Ways to improve breathing?

[Chim]

I started doing some mixed martial arts recently, and I can't even last a minute while doing light sparring without running out of breathe.

Obviously, cardio is a way to improve breathing but does anybody know of any breathing exercises made specifically for improving your lungs?

[BokCh0y]

try muff diving :bigpimp:

[oddjob]

Swimming gives you good lungs. Also not smoking...

[KAVIE]

Yes swimming is the best, not only does it improve your endurance but improves your lung capacity basically increases the size of your lungs and how much air you can hold. Also how long you can hold your breath. As I said before swimming truly is the best!

[Toma]

Hahahahaha....
"breathing squats"

Basically start squating, not like a pansy with light weight, but decent weight, and do at least 20 reps, and breath deep and hard at the top of every rep. Pause for a few seconds when you have to

Then, simply add 5 pounds every workout, while always doing at least 20 reps.

Then, when you are finished, lie on a bench and do 20 to 30 light pullovers while breathing deeply and fully.

[Chim]

Swimming sounds like a damn good idea, I just hope it's not embarassing that I can't even make it halfway across the pool without needing to take a breather :D

When I started this thread I was hoping for something easier that I could do at home, I always thought there were special ways of meditating which can improve your breathe :dunno:

[Carfanman]

Relax and inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds. Repeat for a few minutes, as often as you can. Not only will this strengthen your lungs, because your using your lung/chest muscles to do that, but it's great for relaxing and relieving stress. If your at work, really stressed, just taking 5 minutes to do that will make you feel a lot calmer and better.