The best examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery after workouts

Let’s start with the good stuff: real examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery that you can try today. You’ll see these same drills explained in more detail later, but here’s how people are using them right now:

• A CrossFit athlete lies on the floor after a metcon, feet on a box, and does slow nasal breathing for five minutes to bring their heart rate down.
• A recreational soccer player sits on the bench after a match and uses box breathing to stop the post-game shakes and clear their head.
• A marathon trainee finishes tempo runs with three minutes of 4-6 breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6) to reduce that wired, jittery feeling.
• A powerlifter pairs hip stretches with diaphragmatic breathing so their low back finally stops feeling like concrete.
• A desk worker who lifts after work uses a 3-minute extended exhale drill to flip out of stress mode and into recovery before driving home.

All of these are examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery that fit into normal lives, not just elite training camps.

Why breathing belongs in your cool down

Most people think of cool down as “a quick stretch and I’m done.” Breathing is the missing piece.

When you train, your body ramps up your sympathetic nervous system—the fight-or-flight side. Heart rate climbs, blood pressure rises, cortisol goes up. That’s good during effort. But if you stay stuck there after your session, recovery drags.

Slow, controlled breathing does the opposite. It supports your parasympathetic system—the rest-and-digest side. Research from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes that slow breathing can reduce stress and improve heart rate variability, a marker linked to better recovery and resilience (NCCIH, 2022).

That’s why so many of the best examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery have two things in common:

• They slow your breathing rate to about 4–7 breaths per minute.
• They emphasize longer, gentle exhales, which tend to calm your system.

Let’s break down the most useful patterns and how to use them.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing: the foundation of all recovery work

If you only pick one example of breathing exercise to enhance recovery, make it diaphragmatic breathing. Think of it as your “base model” that everything else builds on.

How to do it

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, or with your calves on a bench or box. One hand on your chest, one hand on your belly.

Gently inhale through your nose for about 4 seconds. Let your lower hand (belly) rise first, with minimal movement in the upper hand (chest). Then exhale through your nose or mouth for about 6 seconds, letting your ribs and belly fall.

You’re not forcing air; you’re guiding it. Aim for 3–8 minutes after your workout.

Why it helps recovery

• Encourages full expansion of the lungs and better oxygen exchange.
• Reduces unnecessary tension in the neck and shoulders.
• Signals to your brain that the “threat” (your workout) is over.

The Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic both highlight diaphragmatic breathing as a simple tool for relaxation and stress reduction—two things your body needs to recover well (Mayo Clinic).

You can combine this with static stretching: breathe slowly into tight areas (hips, hamstrings, chest) and let each exhale soften the stretch.

2. Box breathing: structured calm for post-game jitters

Box breathing is one of the most popular examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery among athletes and even tactical populations (military, first responders). It’s simple, repeatable, and gives your brain something clear to follow.

How to do it

Picture a box with four equal sides. Each side is a phase of the breath:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
• Hold your breath (comfortably) for 4 seconds.
• Exhale through your nose or mouth for 4 seconds.
• Hold empty for 4 seconds.

Repeat for 2–5 minutes. If 4 seconds feels too long, start with 3. If it feels easy, you can move to 5.

Why it helps recovery

• Creates a steady rhythm that helps slow your heart rate.
• The gentle holds improve your awareness of breath without strain.
• Great between competition heats or during a cool down when you feel wired.

Athletes often use box breathing in the locker room after games to shift from intense focus to post-game recovery mode.

3. 4-6 or 4-8 breathing: extending the exhale for deeper relaxation

If you want examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery that are almost plug-and-play, 4-6 or 4-8 breathing is your best friend. The idea: shorter inhale, longer exhale.

How to do it

Sit or lie comfortably.

• Inhale gently through your nose for 4 seconds.
• Exhale through your nose or mouth for 6–8 seconds.

No breath holds, no tricks. Just slow, smooth air. Try this for 5–10 minutes, especially after high-intensity intervals or heavy lifting.

