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In the very first moments of his life, a newly born child must take his first breath in his life in order to straighten his lungs and only then breathe on his own.
If he does not do this, he will inevitably die, never taking a breath in his life.
Breathing is necessary to provide the body with oxygen, which is used in the oxidative processes of energy production by every cell of our body and the release of carbon dioxide formed as a result of these processes.
The effectiveness of pulmonary ventilation depends on the condition of the respiratory muscles, the mobility of the spine, ribs and their coordinated work. At the same time, improper breathing can have an adverse effect on the musculoskeletal system, leading to loss of symmetry of the respiratory movements of the chest.
Conditions are created for blocking the thoracic spine, which also takes part in respiratory movements. Ultimately, this negatively affects the entire spine.
In addition, due to poor ventilation of the lungs, some muscles involved in the movements of the torso, neck and arms are included in helping the main ones to maintain the required level of ventilation of the lungs. Doing unusual, much larger work, they become overloaded.
This has an adverse effect on the condition of the cervical spine and contributes to the appearance of spasms and painful muscle tightness in the auxiliary respiratory muscles, as well as headaches, pain in the neck and spine, dizziness and much more that accompanies spinal osteochondrosis.
Only through proper breathing is it possible to coordinate the tension of the diaphragm, abdominal muscles and respiratory muscles of the chest, which is necessary when performing great efforts, tensions with holding the breath, for example, when lifting weights. This creates good support for the spine in the front.
This is why proper breathing is so important for spinal health. We suggest checking whether you know how to breathe correctly.
Test: Are you breathing correctly?
Stand in front of a mirror and watch the breathing movement of your chest and abdomen.Breathing is calm.
Pay attention to the consistency of movements and the symmetry of the rise of the left and right half of the chest.
Note for yourself whether auxiliary respiratory muscles take part in ventilation of the lungs: trapezius, pectoralis minor and major, scalene, sternocleidomastoid muscles.
With proper breathing, both halves of the chest move symmetrically, and the chest itself and the stomach move synchronously.
As you inhale, the chest expands and rises.
The diaphragm, like a pump, lowers, and the stomach inflates like a ball. 70-80% of the load during proper breathing falls on the diaphragm.
When you exhale, everything happens the other way around: the chest narrows and falls, the dome of the diaphragm rises, and the stomach deflates.
If the amplitude of movements of the abdomen and diaphragm is large, and the chest is small, then this type of correct breathing is called diaphragmatic breathing, in which respiratory movements are carried out mainly due to the work of the diaphragm.
If the amplitude of movements of the chest is commensurate with the amplitude of movements of the abdomen and diaphragm, then this type of correct breathing is called mixed.
In the case when breathing movements are carried out predominantly by one chest (breathing is called thoracic breathing), this is incorrect, since the strongest respiratory muscle - the diaphragm - is not used adequately to maintain the required level of ventilation.
Moreover, good, rhythmic work of the diaphragm not only provides effective ventilation, but also facilitates the outflow of blood through the superior and inferior vena cava and lymphatic duct by changing the pressure in the chest cavity, thereby helping the heart, and also has a massaging effect on the internal organs .
If you have determined the correct type of breathing for yourself, then feel free to move on to the section “Development of strength and endurance.”
How to learn to breathe correctly
To learn how to synchronize the work of the diaphragm and the movements of the chest, do the following exercise.Lie on your back with your knees and hips slightly bent to relax your abdominal muscles. With your right hand control the movements of the abdomen, with your left hand control the movements of the chest.
The purpose of the exercise is to coordinate the movements of the abdomen and chest.
When you inhale, your stomach inflates like a ball, and your chest expands and rises. As you exhale, the abdomen deflates and retracts, and the chest descends and narrows (Fig. 85).
Rice. 85. Learning to breathe correctly
First learn diaphragmatic breathing, that is, belly breathing, and then mixed breathing.
During training, breathing is done through the mouth. To establish coordinated breathing, use a count of four: while inhaling, count to four, then exhale and pause, counting to four in each phase.
During the day, you should control the correct mixed breathing until it becomes habitual for you.
Remember!
