Breathing is the 1%.
Science-based breathing from Elsa Unenge, trusted by Red Bull athletes.
Get certified to teach it, or train with Elsa one-on-one.
Self-paced online · $499 or 4 payments
As featured in
Why breath
"How did I not learn this in school?"
That was my first thought after listening to an interview with James Nestor, author of the New York Times bestseller Breath. So I went to train with Patrick McKeown in the Oxygen Advantage method.
Since then I've spent years on the team at Open, and creative-directed the breathwork at Othership, turning complicated science into something people can use every day. To perform. To focus. To sleep.
Elsa Unenge · Founder of Breath Curriculum · Oxygen Advantage Advanced Instructor
Trusted by
Breath Curriculum Certification
Become a certified breath coach.
An online breathwork certification for coaches, yoga teachers and health professionals. Learn the method Elsa uses with elite athletes, and coach it with confidence.
- ✓ 100% on-demand, at your own pace
- ✓ 1-hour private session with Elsa
- ✓ Exam and certificate
- 01
Breathing tests
Three tests to assess you and your clients and track progress.
- 02
Functional breathing
Nose vs. mouth, mouth taping, the diaphragm, and why breathing less oxygenates more.
- 03
Control the nervous system
Six techniques: stop a panic attack, fall asleep, reduce stress, balance.
- 04
CO2 tolerance
Five sequential techniques to build breathing efficiency.
- 05
How to guide breathwork
Choosing the right practice for the right outcome.
- 06
Your private session
One hour with Elsa for every question you have.
- 07
Get certified
Pass the exam and start coaching.
From graduates
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[Name], Yoga teacher"[Graduate quote 2: replace with a real quote before publishing]"
[Name], Personal trainer"[Graduate quote 3: replace with a real quote before publishing]"
[Name], Breath coachIs it right for you?
Built for professionals who coach people.
For you if
- ✓ You coach, teach or treat people
- ✓ You want the science, not just scripts
- ✓ You want to add breathwork to your work
Not for you if
- – You want psychedelic or "high" breathwork
- – You want a live, in-person training
- – You're looking for therapy
Questions
Do I need breathwork experience?
No. It starts with the fundamentals and builds to coaching others.
How long does it take?
It's fully on-demand, so you go at your own pace.
What's included?
Every Breath Curriculum course, a 1-hour private session with Elsa, the exam and your certificate.
Can I call myself a certified breath coach?
Yes. Once you pass the exam you're Breath Curriculum Certified.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes. $499 in full, or 4 payments of $124.75.
Performance coaching · By application
For athletes, founders and performers chasing the last 1%.
One-on-one work with Elsa, built around your sport, your schedule and your goals. CO2 tolerance, recovery, focus under pressure. Elsa takes on a small number of athletes at a time.
Apply to work with ElsaA short application: your sport, your level, your goal.
Elsa works with
Athletes from the US SailGP Team, Red Bull's Athlete Performance Center and elite ultramarathon
What Elsa believes
Most people over-breathe.
Breathing less, and through the nose, gets more oxygen to the muscles and brain.
Your nose is a performance tool.
Nasal breathing is the cheapest upgrade in sport. Most athletes never train it.
Calm is a trainable skill.
Like strength or speed, your stress response can be trained, one breath at a time.
How you breathe is how you live.
Your breath shapes your sleep, your focus and your next race, around 20,000 times a day.
What people say
"I didn't look for a running coach or a training plan. I began a breathwork course with Elsa. Proper breathing became the foundation for everything else."
Matt Ryder, Ultramarathon Runner & Adventurer"I'm not sure I could have pulled it off if she hadn't taken me through the mechanics and science of breath."
Ron Hutchinson, Emmy-winning screenwriter"A remarkable science that can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and benefit anyone in any situation."
Dr. Cynthia Boxrud, Professor, UCLANot ready to certify?
Start with The Essentials of Breathing. $99
Free breathing sessions
30+ guided sessions.
Yours, free.
Sleep, focus, performance and anxiety. The same sessions Elsa created and voices for Othership and Open.
No spam. Occasional notes from Elsa.
Corporate & speaking
Teams have optimized everything, except how they breathe.
Science-backed breathing programs for high-output teams.
Team sessions
Live workshops, 60-90 minutes, on-site or virtual.
Performance toolkit
On-demand protocols for focus and recovery.
Speaking
Off-sites and conferences on breath and performance.
Free breathing sessions
Breathe like the 1%.
Start free.
30+ guided sessions for sleep, focus and performance, plus short notes from Elsa on the science.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Breath Curriculum offers online breathwork courses and professional certification programs in functional breathing. Founded by Elsa Unenge, a certified functional breathing coach and Oxygen Advantage instructor based in Los Angeles, Breath Curriculum teaches the science of functional breathing for performance, sleep, stress resilience, and nervous system regulation.
Whether you are looking to learn breathwork for personal health, train as a certified breathwork coach, or bring functional breathing into your corporate team, Breath Curriculum has a course for you.
Breath Curriculum's programs are grounded in functional breathing science, including CO2 tolerance training, nasal breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and HRV optimization. Elsa has worked with Red Bull's Athlete Performance Center, PwC, and SoundCloud, and has served as a breathwork specialist for apps including Othership, Open, and Sleep Cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Breath Curriculum is an online education platform offering breathwork courses and professional certifications in functional breathing. It was founded by Elsa Unenge, a certified functional breathing coach, yoga teacher, and Oxygen Advantage instructor based in Los Angeles, California. All courses are 100% on-demand and available globally.
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Breath Curriculum is based in Los Angeles, California. All courses are delivered online and available to students globally.
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Elsa Unenge is a certified functional breathing coach, Oxygen Advantage instructor, and yoga teacher based in Los Angeles. She has worked with Red Bull's Athlete Performance Center, PwC, SoundCloud, Soho House, Condé Nast, and NeueHouse, and is the founder of Breath Curriculum.
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Functional breathing is breathing that is optimal for everyday health and performance: slow, nasal, diaphragmatic, and well-regulated. It’s defined by three qualities: biomechanical (using the diaphragm rather than the chest), biochemical (maintaining healthy CO2 tolerance), and psychophysiological (calming rather than activating the nervous system). Functional breathing is the science-based foundation of every Breath Curriculum program.
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We offer flexible pricing based on project type and complexity. After an initial conversation, we’ll provide a transparent quote with no hidden costs.