Breathing impacts our performances. We intuitively think that the muscles and the mind give up first, and then breathing just follows. Breathing is part of movement and is paramount when trying to optimise performances. Whether we are trying to lift, run, or simply relax, we are always connected to a respiratory pattern. How does breathing affect our CrossFit wods and how can we improve what defines us as a living organism? Chest breathing and diaphragm breathing 
Where is our hand if we lay down on the floor and try to place it where we inhale and exhale? There can be two options: the breath comes either from the chest or the belly. This subject can be approached in various ways therefore there is not one right technique to breathe optimally. But when it comes to sport and in this instance CrossFit, it is recommended to use the belly, or diaphragm breathing. Diaphragm breathing The diaphragm is a muscle sitting below the lungs under the ribcage. The whole point of breathing during a workout is to supply muscles with oxygen. When we inhale, air flows into the lungs, oxygen is drawn into red blood cells as we exhale carbon dioxide. As the intensity of the exercise increases, the need to supply oxygen increases as well, hence the augmentation of breathing frequency. Diaphragm breathing is considered to be the most effective manner to breathe during an intense workout as it can supply a larger volume of oxygen. How to breathe using the diaphragm? As mentioned previously, the diaphragm is a muscle and like any other muscle it needs to be trained. First method: laying our back on the floor, grabbing the kettle bell with which we usually train and placing it just under the ribcage. Holding the kettle bell slightly with both hand, the focus is to move the kettle bell upwards and downwards just by breathing. Second method: taking a quick break during an intense workout, placing one of our hands on our belly and noticing the breathing. The trick here is to maintain core tension while using the diaphragm. As we repeat this process during several fast-paced workouts, we become accustomed to noticing where we initiate the breathing pattern. 
Breathing during lifts and endurance workouts Would we breathe the same during metcons and heavy lifting? According to Julien Pineau founder of Strongfit, breathing is a pattern which when mastered can improve dramatically both heavy lifts and metcons. The system he put in place is based on the nervous system (para sympathetic, rest and relaxed, and sympathetic, fight- or-flight) and torques (external and internal, see sketch above). During a task orientated strength session (heavy lift) as we breathe through our mouth, the sympathetic nervous system is involved as well as external torque. During a muscle failure conditioning workout, the parasympathetic system is involved along with internal torque and in this case Pineau suggests that we keep breathing through our nose. He also goes further by analysing a squat movement. During the eccentric phase – going down- the external torque and nose breathing are at play. During the concentric phase –going up- the internal torque and mouth breathing are implicated. If this pattern was maintained during intense fast workouts as a cyclical movement (such as a butterfly pull-up), we would be able to endure the workout until muscle failure and not when we are caught out of breath. That sounds too good to be true, now all we have to do is practice! Tamara Akcay
