![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BMJ07534-5-576x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n1. Square Breathing: Focus<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nWhat it is:
<\/strong>Also known as box breathing, this parasympathetic breathing technique is a well known and highly used breath by athletes and the military to stay calm and focused under high levels of stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hold for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hold for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Repeat for 3\u20135 rounds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to use it:
<\/strong>After <\/strong>you take off your seatbelts and get settled, on the climb to altitude or at the edge of a BASE exit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Looking-to-Build-4_Aug-2020-28-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Daniel Angulo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n2. Coherent Breathing: Calming <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhat it is:<\/strong>
<\/strong>Breathing in and out for the same amount of time (around five seconds each) is called coherent<\/em> or resonant breathing<\/em>. It\u2019s a controlled breathing rhythm that naturally steadies your heart rate and your nervous system, which have an impact on your ability to focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to do it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exhale through your nose for 5 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Breathe steadily and smoothly, with no pause between the inhale and exhale<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Breathe for 2-5 minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to use it:
<\/strong>In the morning before you start the day or before a BASE jump that feels performative or stressful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/For-Alethia-040-by-Adrian-Daszkowski-1024x576.jpg\")
Photo by Adrian Daszkowski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n3. Extended Exhale Breathing: Reset <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhat it is:
<\/strong>This performance breathing technique stimulates the vagus nerve and slows down your heart rate, shifting you into the \u201crest and digest\u201d mode, a state where your body functions more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Inhale gently through your nose for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Repeat for 3\u20135 minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to use it:<\/strong>
<\/strong>Anytime you feel the nerves increase, your thoughts get unruly, or your heart race. <\/p>\n\n\n\nConsider how much money, time, energy you devote to doing this thing that you love. If there\u2019s a free tool, science backed for efficiency, that you can use any time of the day for most situations, doesn\u2019t that seem like a pretty great thing to take advantage of?
Our breath is one of the few tools available that we can take anywhere, doesn\u2019t cost a thing and has a myriad of huge benefits for flying, but also for navigating challenging moments in life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While in this sport, we can\u2019t always control the conditions, but we can control our response. And that ability starts with how we breathe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Also known as box breathing, this parasympathetic breathing technique is a well known and highly used breath by athletes and the military to stay calm and focused under high levels of stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hold for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hold for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Repeat for 3\u20135 rounds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to use it:
<\/strong>After <\/strong>you take off your seatbelts and get settled, on the climb to altitude or at the edge of a BASE exit. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto by Daniel Angulo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n2. Coherent Breathing: Calming <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What it is:<\/strong>
<\/strong>Breathing in and out for the same amount of time (around five seconds each) is called coherent<\/em> or resonant breathing<\/em>. It\u2019s a controlled breathing rhythm that naturally steadies your heart rate and your nervous system, which have an impact on your ability to focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to do it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exhale through your nose for 5 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Breathe steadily and smoothly, with no pause between the inhale and exhale<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Breathe for 2-5 minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to use it:
<\/strong>In the morning before you start the day or before a BASE jump that feels performative or stressful. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto by Adrian Daszkowski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n3. Extended Exhale Breathing: Reset <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What it is:
<\/strong>This performance breathing technique stimulates the vagus nerve and slows down your heart rate, shifting you into the \u201crest and digest\u201d mode, a state where your body functions more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Inhale gently through your nose for 4 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Repeat for 3\u20135 minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to use it:<\/strong>
<\/strong>Anytime you feel the nerves increase, your thoughts get unruly, or your heart race. <\/p>\n\n\n\nConsider how much money, time, energy you devote to doing this thing that you love. If there\u2019s a free tool, science backed for efficiency, that you can use any time of the day for most situations, doesn\u2019t that seem like a pretty great thing to take advantage of?
Our breath is one of the few tools available that we can take anywhere, doesn\u2019t cost a thing and has a myriad of huge benefits for flying, but also for navigating challenging moments in life. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile in this sport, we can\u2019t always control the conditions, but we can control our response. And that ability starts with how we breathe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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