Breathing not only provides us with oxygen, but also has a diverse effect on all organs and systems thanks to:
- mechanism of regulation of biologically active substances in the lungs;
- the pump mechanism, which ensures outflow through the vena cava and lymphatic duct;
- massaging effect of the diaphragm on internal organs.
Ventilation of the lungs is provided by the musculoskeletal system. That is why disturbances in it often have a noticeable adverse effect on ventilation. Ventilation disorders, in turn, affect the condition of the musculoskeletal system, including the spine.
With proper breathing, 70-80% of the load falls on the diaphragm.
As you inhale, the chest symmetrically expands and rises, and the abdomen inflates; when you exhale, the chest symmetrically falls and the abdomen deflates. The basis of proper breathing is the coordination of the movements of the diaphragm and chest.
Sections on this page:
How men breathe and how women breathe
The essence of breathing, as is known, is that the body absorbs oxygen from the air; this oxygen first combines with the blood, which carries it throughout the body; there, deep in the tissue, oxygen combines with carbon in the body, resulting in carbon dioxide, which dissolves in the blood, and the blood carries it out of the body into the air (or water). Essentially, breathing is nothing more than slow combustion, because combustion also consists of combining the carbon of a burning body with oxygen in the air, which also results in carbon dioxide.
Breathing is the source of all the energy that a living organism is capable of detecting. It can be compared to the operation of a steam engine, and the combustion itself occurs deep in the tissues, the role of the ash-blower supplying the burning tissues with oxygen is played by the blood and respiratory organs (in humans, the lungs), and the role of fuel is played by food, which, turning into blood, replaces the burnt body particles are new. Thus, two sides can be distinguished in breathing: the absorption of oxygen from the air and the release of carbon dioxide and tissue respiration, which occurs deep in the tissues.
The first process occurs in a person’s lungs and is accompanied by special respiratory movements. It is these movements that are meant when a person is said to be breathing. The mechanism of respiratory movements in humans is as follows. The lungs are two bushes made up of gradually branching tubes, which are called bronchi. As the tubes branch, they become thinner and thinner, and the thinnest, approaching the surface of the lung, end in a small bubble. The walls of the bubbles contain blood vessels that bring venous, i.e., carbon dioxide-rich blood. The gas is released into the air contained in the pulmonary vesicles, and when the air is exhaled, it is expelled from the lungs to the outside. The oxygen in the air in the pulmonary vesicles combines with the blood of the blood vessels of the vesicle, converts it into arterial blood, and the arterial blood is sent to the left atrium of the heart.
Rice. 9. On the left side of the picture only the pulmonary tubules are depicted without the general outer covering of the lungs; G - larynx; D - windpipe; B - bronchi.
The walls of the pulmonary vesicles are extremely extensible. If all the pulmonary vesicles, of which there are extremely many in the lung, expand, they will suck air into themselves through the pulmonary tubes and windpipe. If they begin to decrease in volume, that is, become smaller, they will push air out of themselves. The reason why they either expand or contract is the following: the lungs are placed in the chest cavity, which is completely closed and does not connect not only with the external environment, but also with the neighboring abdominal cavity. It is separated from the abdominal cavity by a continuous septum, called the abdominal barrier. Using a special mechanism, the breast cavity can increase in volume; this happens while a person inhales air. Since the chest cavity is closed, as its volume increases, a space with rarefied air is formed between its inner surface and the surface of the lung. The air in the lung bubbles strives to occupy this space, and since this is prevented by the tensile walls of the bubbles, this desire leads to the bubbles expanding. As they expand, they suck in outside air through the pulmonary tubes. When the volume of the chest cavity decreases - and this happens when exhaling - the pulmonary bubbles take on their previous appearance, that is, they decrease in volume and push out the exhaust air.
Rice. 10. The abdominal obstruction rose and pushed out the air.
Rice. 11. The abdominal barrier has descended.
