Steps

Method 1: Quick Tips for Increasing Lung Capacity

1Breathe deeply. You can increase the amount of air your lungs can absorb in a short amount
of time, without a long-term investment in exercise or training. The trick is breathing steadily and deeply.

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Exhale completely and slowly. Practice it a few times before you start. Don't let any air linger in your lungs. This allows you to inhale more air on the next breath. Allow your diaphragm to descend by keeping your abdominal muscles relaxed. Your abdomen will expand as your diaphragm descends, making more room around your lungs, and allowing them to fill with air. Widen your arms, holding them farther away from your body, to help open up your chest.

2. 2
Inhale a deep breath. You probably want to fill your lungs to about 80%-85% capacity, to give your body room to relax. You don't want to fill your lungs to full capacity if it means that your muscles tighten up and you're uncomfortable.

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Have a friend with you, monitoring your breathing, if possible. You could pass out, in which case you'd want your friend to respond appropriately. You don't need to puff your cheeks out. You want the muscles in your face to be loose and relaxed. The muscles in your stomach and diaphragm are going to be the ones working.

3. 3
Splash water on your face. Do this while you're holding your breath. Scientists have figured out that splashing water on your face accelerates bradycardia, or the slowing of the heart rate, or the first phase of the mammalian diving reflex.

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Your body is preparing to dive underwater, where it will need to regulate its heart beat effectively and pass oxygen throughout the blood in order to keep you alive. Try to keep the water cold, but not icy. Icy water will trigger another reflex in your body that causes you to hyperventilate, or try to breathe quickly. Hyperventilation will hurt your ability to hold your breath for a long time.

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Relax your muscles and hold your breath. Try meditating, or closing your eyes. The less energy your expend, the longer your body will be able to hold its breath.

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Count to 100 in your head. Only focus on the number you are reciting mentally, and on your goal of reaching 100. Keep a note of which number you get to until you can't hold your breath any longer. That number will be the benchmark for your next attempt.

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Exhale slowly, and repeat 3-4 times. Don't let your air out too quickly. Exhale as slowly as possible, in a steady stream. Once you've practiced one repetition, do the whole exercise over starting from the beginning.

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After 3-4 times, your lungs will be able to hold much more air than they could just twenty minutes beforehand. Practicing this exercise regularly will also help train your lungs in the long term.

Method 2: Physical Exercises for Increasing Lung Capacity

1. 1
Exercise in water. Exercising in water will add an element of resistance training to your regimen. Your body will have to work overtime to supply enough oxygen into your blood, making for a good lung workout.

Develop a normal stretching and weight lifting routine out of the water. Make sure that you compensate for the fact that weights will feel lighter when you have the water around you. Practice this routine for a few days until you are comfortable with everything. Take it to the water. Submerge yourself up to your neck, and do the exercises while in the water. This may not seem like it is doing anything to help you at all, but don't worry. Due to the blood shifting into your chest cavity and the compression on your body, you will have to take shorter, quicker breaths when exercising in the water. Research shows that your air capacity will be cut by up to 75% during this time, and your body will try to compensate for that. If your exercise in the water lasts long enough, and you do it regularly, your respiratory system will become more efficient, increasing your lung capacity.

2. 2
Participate in rigorous cardiovascular activities. Exercising is a great way to increase lung capacity. For at least 30 minutes, push your body to exhaustion so that your lungs are working hard. This hard work will pay off in better lung capacity.

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Try aerobics. It can surprising how much lung capacity you can develop doing short bursts of intense training. Do cycling. Pepper your route with elevated climbs. Going up hills means your body needs to pump more blood to your legs; your lungs supply the oxygen to the blood. Go running. Run on a padded track or treadmill to be kind to your knees and joints. Mix in sprints to make sure your lungs are working extra hard. Swimming - The best sport to improve on your cardiovascular fitness. At their peak, swimmers' lungs will use oxygen three times more efficiently than an average person.

3. 3
Work out at high-elevation. Working out at higher elevations is a surefire way to boost your lung strength. Higher elevation air contains less oxygen, making the workout tougher, but ultimately more rewarding, on your lungs.

If you're serious about increasing your lung capacity, live in high altitude for the duration of your training. At 8,000 ft (2,500 m) above sea level, the oxygen content in the air is only 74%[1] of what it is at sea level. This means your lungs have to work harder to get as much oxygen out into your blood. When you travel back down to lower-elevation, your body still has increased levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin for up to two weeks which means that your overall lung capacity is increased. Be careful not to train too hard at high elevation, as you could develop altitude sickness.

Method 3: Long-Term Exercises for Increasing Lung Capacity

1. 1
Create resistance. Your lungs will respond to training, so get some resistance training in your routine and watch your lung capacity increase.

