easy to practice in daily life and has ample of benefits.
I do it every day when I cycle to my workplace, as this boosts my energy, which consequently gives me a strong mood boost 🙂
Of course, I’ll explain that, but first…
What is hypoxia?
Hypoxia is a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level.
Wait, whaaat?
Depriving oneself of oxygen? But, isn’t oxygen good and necessary?
Of course, it is! So is sugar, salt, and food. But does that mean we keep eating round-the-clock, without giving rest to our body?
Ever heard about the healing powers of fasting? They’re way too many! Don’t forget to check them out.
So, fasting doesn’t mean starving yourself to death. It simply guides you when not to eat, or in other words, when to let your body rest from digestion, so that it can function properly without food.
So, again…
What is hypoxic breathing?
Hypoxic breathing is a type of breathing in which you control the amount of air you breathe in during a walk or while exercising. This further deprives the cells of oxygen and results in hormetic stressor.
So, what is Hormetic stressor?
Do you ever feel that you perform better under a bit of stress?
According to NCBI, hormesis is defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress like exercise, dietary energy restriction, exposures to low doses of certain phytochemicals, etc. In our case, oxygen.
For instance, if you opt for a short sauna (30 minutes), the heat lightly stresses you out. But, this stress is healthy for our body. On the contrary, a long sauna for 2 hours will deprive our body of essential minerals, thus weakening us.
Similarly, a short 3-5 minutes exposure to a cold environment yields multiple benefits, while a long exposure (e.g. 20-25 minutes) to a cold environment damages the body.
Hypoxic breathing works on the same mechanism. The cells are deprived of oxygen, and when the oxygen comes back, the mitochondria become more efficient. The Electron Transport Chain works better, together with the body’s enhanced ability to produce ATP.
Wait a second. Do I sound like I am talking in a foreign language?
Let’s get to the basics!
What is ATP??
We also produce new capillaries, as a result of the body’s need to enhance the body network (in terms of oxygen and blood delivery).
In short, hormetic stress helps us improve both – mitochondrial health and production of stem cells. This is why things like EWOT (Exercise With Oxygen Training) or the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber work very efficiently.
Well, now that we know what hypoxic breathing is and how it can be beneficial, let’s learn how to practice it in our daily lives, shall we?
Hypoxic Training Methods
So, I’ll be talking about two types of hypoxic training methods.
(i) Hypoxic training for walking
(ii) Hypoxic training for swimming
(i) Hypoxic training for walking
- Nasal breathing
- Alternative breathing
Let’s take a closer look at these exercises to see how they work and what benefits they have.
1) Nasal breathing
Just as the title suggests, nasal breathing is all about breathing through the nose. The benefit of nasal breathing is that it enables us to take in more humidified and oxygenated air. It also helps us avoid sucking air into the chest, which activates the barrel receptor, which in turn results in cortisol release.
What’s cortisol? It is a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands which sit on top of each kidney. When released into the bloodstream, cortisol can act on many different parts of the body and can help the body respond to stress or danger.
Wait, there has to be more to it, right? Because we already breathe through the nose.
Here it is!
While walking, take a deep breath every 100 meters (approximately 100 yards) and hold it for at least 15-20 seconds ore, if you feel comfortable). Take a breath through your nose when you cannot hold it anymore. Repeat this procedure for a couple of times!
I know it is difficult to breathe through your nose when you are in dire need of breathing. But stick to the method, as there are ample of benefits of breathing through the nose instead of breathing through the mouth.
That is because nasal breathing enables higher retention of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Which then lets the oxygen to be injected more rapidly into your muscle tissues from your bloodstream.
2) Alternative breathing (Machine Breathing and nose breathing)
Well, the name says it all. This method is all about breathing alternatively through your nose first, and then through a breathing device known as Relaxator.
“The Relaxator”, is a small and easy to use tool that looks like a whistle. It helps improve your breathing habits. To use it, hang it around your neck like a whistle. Place it in your mouth, and exhale.This device doesn’t allow you to breathe in. Relaxator lets you adjust the level of resistance which helps in increasing the oxygen uptake in the body. This little device helps you learn how to breathe out, without breathing in automatically.
I hope that this new relaxed state of mind helps you connect with yourself on a deeper level. 🙂
FOLLOW THIS PATTERN TO BREATH USING RELAXATOR
– Through nose
– Through Relaxator
– Through nose
– Through Relaxator
– and so on…
Perform 5-10 breaths with the Relaxator, and then breathe through your nose. Get back to the relaxator when you feel relaxed and your heartbeat slow down.
Want to go a step further? You can push your limits with this amazing device by practicing breathing through it for a longer period of time.
For example, during your morning 30-60 minutes’ walk.
Sounds easy? We are already done with Hypoxic training for walks.
Let’s see how it works for swimming.
(ii) Hypoxic training for swimming
Well, start with a swim. Of course!
Swim underwater for 10-15 minutes with breaks every 20-25 meters. If swimming for 20-25 meters straight seems a bit difficult in a single dive, simply take a breath in between.
Start the swim by taking a very long breath, then immerse yourself and swim underwater for as long as possible. Reach out to the surface and take a long deep breath, when you feel an urgent need to take a breath.
Give yourself some time to breathe and recover fully before starting a new dive.
Approximately 10 minutes of freestyle breath-holding swimming, followed by 10 minutes of hypoxic swimming and again a round of 10 minutes freestyle breath-holding swimming would be an ideal way to train yourself.
Done already? Yup, that’s how easy it is! Want more good stuff? Well, you are in the right place! A place for all good things – AC Life.
Here is a blog on Brain Abundance to get you started. Because leading a healthy and happy life lifestyle is not only about your physical well being, but also your mental well being. I hope this blog helps you bring out the best.
If you found this article interesting and want to go deeper into this topic, I would suggest you a great books from one of my favourite teachers and healer:
The Research and Application of Living High-training Low in Hypoxic Environment
The Application Of Hypoxic Training In Preparation Of Race Walkers
Hypoxic training for performance and health
Also, did you like the techniques discussed above? Or do you have any topics you’d want me to write about? Please let me know in the comments below. Thank you 😀
Alessandro Cipullo
Consciousness Explorer
Wellness Seeker