Enlargement of the chest cavity is achieved in humans in two main ways: firstly, the chest wall is slightly raised upward and moved away from the spinal column, as a result of which the chest cavity increases from front to back, that is, in the space between the spinal column and the front wall of the chest. This is achieved by the fact that the ribs, attached to the spine at an acute angle, begin to describe an arc with their anterior ends, so that this angle becomes larger and the distance between the anterior ends of the ribs and the spinal column increases. The ends of the ribs, attached to the sternum, pull this bone along with them. The second way to enlarge the chest cavity is to lower the abdominal barrier down. It has the appearance of a dome, which protrudes convexly into the chest cavity. With the help of special muscles, the thoraco-abdominal barrier is made flatter, and its middle goes down. As a result, the chest cavity increases in the direction from top to bottom. When the middle of the abdominal barrier goes down, it puts pressure on the insides of the abdomen, causing the abdominal wall to protrude with each descent. Therefore, this type of breathing is called “abdominal” breathing, in contrast to raising the chest wall, which is called “thoracic” breathing.?
Shallow and shallow breathing is a typical problem for a modern resident of a big city. Polluted air, smoking, sedentary work and a sedentary lifestyle - all these factors have an extremely negative impact on breathing technique and the supply of oxygen to the body. Among other things, many people breathe incorrectly even when playing sports.
To learn to breathe correctly, you first need to develop the habit of self-control over the breathing process. Both in everyday life and in the gym, you should periodically “check” whether you are breathing through your mouth or nose, chest or diaphragm. No matter how difficult (and strange) it may be in the first days, gradually the technique of breathing correctly will turn into a habit.
Diaphragm breathing: what is it?
The diaphragm is an internal muscle separating the thoracic and abdominal cavities, which plays a major role in the process of expansion of the lungs, and, accordingly, in the breathing process itself. In fact, the ability to engage the diaphragm in its work distinguishes shallow chest breathing from full abdominal breathing, which provides the body with a sufficient level of oxygen.
If during chest breathing the chest expands due to the work of the intercostal muscles, then when breathing with the diaphragm the chest practically does not move, and air enters the lower parts of the lungs due to the work of the diaphragm muscles exclusively, and not the ribs. Most athletes breathe from the diaphragm, since chest breathing simply will not allow them to perform heavy exercises.
Should you breathe with your stomach?
Despite the fact that in the practice of yoga special attention is paid to belly breathing, a person cannot breathe with the belly as such - you can only inflate it and draw it in (as is done in the “”) exercise. But, since there are no lungs in the stomach, it is impossible for them to breathe. Essentially, by abdominal breathing, yoga means breathing deeply from the diaphragm.
On the other hand, visual expansion of the abdomen should actually be observed when breathing from the diaphragm - in contrast to chest breathing, when the abdomen remains practically motionless. If the maximum lung capacity of an adult is 4–6 liters, and the diaphragm breathing cycle involves inhaling 2–3 liters, then during chest breathing only 400–500 ml of air is used.
Consequences of chest breathing
The habit of breathing exclusively through the chest, as well as inhaling and exhaling air through the mouth, not only impairs the supply of oxygen to the body, but also leads to weakening of the muscles of the diaphragm and the associated internal abdominal muscles. Among other things, such breathing can lead to the development of and.
Long-term breathing with the chest can negatively affect a person’s entire posture, provoking the development of the “hourglass” syndrome - the lower ribs and pelvis tighten, and the center of the abdomen seems to “fall” inward. This is especially pronounced in those who lead a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle - which is why it is important for such people to engage in meditation to improve breathing techniques.
Correct breathing and meditation
Take the most comfortable position for you - for example, sitting or lying down. Place your left hand on your chest, your right hand on your stomach. Close your eyes, relax and try to breathe as naturally as possible through your nose. Spend 2-3 minutes learning exactly how you breathe. Notice whether your stomach or chest moves as you breathe.
Then take air into your lungs and slowly exhale it through your nose, while at the same time gently squeezing your abdominal muscles and making sure that your chest does not fall down and is practically not involved in breathing. At the same time as you exhale, imagine that you are letting go of all your problems and thoughts that bother you - this is the essence of breathing meditation.
Why is it harmful to breathe through your mouth?
Runners know that breathing through your mouth during a run significantly reduces your running efficiency. The athlete seems to be taking deep breaths, but he immediately exhales the air back. This negatively affects the percentage of oxygen absorption (1) and forces a person to breathe even more often, completely breaking the rhythm of both breathing in particular and the entire run in general.