Breathe in normally through your nose. Take deep breaths. Breathe out through your mouth with your lips still close together. Open them just slightly so a little bit of air can get out, and with resistance. Try and do this as often as possible. It makes the sacs in your lungs more used to having to hold air longer, stretching them out. Another way of accomplishing this would be to blow up balloons. While you're walking, at home doing chores, or have a spare second, practice blowing up a balloon and letting it deflate. Do this over and over again; you should notice your lungs' ability to pump more air, stronger and longer.

2. 2
Breathe in more than your brain thinks you can. Your brain, of course, looks out for the safety of your body, and is averse to stretching the body's limits. But the body can do amazing things when the brain is persuaded that everything is okay. Make sure you try this.

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For eight counts, breathe until your lungs are totally full. After each count you should be able to breathe in more. For the next eight to sixteen counts, take small sips of air. Feel your belly expanding. You shouldn't feel your shoulders moving. Hold your breath for a few seconds and release forcefully.

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After you feel "empty," make a "tssssss" sound for as long as possible. (This is called tizzling, and it mimics the resistance of playing a wind instrument.) Practice this periodically. When you train your brain to stretch the body's limits, your breathing intake will spike.

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Play a wind instrument. Playing a wind instrument is a great way to give your lungs a regular workout and have fun making music in the balance.

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Learn how to play a woodwind or brass instrument such as a tuba, trumpet, trombone, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, or flute. This activity will help you control breathing and expand your lung capacity to utilize all the alveoli. Play in a marching band or a Drum and Bugle Corps. This activity requires more and more lung capacity utilization for your movement and playing and is quite healthy. You can also learn how to sing. Singing really works the diaphragm, and can aid in continuous breathing exercises. Singers, of course, need to have really strong lungs.

Tips

Blowing balloons is a good method for increasing lung capacity. Another method is to tape a long, light slip of paper (or a tissue) to the tip of your nose and try to keep it in the air by blowing it as long as possible. Time yourself and if you practice this, exercise regularly, you will be able to keep your slip of paper in the air much longer thus, increasing lung capacity. Breathing exercises during everyday activities can be helpful. Breathe in for 2-20 seconds, breathe out for 10-20 seconds, and slowly increase the rate. Soon you will find yourself breathing out 45 seconds-2 minutes if you practice enough! You can easily do it while driving, sitting in the office, watching television, playing video games, doing paperwork, at the desk at school, or when you are simply bored! You probably already know to stay away from any kind of smoking, but you should also stay away from smoke-filled environments, where you're exposed to second-hand smoke, because ETS is still a form of inhaling smoke and can decrease you lung capacity Try hyperventilating before holding your breath. Hyperventilating simply means breathing in and out very quickly. Note: hyperventilating before diving can be dangerous because the urge to breathe can be delayed beyond the point where you pass out! In a pool, position your chest as far underwater as possible and breathe through a tube. The further under water you are, the more pressure is applied to your chest, making it hard to breathe. Make sure you can keep the tube above water or you will end up with lungs full of water. Note that at even a couple of feet down it may be impossible to inhale. Don't come up with lungs full of air - exhale before you return to the surface or you risk a lung barotrauma (this can occur at 2-3 meters or more).

Asthma
Exercise & asthma
Exercise can be a trigger for people when their asthma in not under good control. People with asthma should not avoid exercising. As long as your asthma is under control, exercising is recommended to keep your lungs and body in good shape. Exercise helps you:

Strengthen your breathing muscles Boost your immune system Keep a healthy body weight

All of these benefits can improve your asthma in the long run. The key to exercise- make sure you asthma is under control before you start.

It's a fact: Having asthma does not mean you cannot exercise Many well-known athletes have managed their asthma to successfully compete in their chosen sports. Famous athletes who have asthma include hockey player Gary Roberts and triathlete Sharon Donnelly.

How to exercise with asthma:

1. Keep your blue rescue inhaler on you (in a pocket, a fanny pack, etc) at all times. 2. Check that your asthma is under control. If it's not under control, exercise could be dangerous . 3. Take your medications as directed. If you're having trouble breathing, you should take your rescue medicine (blue inhaler, for example, Ventolin). Your doctor may also ask you to take your blue rescue inhaler or another bronchodilator fifteen minutes before you exercise. 4. Warm up and cool down properly

Before exercising, warm up slowly by walking, stretching, and doing other low-level activities. After you've finished exercising, cool down slowly for at least 10 minutes. Don't stop exercising all of a sudden. If you've been running, taper the run to a walking pace. If you've been swimming, finish your swim with a slow paddle. Give your body time to adjust.

