Three Breathwork Practices for Firefighters

Firefighting requires focus, mental clarity, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. Breath work is an excellent tool to cultivate a sense of sharp focus and grounded-ness.

These are the top three breathing practices I recommend to firefighters, and other first responders, in my yoga therapy practice. They are all simple to learn and practice on your own. Your breath is such a powerful tool because it doesn’t require any special gear or equipment and is something you have access to wherever you go!

Here are some practices to use to harness the power of your breath!

1.     Equal Breathing (Sama Vritti)

I have a whole article on this practice alone (read it here!) but here’s a quick summary of how it’s done!

Equal breathing is simply an equal length inhale paired with an equal length exhale. I like to use a 3 count. To try equal breathing try this:

Inhale for 3… 2… 1… Exhale for 3… 2… 1… and repeat.

This practice will help create balance in the nervous system and is known to ease anxiety.

2.     Box Breathing

Box breathing is very popular in the first responder and military community. Box breathing is similar to equal breathing but with the addition of breath holds. To practice box breathing follow these steps:

Inhale for 4… 3… 2… 1… Hold your breath in for 4… 3… 2… 1… Exhale for 4… 3… 2… 1…Hold your breath out for 4… 3… 2… 1… Repeat!

For some people, holding their breath can initiate feelings of anxiety, if this happens for you, try equal breathing instead or make the breath holds a bit shorter and build towards holding for a count of 4 overtime.  

3.     1:2 Ratio Breathing

Of the three breathwork practices in this article the 1:2 ratio is the most calming and sedating. I recommend using this practice before bed or anytime that you need to wind down and relax. Equal breathing uses a 1:1 ratio and with a 1:2 ratio the exhale becomes twice as long as the inhale. When our exhale is longer than our inhale it signals to the nervous system that is time to rest and activates our parasympathetic mode.

To practice 1:2 ratio breathing, breathe like this:

Inhale, 4… 3… 2… 1… Exhales 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… and Repeat!

If you are new to this practice it will likely feel challenging to stretch out your exhalation so much. To ease into this practice start by inhaling for 2, exhaling for 4 OR inhale for 3 and exhale for 6. Overtime, as you get more comfortable slowing down the pace of your breath you might even work towards using larger numbers. Whatever numbers you choose, making sure that they feel easy and natural to follow for 2-5 minutes. Your breath should not feel strained or forced or that will counteract the benefits of breathing in this manner.

Give these a try and begin to incorporate them into your life daily.

Find me on YouTube or InsightTimer to follow along as I guide you through these practices!