Why it helps recovery

Longer exhales are strongly tied to parasympathetic activation. A 2021 study in Cell Reports Medicine found that exhale-focused breathing had stronger effects on mood and physiology than some other patterns, including mindfulness meditation.

Runners and cyclists often use this pattern as they walk after a hard effort. It’s one of the best examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery when you’re still moving but want to start calming your system down.

4. Nasal-only breathing cool down: from gasping to grounded

Nasal breathing has been a major trend through 2023–2024 in both endurance and strength circles. While the hype sometimes gets overblown, using nasal-only breathing during your cool down is one of the more practical examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery.

How to do it

Right after a hard set or interval, you’ll probably be mouth-breathing. As soon as you can, start breathing only through your nose while you:

• Walk slowly on the track or gym floor, or
• Cycle lightly on a bike, or
• Do gentle mobility drills.

Your goal: keep moving lightly while letting your breath slow down through your nose. Aim for 3–10 minutes.

Why it helps recovery

• Nasal breathing naturally slows the rate of breathing.
• It encourages deeper, lower ribcage expansion instead of shallow chest breathing.
• Many athletes report faster “calm down” and less dizziness or nausea.

This is a great example of a breathing exercise to enhance recovery that doesn’t require lying down on a crowded gym floor.

5. 1:2 ratio breathing: a simple upgrade for stiff, sore muscles

If you like numbers, you’ll like ratio breathing. You choose an inhale length and make your exhale twice as long. This is similar to 4-6 or 4-8 breathing, but the ratio is the star.

How to do it

Pick an inhale length you can do comfortably through your nose—maybe 3 or 4 seconds. Then:

• Inhale for 3 seconds, exhale for 6.
• Or inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 8.

You can do this while holding gentle stretches, sitting in your car after training, or lying on the floor at home.

Why it helps recovery

• The 1:2 ratio tends to relax smooth muscle around blood vessels, which may help circulation.
• Pairs perfectly with mobility work—inhale to find light tension, exhale to let the muscle release.

Physical therapists often teach this pattern as an example of breathing exercise to enhance recovery for people with chronic tightness or those coming back from injury.

6. “Physiological sigh”: a quick reset between sets or drills

The physiological sigh has gotten a lot of attention recently thanks to neuroscience research and popular science podcasts. It’s a fast-acting tool rather than a long breathing session, but it still belongs on a list of examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery.

How to do it

Through your nose:

• Take a normal inhale.
• Without exhaling, take a second, shorter sip of air on top of it.
• Then exhale slowly and fully through your mouth.

That’s one physiological sigh. Do 3–5 in a row when you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or overly amped between sets or during your cool down.

Why it helps recovery

Research from Stanford-affiliated scientists has shown that this pattern can quickly reduce physiological arousal and perceived stress. It’s a good “emergency brake” when you feel your nervous system spinning.

Use it right after a brutal set, then move into slower patterns like diaphragmatic or 4-6 breathing.

7. Breathing plus position: stacking recovery effects

Sometimes the best examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery are really combinations of breath and body position. Changing your posture changes how your ribs move, which changes how your nervous system responds.

A few powerful pairings:

Feet-elevated breathing

Lie on your back with your calves on a bench or couch, knees at about 90 degrees. Use diaphragmatic or 4-6 breathing.

• Helps venous return (blood flowing back to the heart).
• Often feels more restful for people with low back tightness.

Child’s pose breathing

Kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and fold forward with your arms stretched out. Breathe into your back and sides.

• Great for stiff lower backs and lats after heavy pulling.
• The gentle flexed position can feel safe and calming.

Wall-supported standing breathing

Stand with your back against a wall, feet 6–12 inches away, knees slightly bent, low back gently touching the wall. Breathe into your sides and back.

• Helpful if you don’t want to get on the floor.
• Good for teaching ribcage expansion and posture.

All of these are real-world examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery that blend breath, posture, and gravity to help your body downshift.

How to build a 5–10 minute breathing-based cool down

Let’s turn these examples into something you can actually follow. Here’s a simple template many athletes use 3–5 times per week.