5. Protect yourself from other asthma triggers while you're exercising (cold air, smog, pollen, etc.)

Pay attention to the air quality and temperature in the place you're planning to exercise. Use your good judgement. You may have to move your exercise to a place with better air quality. If you are planning a run outside on a hot, humid, smoggy day, your asthma is likely to be made worse by the air and by exercise. Try running indoors, in an air-conditioned gym, instead. If you are running on a grass field but are allergic to grass, your asthma may get worse,. Try running in the woods or on a paved trail. If cold air is a trigger and you are cross-country skiing in 25 degrees below zero, your asthma may get worse. Try breathing through your nose or through a scarf, to warm the air up before it gets to your lungs. If your asthma symptoms are bad, wait until the temperature warms up before crosscountry skiing.

6. If you have symptoms, stop exercising and take your blue rescue inhaler

Sit up. Wait a few minutes to see if your symptoms improve. If your symptoms improve a lot, warm up again and slowly go back to exercising.

If your symptoms don't improve, take another dose of your blue rescue inhaler. Wait a few minutes to see if your symptoms improve.

How does exercise trigger asthma symptoms?

Doctors think they know why some people's asthma is made worse by exercise (also called exercise-induced brochospasm or EIB). Normally, people breathe through their nose. Your nose acts as an air filter. It controls the temperature and humidity of the air before it reaches your lungs. When you exercise, your body wants more air. Your breathing speeds up to get more air. You start breathing through your mouth, so you can gulp down more air. But air that comes through your mouth has not been filtered, warmed, or humidified by your nose. This means the air that gets to your airways is cooler and drier than usual. If you have asthma, your extra-sensitive airways don't like cool dry air. Your airways react: the muscles around the airways twitch and squeeze tighter. Tighter airways mean there is less space for the air to pass through. This makes you wheeze, cough, and feel short of breath.

Obvious symptoms of asthma from exercise

Wheezing / Feeling short of breath / Chest feels tight / Coughing

Harder-to-notice Symptoms of asthma from exercise

Some people, especially kids, may have asthma symptoms that are harder to notice:

Chest congestion / Chest discomfort or pain Sensitive to cold air (you always cough after coming in from playing outside) Feel out of shape or winded Get tired easily / Low energy Can't keep up with friends when running and playing Can't run five minutes without stopping Dizziness / Stomach-ache Frequent colds / Frequent throat clearing sounds

Many things can change how your lungs react to exercise. They are:
Your level of asthma control The temperature and air quality in the place you're exercising The type of exercise you're doing, how intense it is, and how long you're exercising for

Your level of asthma control

If your asthma is well controlled, your airways will be less sensitive to exercise. You'll find exercise is less of a trigger for you. If your asthma is not well controlled, your airways will be more fragile and vulnerable to exercise. You'll find exercise will be a bigger trigger for you. Medically, we know that the more inflammation there is in your airways, the more hypersensitive or "twitchy" they are. If your airways are swollen, even little triggers can irritate them. Even a small amount of exercise could cause asthma symptoms in a person with swollen airways. If you find exercise makes your breathing a lot worse, it could be a sign that your asthma is not controlled. Tell your doctor about your symptoms and ask how to get your asthma under control.

If your asthma is usually well-controlled, but you've got a cold, flu, or other respiratory infection, you could be more likely to get symptoms while exercising. If you've been sick, pay careful attention to your symptoms. It may be a good idea to exercise less while you're getting over your chest infection.

The temperature and air quality in the place you're exercising

Exercise is one trigger of asthma. If you combine the trigger of exercise with these other triggers from the environment around you, you're more likely to get asthma symptoms:

Cold air Low humidity; therefore exercising in cold, dry air outside during the winter can be hazardous Pollution in the air (outdoors, it could be smog, dust, or other pollution; indoors, it could be exhaust from a Zamboni, smoke, etc.) Inhaled allergens: grass, pollen, ragweed, etc. Irritants such as strong fumes from art supplies, cosmetics and smoke Car and truck exhaust and pollutants from factories, especially sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone Respiratory infections - a recent cold may cause a person to have more difficulty than normal with exercise Fatigue / Emotional stress

Type of exercise, how long it lasts, how hard you're working

You may find some kinds exercise are harder on your breathing than others. If your asthma is well controlled, you should be able to do every kind of exercise and sport. The one exception is SCUBA diving, which is not recommended for people with asthma because it can be dangerous for them. If you find a certain exercise harder to do, you can: Make sure you to a proper warm-up and cool-down Take it at a slower pace- if other run eight laps during a practice, you can try running five laps

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis
This is a rare but frightening and potentially fatal physical allergy. Food ingestion before vigorous activity has been associated with exercise-induced anaphylaxis; exercise-induced anaphylaxis occurs more commonly in hot, humid weather conditions and may also be related to severity of exertion. Follow emergency instructions, below:.

