Exercises To Increase Lung Capacity
Warm Up
A warm up is necessary before doing any exercise.So, let’s warm up before starting the exercises to increase lung capacity.
Head Tilt (left and right) – 1 set of 10 reps Head Nod (up and down) – 1 set of 10 reps Neck stretch Arm circles – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder circles – 1 set of 10 reps Waist circles – 1 set of 10 reps Bend over and touch toes – 1 set of 5 reps Calf raise – 1 set of 20 reps Interlock your fingers, extend your hands forward and pull your shoulders back. Slow spot jogging – 1 set of 20 reps
Now you are set and can start the lung exercises. Here’s what you must do.
1. Abdominal Breathing
Abdominal breathing is an excellent exercise when it comes to increasing the lung capacity. Here’s a step by step explanation. You can also click on the video link to watch how to do abdominal breathing exercise correctly.
Steps To Do Abdominal Breathing
Duration
5 minutes every day.
2. Rib Stretch
This exercise is all about breathing through the lungs so that your ribs expand and contract as you inhale and exhale. This also trains your lungs to inhale the maximum amount of oxygen. There’s a step by step description of how you stretch your ribs, but you can also watch this video.
Steps To Do Rib Stretching Exercise
Duration
2-5 minutes every day.
3. Numbered Breath
This exercise will help you if you are suffering from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) or just want to increase your lung capacity. Following are a video and a step by step description of this highly effective breathing exercise.
Steps To Do Numbered Breathing Exercise
Duration
5 minutes every day.
4. Oriental Breath
Oriental breath is yet another breathing exercise that helps the lungs work efficiently and optimally. It can also help you lose weight. Here’s a video demonstrating it.
Steps To Do Oriental Breath Exercise
Duration
2 minutes every day.
5. Pushing Out
Pushing out is a super powerful breathing exercise that increases the capacity of your lungs to absorb oxygen. Here are a video and a step by step description of how to do it correctly.
Steps To Do Pushing Out Exercise
Duration
1 minute every day.
6. Lung Strengthening Pranayama
Anulom-vilom is a pranayama that can help improve your lung capacity. Doing it correctly can be challenging in the beginning, but practice will make you perfect. Here’s a video to guide you.
Steps To Do Anulom Vilom
Time
5-7 minutes every day.
7. Aerobics
Aerobic exercises play a significant role in enhancing lung capacity by making large muscle groups move at a rhythmic speed (1). They strengthen your heart and lungs and also play a role in improving the endurance of the body. Hence, the body will be able to use oxygen more efficiently, and it also can enhance your breathing. You should take long, brisk walks daily. Stationary biking is another type of aerobic exercise that helps improve lung capacity.
Duration
20 minutes every day.
8. Water-Based Exercises
Water workouts make your body work harder because water acts as a source of resistance. This helps in strengthening the lungs. You may do weight lifting and stretching exercises in water. A person needs to have a routine till she gets comfortable with exercising in water. Ensure the water is neck deep while exercising. It is important to take quick breaths because you would feel the compression of your body. With regular practice, this will help in tremendously increasing the efficiency of lungs.
Duration
20 minutes every day
9. Cardio Exercise
The lung capacity increases manifold with cardio exercises. One needs a minimum of 30 minutes of workout to remain fit. The basic principle lies in the fact that when a person gets tired doing a fast and brisk workout, his lungs have to work harder. This enhances their capacity. There are many cardiovascular exercises you can do with ease. Some of the best cardio exercises to expand lung capacity are running, jogging, and swimming. You can even hit the gym to work out on heavy machines. Just make sure you warm up and cool down before and after the workout.
Duration
20 minutes every day.
10. Workout At High Elevation
The oxygen content at high altitudes is less, and hence, your lung capacity greatly increases if you workout in such altitudes. You need to start slow as it is tough to exercise at higher elevations. You need to give your body at least two weeks to acclimatize to the altitude. Ensure you take assistance from a qualified instructor as unsupervised workout could increase the chances of altitude sickness.
Duration
20 minutes every day. These were the 10 lung capacity increasing exercises. But I have few more points to add. Take a look.
Tips
Warnings And Precautions
Stop smoking or being around smokers. Do not overexert your body. Practice proper techniques to breathe in and breathe out.
Many people feel they do not need to increase their lung capacity until the time a simple and short exercise like playing with their kids or running with pets tires them and leaves them breathless. They can now do these exercises to increase their lung capacity and enjoy their leisure time with their loved ones without experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue. What decreases lung capacity? Age may decrease lung capacity. Additionally, obstructive lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obesity are some causes of reduced lung capacity (1). What does 50% lung capacity mean? Since 80%-120% is usually considered the standard lung capacity, anything outside this range may be regarded as an obstructive or restrictive lung condition. Therefore, 50% lung capacity may not be healthy.
