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• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Method 1: Increase your lung capacity quickly
• Method 2 of 3: Physical exercises to increase lung capacity
• Method 3 of 3: Long-term exercises to increase lung capacity
• Tips
• Warnings

If you exercise a lot, you need a good amount of oxygen to finish it successfully. There are ways to increase the volume of your lungs, but there are also ways to increase the amount of air your lungs can hold and the effectiveness with which they can absorb oxygen. If you do these exercises daily you will see your lung capacity increase quickly.

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Method 1 of 3: Method 1: Increase your lung capacity quickly

1. Take a deep breath. You can increase the amount of air your lungs can absorb in a short amount of time, without having to practice or train for a long time. The trick is to breathe regularly and deeply.
   • Exhale slowly and completely. Practice this a few times before you start. Don't let air get into your lungs. This allows you to breathe in more air on the next breath.
   • Lower your diaphragm by relaxing your abs. Your abs will expand as your diaphragm goes down, creating more space around your lungs to fill them with air.
   • Spread your arms, keep them farther from your body to open your chest.
2. Take a deep breath. It is best to fill your lungs to 80-85% of their capacity, so that your body also has some room to relax. You don't want to fill your lungs to their full capacity if that means your muscles are too tense and you feel uncomfortable.
   • Have a friend with you who can check your breathing, if possible. You may pass out, and then it is good if your friend can come to the rescue right away.
   • You don't have to blow your cheeks. The muscles in your face should be loose and relaxed; the muscles in your abdomen and diaphragm must work properly.
3. Throw water on your face. Do this while holding your breath. Scientists have found that throwing water in your face slows your heart rate, which is the first stage of the diving reflex in mammals.
   • Your body prepares to dive underwater, which requires adjusting the heart rate to be effective and sending oxygen through the blood to keep you alive.
   • Take cold, but not ice cold water. Ice water activates another reflex in your body that causes you to hyperventilate, or breathe quickly. Hyperventilation prevents you from holding your breath for long.
4. Relax your muscles and hold your breath. Try to meditate or close your eyes. The less energy you use, the longer your body can hold its breath.
   • Count to 100 in your head. Just focus on the number you are saying in your head and your goal of reaching 100.
   • Write down the number you reached when you can no longer hold your breath. You want to pass that number the next attempt.
5. Exhale slowly, and repeat 3-4 times. Do not let the air escape too quickly. Exhale as slowly as possible, in a steady stream. Once you have done this once, do the exercise again from the beginning.
   • After 3-4 times, your lungs can hold a lot more air than twenty minutes ago.
   • If you do this exercise regularly you will also train your lungs in the long term.
6. Try simple breathing exercises. You can do these exercises at home, while watching TV, or at the office, or wherever.
   • Inflating balloons is a great way to increase your lung capacity. Another method is to stick a long, light strip of paper to the tip of your nose with masking tape, and try to keep it in the air by blowing it as long as possible. Take your time and if you do it often you will be able to keep the paper in the air for longer and longer.
   • Another method is to stick a long, light piece of paper (or tissue) to the tip of your nose and blow it into the air for as long as possible. Take your time and practice regularly, then you can keep the piece of paper in the air longer and longer as your lung capacity increases.
   • Breathing exercises during daily activities can be very helpful. Inhale for 2-20 seconds, exhale for 10-20 seconds and slowly build up. You will soon see that you can exhale for 45 seconds to 2 minutes if you practice enough! You can easily do this while driving a car, sitting in your office, watching TV, playing a game, sitting in the classroom or just when you are bored!
   • Try to hyperventilate before holding your breath. Hyperventilating simply means breathing in and out very quickly. Note: Hyperventilating before diving can be dangerous as the urge to breathe can be slowed to the point of passing out!

Method 2 of 3: Physical exercises to increase lung capacity

1. Practice in the water. When you exercise in water, you add an element of resistance to your workout. Your body has to work extra hard to get enough oxygen into your blood, making it good exercise for your lungs.
   • Do your normal stretching and strength training in the water. Make sure to adjust your weights to make them feel lighter in the water. Do this routine for a few days until you get used to it.
   • Take everything with you in the water. Make sure you are up to your neck in the water and do your exercises while standing in the water. This may not seem like good for anything, but don't worry. By moving the blood to your chest and putting pressure on your body, you will get shorter, faster breaths when you exercise in water. Research shows that your lung capacity drops to 75% in the beginning, and your body will compensate for that. If your training in the water lasts long enough, and you do it regularly, your airways will work more efficiently, increasing your lung capacity.
     