When actively breathing through the mouth, the muscles of the diaphragm seem to pinch and restrict the lungs, as they move back and forth (which is more typical for chest breathing), and not up and down, as with deep breathing through the nose. Among other things, in the case of the habit of inhaling air through the mouth, this is a direct road to sore throat and colds (2).
Breathing during sports
The main rules of breathing during physical training are that you should breathe exclusively through your nose, and the weight of the barbell or other equipment should be squeezed out as you exhale. For example, when doing push-ups, you need to lower yourself down as you inhale, and push off the floor as you exhale. When doing pull-ups, exhale when going up, and inhale when going down.
Breathing itself, as mentioned above, should be carried out using the diaphragm and without noticeable movement of the chest - this will activate it, creating natural support and protecting the spine from injury. Exhalation should be easy and natural, without strained screams and moans.
Optimal frequency of inhalation and exhalation during sports
Proper breathing during sports is approximately 7-8 cycles of slow inhalations and exhalations per minute. First, take a deep breath through the nose for 2-3 seconds, followed by a calm exhalation for 3-4 seconds (again, through the nose) and a final pause for 2-3 seconds. If your breathing rhythm is off, it means you need it.
Separately, we note that when breathing through the mouth incorrectly, 10 to 20 cycles of short inhalations and exhalations are often performed per minute - in fact, in this case, the body chronically lacks oxygen (3). Let us also mention that the habit of holding your breath while doing exercises is especially dangerous, since it increases blood pressure.
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Correct breathing is even, slow and deep breathing, carried out through the nose and with the active participation of the diaphragm (the chest should not move during such breathing). In order to learn to breathe correctly, it is important to develop the habit of periodically monitoring how you breathe, as well as regularly practicing breathing meditation.
Scientific sources:
- Breathe right!,
- How to Breathe Properly,
- How you can breathe your way to good health,
There is a direct connection between breathing and health. Improper breathing can cause or worsen illness, but by learning to breathe correctly, you can have a quick and profound impact on your mental, emotional and physical well-being.
Most adults breathe incorrectly, for some reason believing that the body itself regulates the amount of air it needs. True, it is consoling that a person can learn to control the breathing process, which means rejuvenate and strengthen his body, get rid of many problems and prolong his life.
The importance of abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing
Our first breath was the most natural: correct breathing is innate breathing. Babies breathe naturally, spontaneously and effortlessly. Children breathe using their stomach. If you watch your baby's breathing, you may notice that his or her belly rises as you inhale.
As we grow up and become more conscious, we forget this way of natural breathing. Most of us breathe using normal chest breaths, holding our belly breaths.
Modern society and culture have also influenced our breathing. Men and women are faced with constant subtle messages about the need to have a flat stomach, be tall, and only move forward with the chest, which inhibits our natural form of abdominal breathing that is inherent in us from birth.
Emotions can also affect breathing. Fear, anxiety, anger and other stressful conditions subconsciously activate chest breathing and limit the movements of the abdominal wall. In a state of emotional outburst, breathing may “catch” and there will be a temporary stop.
Abdominal breathing is sometimes called diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm resembles an oscillating lid that moves as you inhale to allow the lungs to expand more fully.
The importance of regular and correct diaphragmatic breathing cannot be overestimated. Moving during breathing, the diaphragm acts on the heart as a kind of massager, facilitating its work and helping to supply the body with blood.
If you want to learn proper diaphragmatic breathing, you should give up too-tight bras, corsets and waist laces.
Physiology of breathing
In order to understand why it is so important to breathe from the stomach, it is worth recalling the physiology of breathing and the nervous system.
Autonomic nervous system. In Western medicine, the autonomic nervous system is considered the control center of physical functions. This nervous system consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, in their work they resemble a toggle switch: when the sympathetic nervous system is working, the parasympathetic is inactive, and vice versa.
How does sympathy work? Its action can be described as "fight or flight". We need this incredible system when we need to be physically active, overcome obstacles, be focused when thinking, or be mentally and physically alert.