Right after your last set or interval
Spend 2–3 minutes walking or cycling lightly. As soon as you can, switch to nasal-only breathing. If you’re very out of breath, let your body settle for 30–60 seconds, then start guiding it.

Next 3–5 minutes: floor or seated breathing
Pick one of these examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery:

• Diaphragmatic breathing on your back.
• 4-6 or 4-8 breathing while lying with your feet elevated.
• Box breathing seated on a bench.

Combine it with light stretching if you like—hips, hamstrings, chest and shoulders.

Optional 1–2 minutes: physiological sighs and check-in
Do 3–5 physiological sighs, then return to slow breathing. Notice: Has your heart rate dropped? Do your hands feel warmer? Do you feel a bit more grounded?

You’re done. You just turned a rushed 30-second stretch into a real recovery practice.

Common mistakes when using breathing exercises for recovery

When people try these examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery and say “it didn’t work,” it’s usually because of one of these issues:

• Trying too hard. Forcing huge inhales, clenching the jaw, or pushing the belly out aggressively. The goal is ease, not strain.
• Going too long too soon. Start with 3–5 minutes. If you feel lightheaded, shorten the session or make the breaths smaller.
• Holding the breath uncomfortably. Especially with box breathing. If the holds feel panicky, shorten them or skip holds entirely.
• Breathing only into the chest. Put a hand on your belly or low ribs to remind yourself where you want the air to go.
• Treating it as optional fluff. The athletes who benefit most treat these drills as part of training, not as an afterthought.

If you have a lung condition, cardiovascular disease, or anxiety disorder, it’s wise to talk with a healthcare professional about which patterns are appropriate for you. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and similar organizations offer guidance on breathing and heart health (NHLBI).

Who benefits most from these breathing exercises?

While anyone can use these examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery, some groups tend to feel the difference fastest:

• High-stress professionals who train after work. Breathing helps you switch from “work brain” to “recovery brain.”
• Endurance athletes. Runners, cyclists, and rowers often report better sleep and less post-training anxiety when they add 5–10 minutes of breath work.
• Strength and power athletes. Heavy lifting jacks up your nervous system. Breathing helps you come back down so you’re ready for the next session.
• People returning from injury. Many rehab programs now include breath-focused drills to reduce guarding and muscle tension.

The common thread: if your training leaves you wired, sore, or unable to relax, these techniques are worth your time.

FAQ: examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery

What are some simple examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery for beginners?

If you’re new, start with diaphragmatic breathing on your back for 3–5 minutes, then try 4-6 breathing while seated. These are the most forgiving examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery and don’t require any special skill. Once those feel natural, experiment with nasal-only walking after workouts.

What is the best example of breathing exercise to enhance recovery if I only have 2–3 minutes?

Use the physiological sigh for 3–5 repetitions, then switch to 4-6 breathing until your time is up. This combo gives you a quick nervous system reset followed by a gentle downshift, making it one of the best short examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery.

Can these breathing exercises really reduce soreness?

They won’t magically erase DOMS, but by improving relaxation, blood flow, and sleep quality, they can support the processes that reduce soreness. Many athletes notice less overall tightness and fewer stress-related aches when they consistently use these examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery.

How often should I use these breathing techniques after workouts?

Aim for at least 3 sessions per week, ideally after your harder workouts. You can absolutely do them daily, even on rest days, especially if you’re under a lot of life stress. Consistency matters more than duration.

Are there any medical concerns with these examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery?

Most healthy people tolerate these patterns well. However, if you have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or a history of panic attacks, start gently and consider discussing breath work with your doctor or a respiratory therapist. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Mayo Clinic have educational resources that can guide safe practice (NIH, Mayo Clinic).

Final thoughts

You don’t need a 60-minute yoga class or a fancy recovery gadget to support your body after training. A handful of well-chosen examples of breathing exercises to enhance recovery—done for 5–10 minutes at the end of your session—can calm your nervous system, ease muscle tension, and set you up for better performance tomorrow.

Pick one pattern from this article, try it for a week, and pay attention to how you feel after workouts and the next morning. Once you feel the difference, breathing stops being “woo-woo” and starts being part of how you train.