The article considers the role of respiratory gymnastics in combined health programs; gives an overview of the Oxycis-styled breathing exercises; and demonstrates practical benefits of the training program combining Scandinavian walking, shaping and respiratory gymnastics as verified by the experiment. The study data and analyses showed the breathing exercises being highly beneficial as a part of combined programs to improve the health improvement aspect of the training process. The breathing exercises were also found to contribute to the overall physical fitness of the special health group students as verified by the progress in the students' functional capacities and overall efficiency improvements of the training sessions, progress data analyses and subjective fatigue rating data.