How to Increase Your Lung Capacity

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Breathe deeply.

   You can increase the amount of air your lungs can absorb in a short amount of time, without a long-term investment in exercise or training equipment.
   
   The trick is breathing steadily and deeply.
   
   Exhale completely and slowly.
   
   Practice it a few times before you start.
   
   Don't let any air linger in your lungs.
   
   This allows you to inhale more air on the next breath.
   
   Allow your diaphragm to descend by keeping your abdominal muscles relaxed.
   
   Your abdomen will expand as your diaphragm descends, making more room around your lungs, and allowing them to fill with air.
   
   Widen your arms, holding them farther away from your body, to help open up your chest.
2. 2

   Step 2: Inhale a deep breath.

   You probably want to fill your lungs to about 80%-85% capacity, to give your body room to relax.
   
   You do not want to fill your lungs to full capacity if it means that your muscles tighten up and you're uncomfortable.
   
   Have a friend with you, monitoring your breathing, if possible.
   
   You could pass out, in which case you'd want your friend to respond appropriately.
   
   You don't need to puff your cheeks out.
   
   You want the muscles in your face to be loose and relaxed.
   
   The muscles in your stomach and diaphragm are going to be the ones working. , Do this while you're holding your breath.
   
   Scientists have figured out that splashing water on your face accelerates bradycardia, or the slowing of the heart rate, or the first phase of the mammalian diving reflex.
   
   Your body is preparing to dive underwater, where it will need to regulate its heart beat effectively and pass oxygen throughout the blood in order to keep you alive.
   
   Try to keep the water cold, but not icy.
   
   Icy water will trigger another reflex in your body that causes you to hyperventilate, or try to breathe quickly.
   
   Hyperventilation will hurt your ability to hold your breath for a long time. , Try meditating, or closing your eyes.
   
   The less energy you expend, the longer your body will be able to hold its breath.
   
   Set an online metronome to 120 bpm.
   
   Breathing from your diaphragm (stomach), inhale for eight counts.
   
   Do two sets of holding two and inhaling while still holding your breath.
   
   You might try this step with inhaling through your nose. , After 3-4 times, your lungs will be able to hold much more air than they could just twenty minutes beforehand.
   
   Practicing this exercise regularly will also help train your lungs in the long term.
   
   Try lowering the metronome's bpm by three or four counts each week.
   
   Make sure you don't lower the metronome too much or else you'll hurt your lungs.
   
   Just like exercising, you want to take this at a gradual and regular rate. , You can do these exercises around the house, at your office, hanging out while watching TV, the list goes on.Blowing balloons is a good method for increasing lung capacity.
   
   While you're walking, at home doing chores, or have a spare second, practice blowing up a balloon and letting it deflate.
   
   Do this over and over again; you should notice your lungs' ability to pump more air, stronger and longer.
   
   Another method is to tape a long, light slip of paper (or a tissue) to the tip of your nose and try to keep it in the air by blowing it as long as possible.
   
   Time yourself and if you practice this, exercise regularly, you will be able to keep your slip of paper in the air much longer thus, increasing lung capacity.
   
   Breathing exercises during everyday activities can be helpful.
   
   Breathe in for 2-20 seconds, breathe out for 10-20 seconds, and slowly increase the rate.
   
   Soon you will find yourself breathing out 45 seconds-2 minutes if you practice enough! You can easily do it while driving, sitting in the office, watching television, playing video games, doing paperwork, at the desk at school, or when you are simply bored! Try hyperventilating before holding your breath.
   
   Hyperventilating simply means breathing in and out very quickly.
   
   Note: hyperventilating before diving can be dangerous because the urge to breathe can be delayed beyond the point where you pass out!
3. 3

   Step 3: Splash water on your face.

4. 4

   Step 4: Relax your muscles and hold your breath.

5. 5

   Step 5: Hold for 4 counts and then do the opposite on the way down: 8 counts exhale

6. 6

   Step 6: 2 count hold

7. 7

   Step 7: exhale

8. 8

   Step 8: 2 count hold

9. 9

   Step 9: exhale.

10. 10

    Step 10: Try simple breathing exercises.

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