For example, it sends blood and nerve impulses to our muscles when we need to run. In this case, heart rate, blood pressure and ventilation increase. At the same time, the processes of digestion, relaxation and sleep, as well as sexual activity, are limited.
What does the parasympathetic system do? The parasympathetic system is responsible for activating our “autonomic functions,” such as digestion, sleep, rest, and certain aspects of sexual activity. During its stimulation, blood pressure, heart rate and pulmonary ventilation decrease. However, the body's natural repair and regenerative mechanisms are active if the parasympathetic system is active.
When we breathe through our chest, the sympathetic nervous system is activated. If we breathe from the stomach, using abdominal breathing, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. These nervous system switches occur instantly.
Why is chest breathing harmful?
When inhaling completely, chest breathing is always involved. Chest breathing alone can cause or complicate the disease, because it activates the sympathetic nervous system and inhibits digestive function, causing or aggravating cardiovascular pathology. In addition, this type of breathing makes sleep, rest, relaxation or even sexual functions problematic.
In fact, all health problems are aggravated by chest breathing, such as circulatory diseases such as high blood pressure and myocardial ischemia, breathing disorders such as asthma, gastrointestinal problems such as gastritis and ulcers. In addition, constant chest breathing can cause serious and life-threatening diseases such as cancer.
By learning abdominal breathing, we can learn to consciously control the activation of the autonomic nervous system.
Abdominal breathing stabilizes the parasympathetic system. We can improve our sleep, digestion and concentration; enhance relaxation; relieve an uncomfortable emotional state; improve cardiovascular function.
In addition, abdominal breathing helps treat diseases. The effects of the parasympathetic system create optimal conditions for healing, because a state of complete rest and relaxation is necessary for recovery during any illness.
Principles of proper breathing
According to Indian sages, abdominal breathing is correct when the exhalation is 3-4 times longer than the inhalation (if the inhalation lasts 2-3 seconds, then the exhalation lasts 6-8 or 9-12 seconds). It is believed that breathing should not be frequent, so yogis gradually reduce the breathing frequency, bringing it to 6-3 inhalations and exhalations per minute. At the same time, for most people, the average respiratory rate for adults is 12-15, and for adolescents - 16-20 breaths per minute.
There is another unquestioning truth - you need to breathe through your nose. Because only this organ is intended for breathing, and the mouth is for eating food.
In the case of normal nasal breathing, the air passing through the nasal passages is warmed and cleared of dust. In addition, in the case of nasal breathing, air, irritating the receptors of the nasal mucosa, reflexively contributes to the expansion of the capillaries of the brain and thus improves its functions and enhances the depth of breathing. People have long noticed that if a child breathes only through his mouth, for example, if he has adenoids, then he lags behind in mental development compared to other children.
Violation of the nasal passages, for whatever reason, causes a weakening of higher nervous activity not only in children, but also in adults.
Breathing exercises technique
In order to quickly master the technique of proper breathing, it is worth performing breathing exercises. It is best to do it in the morning, immediately after sleep, before general physical warm-up.
Here's how this gymnastics is performed:
1. After waking up, lie on your back.
2. Raise your arms up, while simultaneously taking a maximum deep breath with your chest and diaphragm, lowering the latter down and pushing your stomach forward.
3. Hold your breath for 3-5 seconds.
4. Raise your head, straighten your body and sit down, bend over and touch your feet with your hands, while exhaling for 8-10 seconds.
5. After you have done these breathing exercises 5-10 times, spin your legs “bicycle” in bed, raise and lower your legs 10-20 times.
6. Stand in front of an open window, repeat deep breathing 5-6 times.
Breathing throughout the day
1. Throughout the day, breathe diaphragmatically (abdominal type) using the abdominal muscles and active movements (down and up) of the diaphragm.
If excess fat has accumulated in the front wall of the abdomen or you have a full stomach, then the movements of the diaphragm are strained. As a result, stagnation occurs in the gallbladder and stones form in it, especially in women.
2. You need to inhale easily and quietly through your nose, without creating noise while drawing in air.
3. Try to inhale the air to its full depth, inflating your stomach.
4. Exhale through your nose.
5. Exhale several times longer than you inhaled, pulling the front wall of the abdomen towards the spine. But don't make yourself feel uncomfortable.
