Professional athletes are now focusing on their breathing to improve their performance. This includes NBA stars like Steph Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and MLB pitchers Logan Webb and Marcus Stroman. They use various breathing techniques to calm their minds, improve their lives, and boost their performance.
Harvey Martin, a former minor league baseball player, discovered the importance of breathing after his career was affected by stress and anxiety. He found the Wim Hof method, a breathing technique that involves rhythmic hyperventilation followed by a long breath hold. Martin also uses a sauna and cold room to help him relax. He now teaches breathing techniques to other athletes and has become a breathing specialist for the San Francisco Giants.
Research has shown that regular deep breathing can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate while improving overall mental health. When we breathe slowly and deeply, our lungs fill up with oxygen, which stimulates the vagus nerve and sends a message to the brain that the fight or flight response is not needed. This increases parasympathetic drive, a mode commonly known as rest and digest. Breathing techniques are not new and have been used by ancient Greeks and Chinese to relax and focus.
