Better breathing for improved recovery and performance

When it comes to strength training for performance, we often think of lifting heavy stuff and moving some weights alongside really hard "envelope pushing" on bike efforts.

While these things certainly get the spotlight for building capacity, there is actually a very important, and often ignored, item that helps us reap the benefits from these notable efforts:

Breathing.

And more specifically, breathing to help the pelvic floor relax so it can contract and work better.

Let's take a quick look at kettlebell-on-belly breathing and how it can help our riding and recovery.

The Role Of The Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is made up of a number of muscles that serve to not only help us breathe, but also help rotate our hips. Known as the deep hip rotators, these small muscles help manage movement from the hips and deflect them away from the spine.

These small muscles are often neglected in the sit-centric lifestyle of the modern world filled with screens and Zoom meetings.

A simple and extremely effective way to improve the pelvic floor function is learning how to breathe into the lower stomach, getting back body expansion and moving air downward.

This may sound easy, but it's a big challenge for most.

The Light Kettlebell on Lower Belly Breathing Exercise

The Light Kettlebell on Lower Belly breathing exercise is an easy and very accessible way to begin to improve the pelvic floor's abilities to relax, contract, and expand.

This simple (but not easy) exercise uses the round shape of a light (20 pounds or less) kettlebell to help us learn how to better contract and relax the lower abdomen, which in turn helps to dial down the often wound-up muscles of the pelvic floor, allowing us to relearn how to maintain just the right amount of tension through the pelvis as we run, walk, ride, or swim our way along.

How to do it

Start by lying on your back in the hook lying position: keep your feet flat on the ground, your back low with a natural arch, and your head and shoulders resting comfortably in a neutral position.

As you breathe out through your mouth, think about the kettlebell sinking toward your spine. Allow the weight of the light (20 pounds or less) kettlebell to help feel the air escape your lower stomach as you gently think about pushing the air out from the bottom up.

Pause for two full seconds after you've pushed out all the air, feeling the muscles of the lower pelvis and stomach contracting (gently).

Inhale slowly through your nose, filling your flanks, lower back, and lower stomach and watching the kettlebell slowly rise.

The key here is to aim the air into your flanks and sides at the same time as your lower stomach. This allows the diaphragm and pelvic floor to relearn how to work in chorus. If you focus only on the lower stomach and pelvis, you're not going to get the best return for your effort.

Perform 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions, resting for 1 to 2 minutes between rounds.

Note: If you have prolapse, urinary incontinence, hemorrhoids, or other pelvic floor issues, talk to your primary care physician and pelvic floor physical therapist before beginning this exercise routine.

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