Breathing exercises can help curb stress, anxiety and help maintain yoga poses, but did you know they can also help your workout performance?

Not only can proper breathing make cardiovascular training more efficient, it can also help improve power and stability during strength training and endurance running, says Jessica Matthews, certified personal trainer and spokesmperson for the American Council on Exercise.

A recent study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that training respiratory muscles can help improve athletic performance. Twenty-seven soccer players participating in the study used a device called a respiratory muscle trainer, which makes respiratory muscles stronger by applying resistance as the user inhales through a valve. After five weeks, most athletes showed improvement in their ability to perform short bursts of exercise.

Most people aren't professional athletes and probably don't have access to a respiratory muscle trainer; however, it's worth it to know that a correlation between breathing and exercise still exists.

While you work out, oxygen inhaled with each breath is used in the process of aerobic respiration, in which energy is released from food sources (mainly glucose, though fact can be used when this is in short supply) in the presence of oxygen. This energy is then used to help generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to provide energy to the cells for processes such as muscle contractions. Without it, you would barely be able to climb a flight of stairs let alone do a strenuous workout.

So when you're working out, keep these tips in mind to make sure you don't deplete your body of the oxygen it needs to get you through:

• Never hold your breath when working out. "When we hold our breath, it restricts blood flow to the heart and head," says Matthews. "If you get that dizzy feeling during exercise, that's one of the direct causes of it."
• Make sure you're comfortable with the flow of breath and don't force it if it doesn't feel right. A general rule of thumb during strength training is to exhale during exertion, as you lift the weight up, and inhale as you lower and release down. But if that doesn't feel comfortable, don't be afraid to reverse your breathing pattern. "It's not set in stone. The most important thing is that you breathe," says Matthews.
• For the majority of your day, breathing is an involuntary action, but make sure to acknowledge your breath during exercise. "You do want to think about it, but don't over think it," she says. "Acknowledging the breath can really help us promote that relaxation sense, reduce stress and improve your psychological well-being."
  

Taking slow, even breaths provides a sense of concentration and a point of focus, which can prevent the mind from wandering. "Use the breath as a guide," says Matthews. "The breath will ensure slow, controlled movements. The muscle will do the work. We won't be using momentum, we will be ensuring proper form, proper technique and get the effectiveness that the exercise is designed to have."