# Is there a scientific reason to "control" your breathing



## patzyboi (Jan 8, 2016)

when exercising? I remember during fire training while doing cardiovascular related workouts, one of the instructors ordered me to properly control my breathing. Is there a reason to this?


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## Seirende (Jan 8, 2016)

Fire persons might be able to answer with more authority, but it might be career related? When you're using an SCBA, you might want to control your breathing so as not too waste air. Only a guess.


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## gotbeerz001 (Jan 8, 2016)

Control breating directly correlates to bottle time. If you don't know how to control your breathing you'll suck down your bottle too quickly. It's a good skill to develop in every day situations so you don't have to think about it when you're on the fire ground.

Psychologically, controlling your breathing also brings a sense of calm allowing you to think more clearly.

I'd wager that there are some physiological benefits but I'm not a personal trainer.


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## patzyboi (Jan 8, 2016)

oh no, it wasnt the SCBA. we were doing bear crawls on the dirt and they told me not to breathe too fast


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## STXmedic (Jan 8, 2016)

patzyboi said:


> oh no, it wasnt the SCBA. we were doing bear crawls on the dirt and they told me not to breathe too fast


That still gets traced back to fireground activities and SCBAs. Fighting a fire is very physically taxing, so you have to be able to control your breathing while under a lot of physical stress. If you can't, you'll suck down your bottle too quickly, which pulls you out of the game too quickly. Doing bear crawls or other physical activities is a way to simulate that stress.


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## chaz90 (Jan 8, 2016)

Did you read the reply above yours? Gotshirtz mentions it's a good skill to develop during every day activities. Fire instructors likely want to emphasize focusing on it during everyday physical exertion so you're more used to it during later SCBA drills.


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## Jim37F (Jan 8, 2016)

Doesn't mean it doesn't have anything to do with controlling your breathing when you are on air......after all, you probably weren't in full turnouts doing the bear crawls right? But isn't the purpose of the bear crawls to improve your muscular strength and endurance now for when you are wearing turnouts working on the fire scene? Same concept, learn to control your breathing now during routine physical exercise, so when you are on air doing interior work with all the other things going on you're not having to stop and think about something so fundamental as breathing (because you've practiced the other times you've been breathing hard, such as when doing bear crawls in the dirt)


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## jack messer (Jan 10, 2016)

Breathing is something very, very important while we are alive since we stop doing do when we die.That said the get your attention. "Deep" & proper breathing mastery will get you feeling much better by breathing all the way down deep.When we run or work hard our breathing rate per minute increases.Our body demands more oxygen. We don't consciously do it but our body does it for us.Like your cars gas pedal
More oxygen is required in our blood to carry to the muscles (not  the blood but the oxygen) Do, our heart beats faster to send the oxygen  but the blood is  (just)the vehicle. So yoga,martial arts,weight lifting all have breathing techniques. So everyday every minute we must focus(it won't happen until we reprogram ourselves to breathe deeply) Yes if we are scared we  can hyperventilate if we are scared we could"hold our breath to be quiet if someone is stalking us to harm us. So breathing deeply does not come naturally.Think of a focus of the mind while in a "relaxed mode" with your mouth closed suck air through you nose BUT all the way down deep so your stomach (diaphragm)moves.But not wanting like a dog.Very silently move the air deep through the back of the throat. Remember s woman having a baby breathes deeply AND loudly that's not how we want to breathe.But we do want that effect but methodically As in  yoga,martial arts,my Hawaiian- born master teacher in Korean martial arts (Healing side) says you live a longer healthier life be sick less have healthy muscles, skin,eyes, digestion by learning practicing proper deep breathing then it becomes a learned everyday unconscious practice. Read your own research to find the best described technique for your  own use. Try to get access, or buy one but check your body with the checking device you clip onto your index finger read your bloods oxygen % should be 96% or 95 but not 91.If you have COPD or emphysema it will be in low 90 or high 80's. Check your before as you learn CHECK your progess. Live long and prosper!


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## chaz90 (Jan 10, 2016)

Whoa.

That's some kind of explanation.


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## ThadeusJ (Jan 11, 2016)

I agree. Even meditation involves slow controlled breaths.  There's something to be said about controlling your own body in very aspect, including breathing.  Essentially you have to be in control of every aspect of your body, and when you stress your body (swimming, SCBA/scuba diving, snorkeling, exercise), breath control is essential.


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## DL 622122 (Feb 16, 2016)

patzyboi said:


> when exercising? I remember during fire training while doing cardiovascular related workouts, one of the instructors ordered me to properly control my breathing. Is there a reason to this?


A masked firefighter has a finite supply of air to use while working in a hazardous environment. Controlling one's breathing during strenuous work will maximize time that can be spent on air.


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## Lana (Jan 7, 2017)

The way I understand it, taking a deep breath before doing something calms the nerves. People can be pushed into a 'fight or flight' (parasympathetic and sypathetic nervous system) reaction and taking a deep breath and engaging in a relaxing environment can push that set point back to stay calm for longer. That's why doing things like yoga that focuses on breathing is beneficial.


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