Breathing Exercises For Your Lungs

Unless you’ve been through formal fitness testing you may have never thought about your lung capacity.

According to Jolie Bookspan in her article Do Breathing Exercises Work? it used to be thought that this was something you could do nothing about - that your lung capacity was inherited. And people also thought that lung capacity would deteriorate with age.

But that’s just not the case - you can improve your lung capacity (and with it your endurance) with breathing exercises and maintain your lung capacity well into old age.

Breathing exercises do not need formal training - even the act of taking conscious deep breathes at odd moments in the day will help. And you can get more practice by blowing up balloons and beach balls. (Jolie had her exercise students attempt to blow up those huge exercise balls!)

Of course aerobic exercise of every kind helps - as well as laughing and singing! For more info see Jolie’s articles about breathing on the Healthline blog

Tags: aerobic exercise, breathing exercises, edurance, lung capacity

July 6, 2008 | Filed Under Fitness | Leave a Comment

Running (Again)!

I told you with the (slightly) warmer weather I’d end up running again (see Sporadic Running).

I can feel my knees and ankles protesting already - but it IS for a good cause.

Last year’s running spurt was caused by entering the 5k all ladies Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research encouraged by a few friends. And the same friends have persuaded me it’s a good idea this year too. As my Dad died of cancer in October last year, it will be especially poignant.

Thing is - I haven’t run since last year’s race - so I’ll be starting my training plan from the beginning again with the cool running couch to 5k plan - I only have the 8 weeks so I’d better get to it.

Anyone care to join me? Actually Race for Life takes place all round the UK at around the same time so it’s something to aim for if you live here in the next 2 months (and if you live elsewhere there will be tons of events no doubt too).

Tags: Fitness, race for life, running

March 31, 2008 | Filed Under Fitness | Leave a Comment

Sporadic Running

Every year or so I decide to get fit by running rather than whatever I am doing at the time (like walking or rebounding or stepping or nothing).

Last year, I even trained for a 5K race and enjoyed the whole training and event.

At the end of the race I would even say I was euphoric what with all the spectators clapping and the happy hormones kicking in.

And then after the race I never ran again.

What’s the problem then with running being a regular part of my fitness routine?

Well, it seems that no matter how gradually I train, how well cushioned and fitted my shoes, how good my running style, I end up with sore ankles and sometimes knees.

And that’s just running 3 times a week for 30 minutes. At times (although not all the time) I get so sore that I can’t even walk properly and am out of action for a few days at least.

And so that creates a bit of a conflict.

You see fitness for me is about being healthy not just fit and I suspect that running is not actually that good for me.

After a while, of course, I forget about the injuries, the slightly warmer and less rainy weather of spring returns and running starts to look like a good idea again.

So if you hear I’ve taken up jogging again don’t be surprised. But also don’t be too shocked to hear I have given up again after a few months despite all the motivation tricks I know about “just doing it”.