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are training your lungs to open fully on the intake and expel used air fully on the outtake. Do this full cycle three times a day for a week, and see if you notice any change in your average breathing.

The next way to improve lung capacity is through interval exercises and hypoxic breath swimming (my personal favorite, mainly because it sounds so cool to say at a dinner party). The principle of interval training is overloading your lungs by taxing exertion so they improve their average performance. The principle of hypoxic breath swimming is overloading your lungs by denying oxygen so they improve their average performance.

Interval training should not be done more than two or three times a week. You can do it on a track, treadmill, bike, or elliptical machine. Warm up for five minutes, then do one minute at 80% effort, two minutes at 60% effort, repeat seven times, then cool down for five minutes. By pushing your body, you are overloading your cardiovascular system as it tries to maintain the oxygen demands you are placing on your body. Your lungs should burn at the end of the workout, and that burning sensation is telling you that they worked harder than they are used to. Now you must rest your lungs to allow them to recover with at least 48 hours of rest before any hard exercise. By overloading, then resting your lungs, you will notice a marked improvement in lung capacity and efficiency.

Hypoxic breath swimming should only be performed by competent swimmers in a pool with a lifeguard present, and preferably a pool where you can stand up the whole length of the swim. Do not do hypoxic training more than twice a week, and always leave 36 hours between swims for your lungs to recover. Swim 200 meters freestyle to warm up. Get a good stretch in, and practice your deep breathing techniques. Now swim 100 meters breathing every 2nd stroke. Pause for 30 seconds. Swim 100 meters breathing every 3rd stroke. Pause for 45 seconds. Swim 100 meters breathing every 4th stroke. Pause for 60 seconds. Now swim 25 meters breathing every 5th stroke. Pause for 15 seconds, and repeat to make a total of 100 meters breathing every 5th stroke. Cool down for 200 meters. Once you can handle that, work your way back down the pyramid. I trained myself to where I can swim a mile (1600m) freestyle with no pauses breathing every 5th stroke. It can be done.

By implementing these exercises, you will greatly improve your lung capacity. Most of these concepts were taught to me by a master diver who knew the sponge diving world well. Try it for three months and see if you don't discover a drastic improvement!

Learn more about this author, C. M. Erickson.
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