Because asthma is different for everyone, there’s no such thing as a “best exercise” for asthma. Dr Whittamore points out that in theory, “any exercise can be good for people with asthma”, but equally, “any exercise might potentially be harmful.”

Annie Williams is a PT at OriGym Centre of Excellence who is experienced in helping people with asthma exercise effectively and safely. She’s found that people with asthma “require an extended warm-up, as it can often take longer for their heart rate and breathing patterns to become more relaxed and controlled.” Annie, like Dr Whittamore, recommends starting with lighter weights and smaller movements, which “allows for thorough assessment and then adaptation as necessary.”

In terms of specific exercises, Annie recommends interval training in short two-minute bursts. Interval training involves working out for short amounts of time, followed by periods of rest; as such, it’s a safe way to push yourself in a controlled way. Annie suggests incorporating the breathing technique “exhale on effort”, focusing slow inhalations while lowering into a movement and quick exhalations to help “push” through reps. She also recommends yoga, as “it allows people to focus on their breathing, and can positively impact future exercise by promoting controlled rhythmic breathing strategies.” Dr Whittamore also recommends swimming as a low-impact exercise that’s great for the cardiovascular system.

Below is How To do a classic yoga pose – puppy dog. It’s great for calming the breath and stretching out the upper back.

Exercise and asthma: “I re-learnt how to exercise safely after my adult asthma diagnosis“