In recent years, breathwork has moved from yoga studios and mindfulness apps into the world of performance training. Coaches and athletes are increasingly recognizing that breathing is not only a passive process but also a trainable component of physiology. For endurance athletes in particular, the way we breathe influences efficiency, recovery, and the interaction between the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Scientific research shows that breathing patterns can significantly influence autonomic nervous system activity and cardiovascular regulation. Slow breathing practices, typically around six breaths per minute, are associated with increases in heart rate variability and greater parasympathetic activity, both of which are linked to recovery and physiological regulation (Laborde, Mosley, & Thayer, 2022; Russo, Santarelli, & O’Rourke, 2017).
Despite the growing interest, breathwork is often added to training plans without a clear structure. When this happens, sessions become occasional relaxation exercises rather than a consistent physiological tool. Like any other training component, breathwork needs a clear objective, appropriate timing, and measurable outcomes.
Defining the Goal of Breathwork Sessions
The first step when integrating breathwork into endurance training is defining the purpose of the session. Breathwork can serve different physiological roles depending on the context.
In some cases, the goal is nervous system regulation. Slow breathing techniques can help athletes shift toward a parasympathetic state, supporting recovery after intense training sessions.
In other situations, breathwork focuses on respiratory control. This involves teaching athletes to manage breathing patterns during exercise and maintain ventilatory efficiency as intensity increases.
Breathwork can also be used to support respiratory muscle conditioning or to improve tolerance to elevated carbon dioxide levels, which may influence ventilatory responses during endurance exercise.
When to Schedule Breathwork in a Training Plan
Timing within the training week is an important consideration.
Sessions focused on relaxation and autonomic regulation are often best placed after demanding workouts or later in the day. Slow and controlled breathing patterns can help lower respiratory rate and heart rate, supporting the transition toward recovery. Research on paced breathing interventions shows that even short sessions can influence cardiovascular and autonomic responses (Laborde et al., 2022).
Breathwork sessions designed to improve respiratory awareness can be integrated before training. Short breathing practices before workouts help athletes become aware of their breathing rhythm and coordination.
For example, athletes can practice maintaining a stable breathing pattern while gradually increasing ventilation. This type of practice may help reduce unnecessary ventilatory effort during exercise and improve breathing efficiency.
Using Low Intensity Training to Practice Breathing Control
Easy aerobic sessions provide an ideal environment to explore breathing patterns.
During low intensity training, athletes can experiment with breathing cadence, posture, and ventilatory rhythm without the stress of high intensity work. Coaches can guide athletes to observe how breathing interacts with cadence, perceived effort, and overall movement efficiency.
Research on endurance athletes suggests that breathing patterns and ventilatory strategies can influence pulmonary function and respiratory efficiency during exercise (Sikora et al., 2024).
Frequency and Duration of Breathwork Training
Breathwork sessions do not need to be long to be effective.
Two to four sessions per week lasting between five and fifteen minutes are often sufficient to develop awareness and control. Consistency tends to be more important than duration. Like other physiological skills, breathing control improves through repeated exposure rather than occasional long sessions.
Measuring Breathing to Improve Physiological Control
Measurement plays an important role when integrating breathwork into training.
Many breathing practices rely on subjective sensations. However, objective data allows coaches to observe how breathing patterns change over time. Monitoring respiratory rate, breathing variability, and the relationship between breathing and heart rate can reveal whether an athlete is actually shifting toward the intended physiological state.
Technologies that provide respiratory biofeedback allow coaches to quantify breathing behavior and track changes over time. This approach helps transform breathwork from a general wellness practice into a measurable component of performance training (Lehrer & Gevirtz, 2014).
Breathwork at the Intersection of Performance, Recovery, and Health
Ultimately, integrating breathwork into a training plan is less about adding another task and more about refining how athletes regulate their physiology.
Breathing sits at the intersection of performance, recovery, and health. For endurance athletes and coaches, learning to control breathing patterns can improve awareness of physiological state and support more efficient regulation of effort and recovery.
When breathwork is practiced consistently and supported by meaningful physiological feedback, it becomes a simple but powerful tool that helps athletes develop greater control over the systems that sustain endurance performance.
Sources
Laborde, S., Mosley, E., & Thayer, J. F. (2022). Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 138, 104711.
Lehrer, P., & Gevirtz, R. (2014). Heart rate variability biofeedback. How and why does it work? Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 756.
Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O’Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13(4), 298–309.
Sikora, M., Mikołajczyk, R., Łakomy, O., Karpiński, J., Żebrowska, A., Kostorz-Nosal, S., & Jastrzębski, D. (2024). Influence of the breathing pattern on the pulmonary function of endurance-trained athletes. Scientific Reports, 14, 1113.