5 Breathing techniques to calm your mind and surf better
- 08.11.2025
- Surf tips
- Surf & Yoga Lombok
Breathe Deeper, Surf Smarter, Feel Calmer
When it comes to surfing (and life), your breath is your anchor.
Whether you’re paddling out, waiting for a set, or taking that first drop, how you breathe can completely shift your focus, confidence, and energy.
At Surf & Yoga Lombok, we integrate breathwork into both our surf and yoga practices — helping you develop the calm, control, and awareness that make all the difference in the water.
Here are five breathing techniques you can start using today — in and out of the water.
1. Box Breathing (4–4–4–4 Method)
How it works:
- Inhale for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Exhale for 4 seconds
- Hold again for 4 seconds
Repeat this slow, controlled rhythm for 1–2 minutes before paddling out.
It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, reducing anxiety and helping you stay grounded.
When to use:
Before entering the water or during a wipeout recovery to keep your heart rate stable.
2. Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing
Most of us breathe too shallowly, especially under stress.
Instead, try to breathe from the belly, expanding your lower ribs on each inhale.
How:
- Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
- Inhale through your nose for 4–5 seconds, letting your belly rise.
- Exhale slowly through the mouth.
Why it helps:
This trains your body to use oxygen efficiently — improving endurance, recovery, and focus in the surf.
3. 1:2 Breathing (Longer Exhale for Relaxation)
This technique helps calm the nervous system — great before or after intense surf sessions.
How:
- Inhale for 3 seconds
- Exhale for 6 seconds
The extended exhale signals your body to relax, releasing any tension from your shoulders and chest.
Use it before bed, during yoga, or while lying on your board between sets.
4. The Energizing Breath (Kapalabhati)
For moments when you want to boost your energy — like before an early morning surf.
How:
- Sit tall
- Take a deep inhale
- Then exhale forcefully through your nose, short and rhythmic, pulling the belly in quickly
- Let the inhale happen naturally
Start with 20–30 breaths.
It wakes up your system, improves lung capacity, and sharpens mental focus.
(Avoid if you’re pregnant or have high blood pressure.)
5. Conscious Breath Hold Training
This one directly supports your surf performance.
By training your breath holds safely on land, you’ll feel calmer when held under a wave.
Try this simple version:
- Inhale fully through the nose
- Exhale half your air
- Hold for as long as comfortable
- When done, take 3 deep slow breaths to reset
Bonus tip:
Never practice in the water or alone — only with guidance or during our breathwork sessions at Surf & Yoga Lombok.
TWO TYPES OF BREATHWORK
There are two main types of breathwork, and both play an important role in your well-being and growth:
Conscious Breathing Techniques – the ones we just explored.
These are gentle, daily practices that help you calm the mind, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve lung capacity and focus — all of which naturally enhance your surf performance and yoga practice.Therapeutic Breathwork – a deeper journey.
This type uses conscious breathing for a higher purpose: emotional release and trauma healing.
It’s more introspective, allowing suppressed emotions to surface and integrate, bringing a profound sense of clarity and freedom.
At Surf & Yoga Lombok, we explore this deeper level during our weekly Hypnotic Breathwork sessions — guided experiences that combine conscious breathing, music, and mindfulness to help you reconnect and release.
Meanwhile, our regular yoga classes help you practice the foundational breath techniques day after day — until mindful breathing becomes second nature, in and out of the water.