How does exercise trigger asthma symptoms?

Doctors think they know why some people's asthma is made worse by exercise (also called exercise-induced brochospasm or EIB). Normally, people breathe through their nose. Your nose acts as an air filter. It controls the temperature and humidity of the air before it reaches your lungs. When you exercise, your body wants more air. Your breathing speeds up to get more air. You start breathing through your mouth, so you can gulp down more air. But air that comes through your mouth has not been filtered, warmed, or humidified by your nose. This means the air that gets to your airways is cooler and drier than usual. If you have asthma, your extra-sensitive airways don't like cool dry air. Your airways react: the muscles around the airways twitch and squeeze tighter. Tighter airways mean there is less space for the air to pass through. This makes you wheeze, cough, and feel short of breath.

BREATHING EXERCISES
A 20% reduction in oxygen blood levels may be caused by the aging process and normal breathing habits. Poor breathing robs energy and negatively affects mental alertness. Unless breathing is exercised, aging affects the respiratory system as follows: Stiffness: The rib cage and surrounding muscles get stiff causing inhalation to become more difficult. Less elasticity and weak muscles leave stale air in the tissues of the lungs and prevents fresh oxygen from reaching the blood stream. Rapid, Shallow Breathing: This type of breathing, often caused by poor posture and weak or stiff muscles, leads to poor oxygen supply, respiratory disease, sluggishness, or heart disease. BELLY BREATH EXERCISES The following exercises are simple ways to deepen breathing and to cleanse the lungs. These exercises will also increase energy and decrease tension. Lie flat on your back to get a proper sense of deep breathing. (Have some small pillows available to reduce strain by tucking them under the neck and knees. The natural course of breathing in that position will create a slight rise in the stomach upon inhaling and a slight fall upon exhaling.) Place your hands palm down on your stomach at the base of the rib cage. (The lungs go that far down. What fills them deeper is the pushing down of the diaphragm. The diaphragm creates a suction which draws air into the lungs. the air is then expelled when the diaphragm pushes up. In this process, the life-giving oxygen fills the lungs and gets into the blood stream for distribution to the cells. Carbon dioxide is expelled from the blood into the about-to-be exhaled breath, thus cleansing the body and blood of waste products.) Lay the palms of your hands on your stomach just below the rib cage, middle fingers barely touching each other, and take a slow deep breath. (As the diaphragm pushes down, the stomach will slightly expand causing the fingertips to separate somewhat. This movement indicates full use of the lungs, resulting in a truly deep breath rather than the "puffed chest" breath experienced by many as the greatest lung capacity. Chest breathing fills the middle and upper parts of the lungs. Belly breathing is the most efficient method. Infants and small children use only this method until the

chest matures. The yoga breath or roll breathing combines belly and chest breathing. FOR BEST RESULTS, PRACTICE THIS EXERCISE FOR 5 MINUTES COMPLETE BREATH EXERCISES 1. Sit up straight. Exhale. 2. Inhale and, at the same time, relax the belly muscles. Feel as though the belly is filling with air. 3. After filling the belly, keep inhaling. Fill up the middle of your chest. Feel your chest and rib cage expand. 4. Hold the breath in for a moment, then begin to exhale as slowly as possible. 5. As the air is slowly let out, relax your chest and rib cage. Begin to pull your belly in to force out the remaining breath. 6. Close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing. 7. Relax your face and mind. 8. Let everything go. 9. Practice about 5 minutes.
HUMMING BREATH EXERCISES Follow the instructions for inhaling the COMPLETE BREATH (Steps 1-3 above). Now, as you begin to slowly exhale, make a HUM sound. Keep making that humming sound as long as possible. Pull your stomach muscles in, squeezing out a few more seconds of humming. Then relax. Practice for 2 to 3 minutes. CHINESE BREATH EXERCISES A very fine, short (though not shallow) breath exercise comes from the Chinese Tai Chi Chuan. Three short inhales are done through the nose without exhaling. On the first inhale, the arms are lifted from the sides straight out in front at shoulder height. On the second, the arms are opened out straight to the sides while still at shoulder height. And on the third, the arms are lifted straight over the head. Then, on the exhale through the mouth, the arms are moved in an arc back down to the sides. Usually, ten or twelve breaths are sufficient and will not cause light headedness. If light headedness should occur, simply stop the exercise. This exercise also has the effect of really opening up people physically. In subtle ways, this exercise uses the body in leading the mind and spirit to greater openness with each other and the environment.