The short answer
Blow as you go means breathing in before an effort and breathing out through pursed lips while you do the hardest part, such as standing up, lifting a bag or reaching up. It stops you holding your breath as you strain, which makes tasks less tiring if you get breathless. It is standard advice from NHS respiratory physiotherapists.
On this page
At a glance
- Rhythm
- Breathe in before you move, breathe out through pursed lips as you make the effort
- How long
- During everyday tasks
- Position
- Whatever you are doing
- Good for
- Breathlessness
- Evidence
- Weak evidence
- Take care
- Safe for almost everyone. Combine it with pacing: break big jobs into smaller ones with rests in between.
This one follows your movements, not a clock, so there is no timer.
How to do it
- Before the effort (standing up, lifting a bag, reaching up to a shelf), breathe in gently.
- As you make the effort, breathe out through pursed lips.
- Stop the movement when you need to breathe in again, rest, and breathe in.
- Breathe out again as you carry on. Never hold your breath while you strain.
- Practise it on simple tasks first, like standing up from a chair, so it becomes a habit.
How it should feel
Tasks that usually leave you puffed take a little longer but feel easier.
Stop if
You become very breathless, dizzy or have chest pain. Stop and rest in a position that eases your breathing.
From breathingexercises.uk/exercises/blow-as-you-go/. Free to print and share for personal and clinical use. Information only, not medical advice: if you have a health condition, check with your GP, nurse or physiotherapist before starting.
What is blow as you go?
A simple rule for any effort: breathe in before you move, and breathe out as you push, pull, lift or stand. It is taught alongside pursed-lip breathing by respiratory physiotherapists in pulmonary rehabilitation, to people with COPD, asthma, heart failure and long COVID.
When should you use it?
Any time a movement makes you breathless:
- standing up from a chair or getting out of bed;
- lifting shopping, a kettle or a child;
- reaching up to a high shelf or bending to tie a shoelace;
- pushing a door, a trolley or a vacuum cleaner.
What the research shows
Blow as you go has not been tested in a trial on its own, so we grade it weak. It is part of the package of breathing techniques and pacing advice used in pulmonary rehabilitation, which has strong evidence as a whole for improving breathlessness and quality of life in COPD. It is low-risk and many people find it helps straight away.
Common mistakes
- Breathing out before the effort. Time the out-breath to the hardest part.
- Holding your breath to finish. If you run out of breath, stop, breathe in, and carry on with the next out-breath.
- Rushing. Moving more slowly with your breathing is quicker overall than stopping to recover.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: practise standing up from a chair a few times a day until it is automatic.
- Harder: use it during exercise, such as sit-to-stand sets or light weights, as you would in a rehabilitation class.
Keep reading
- Paced breathing for stairs and walking: step by step
How to time your breathing to your steps so stairs, hills and walking leave you less breathless, as taught in NHS pulmonary rehabilitation.
Weak - Positions to ease breathlessness: sitting, standing and lying
Five positions that ease breathlessness, from leaning forward on a table to resting against a wall, why they work, and when to get urgent help.
Weak - Active cycle of breathing (ACBT): how to clear phlegm
How to do the active cycle of breathing technique to clear phlegm in bronchiectasis and COPD: breathing control, deep breaths and huffs, step by step.
Moderate
Common questions
Why does breathing out during effort help?
Most people hold their breath when they strain. That makes the effort harder and leaves you gasping afterwards. Breathing out through pursed lips during the effort keeps your breathing going, slows it down and helps you empty your lungs.
Can blow as you go help with lifting at the gym?
Breathing out during the hardest part of a lift is common advice in strength training too, and it avoids the sharp rise in blood pressure that comes with holding your breath while straining.
References
First published 4 November 2026. Next review due November 2027. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.