     
2. Engage in strenuous cardiovascular activities. Exercise is a great way to increase your lung capacity. Exhaust your body for at least 30 minutes so that your lungs have to work very hard. This hard work is rewarded with better lung capacity.
   • Try aerobics. You will be amazed at how much lung capacity you can develop during short bursts of intense training.
   • Go cycling. By sprinting now and then your body has to pump more blood to the legs; your lungs provide oxygen in the blood.
   • Go running. Run on a treadmill if you want to spare your knees and joints. Sprint every now and then to get your lungs working extra hard.
   • Swimming - The best sport to work on your fitness. Swimmers lungs can process oxygen up to three times more efficiently than the lungs of an average person.
3. Train at height. If you train at a higher altitude, you can be sure to improve your lungs to their full strength. The air in the mountains contains less oxygen, which makes training harder, which is ultimately good for your lungs.
   • If you want to seriously increase your lung capacity, you must live at a high altitude during your workout. At 2500m above sea level, the air contains only 74% oxygen compared to the air at sea level. This means that your lungs have to work harder to get just as much oxygen into your blood.
   • When you go back down, your body still has an increased number of red blood cells and hemoglobin - up to about two weeks - which means that your entire lung capacity has been increased.
   • Be careful not to train too hard at high altitudes, as you can develop altitude sickness.

Method 3 of 3: Long-term exercises to increase lung capacity

1. Create resistance. Your lungs will respond to exercise, so incorporate some resistance training into your routine and you will see your lung capacity increase.
   • Inhale normally through your nose. Take a deep breath. Exhale through your mouth with your lips close together. Open them only slightly so that the air can just get out, with resistance. Try to do this as often as possible. It makes your alveoli get used to holding the air longer, causing them to stretch.
2. Breathe in more than your brain thinks it can. Your brain naturally pays attention to the safety of your body, and ensures that your body does not cross borders. But the body can do wonderful things if you convince your brain that it is okay. Try the following.
   • Breathe in for a count of eight until your lungs are completely filled. You should be able to inhale a little more after every count.
   • Take short breaths for the next eight to 16 counts. Feel your belly expand. You shouldn't feel your shoulders move.
   • Hold your breath for a few more seconds and exhale forcefully.
   • If you feel that your lungs are "empty", make a "tssssss" sound (as if you were playing a wind instrument) for as long as possible.
   • Practice this regularly. If you train your brain to push the boundaries of your body, your breathing will take a giant leap forward.
3. Play a wind instrument. By playing a wind instrument you give your lungs a regular workout and you also have the pleasure of making music.
   • Learn how to play a woodwind instrument or brass instrument such as a trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone or flute. This will teach you to control your breathing and increase your lung capacity so that you start using all your alveoli.
   • Play in a brass band. This means you need even more lung capacity because you have to walk while you play.
   • You can also take singing lessons. Singing exercises your diaphragm and can help practice uninterrupted breathing. Singers must of course have very strong lungs.

Tips

• You have probably known for a long time not to smoke, but you should also stay away from smoky areas where you are exposed to secondhand smoke, as secondhand smoke can also reduce your lung capacity.
• When in a pool, go as far under the water as possible and breathe through a straw. The further you are underwater, the greater the pressure on your chest, making it harder for you to breathe. Make sure you can keep the straw above water, otherwise you will get water in your lungs. Do not come out of the water with your lungs full of air - exhale before resurfacing or you could suffer a barotrauma (if you have been under water for 2-3 meters).

Warnings

• If you get lightheaded, breathe normally again.
• When breathing underwater (for example, when diving), stabilize your depth and never hold your breath or take a deep breath while ascending. Air expands when you go up and your lungs can rupture when you hold your breath.
• Always swim with someone or in a public place when doing your breathing exercises.