7. Do not overdo it - in the case of deep, excessively forced breathing, the oxygen concentration increases, and dizziness may occur.
8. To master the abdominal type of breathing, it is recommended to train for 5 minutes per hour, then 5 minutes every half hour (for 2 days in a row). Such two-day training should be performed every 10 days, and in 4 months a person will get used to this type of breathing.
Deep diaphragmatic breathing ensures maximum oxygen supply to the body, improves gas exchange and well-being, and calms the nervous system.
Respiration is a biological process that is indispensable for all living beings, thanks to which the cells of the body are enriched with oxygen. This trace element is a catalyst for all biochemical reactions in our body. It is not surprising that people who care about their health one day think about how to breathe correctly - from the stomach or from the chest.
What is the difference?
Due to improperly formed habits, some people constantly breathe through their mouths. This type of breathing, unlike nasal breathing, is not natural for humans, so it brings a lot of discomfort in everyday life and leads to various diseases. Passing through the nose, the air mixture is purified and enters the lungs in a “filtered” form. The cilia of the epithelium of the nasal cavity trap particles of dust, dirt and even some strains of bacteria and viruses.
Now it remains to figure out how to breathe correctly - from the stomach or the chest. Regardless of whether you inhale through the nose or mouth, the torso is involved in this process. Most people tend to think that it is better to breathe from the chest, although this opinion is not true. This technique allows you to breathe superficially, since it does not use all the pulmonary alveoli. In addition, chest breathing itself involves short inhalations and exhalations.
Why breathing from your belly is good for your health
Among all types of breathing in humans, abdominal breathing is considered natural. It is also called abdominal and diaphragmatic. It is believed that this technique is more beneficial than all others, since it is with it that it has a positive effect on the entire body: the body is cleansed of waste and toxins, and due to the work of the diaphragmatic septum, an involuntary massage of the abdominal organs occurs.
How to breathe with your stomach correctly? For advice, you can turn to athletes, yogis and chiropractors. This type of breathing is called diaphragmatic because it uses the anatomical partition, which is located between the abdominal and thoracic cavities - the diaphragm. In every person it is located under the lungs. In order for the diaphragm to bend, it is necessary to stick out the stomach during inhalation. This is what it means to “breathe with your belly.”
The main advantages of the abdominal technique
Unlike other types of breathing in humans, the diaphragmatic method allows you to take fuller and deeper breaths - this is its main advantage. Other benefits of abdominal breathing are based on it, which can be felt by devoting 5-10 minutes a day to simple activities. There are several popular “Belly Breathing” exercises. We will pay attention to the rules and the scheme for their implementation in the following sections of the article, but for now we will focus on considering the positive aspects of breathing exercises. Abdominal breathing promotes:
- relaxation of the whole body;
- providing a calming effect on the central and peripheral nervous systems;
- restoration of heart rate and digestive processes;
- increasing energy and vigor;
- dealing with stressful situations;
- rapid resumption of strength after physical activity and sports;
- normalization of hormonal levels, blood sugar levels and glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus;
- strengthening the lungs;
- cure for chronic respiratory diseases.
How abdominal breathing affects genetics
All studies on the benefits and harms of belly breathing were carried out by scientists with the aim of studying in detail the effects of this technique on the human body and organism. Among these tests, some interesting information was obtained. It turns out that belly breathing can influence the genetic code.
The abdominal inhalation and inhalation technique involves genes that play a role in the aging process. In addition, scientists were able to record a decrease in the expression level of genes responsible for stress and inflammatory processes in the body. Diaphragmatic breathing technique has a positive effect on immune cells and increases the body's resistance to various infectious diseases.
Flaws
It is worth noting not only the benefits of belly breathing. The harm of this technique will be felt by people suffering from arterial hypertension. In patients with cardiovascular diseases, breathing exercises can lead to adverse consequences. After all, if you breathe correctly with your stomach (you’ll learn how to do this very soon), an increase in pressure occurs in the blood vessels that supply the internal organs.
Some people need more than one month to master the technique. Mastering the technique of deep breathing will not happen in one go. It is advisable to conduct training under the supervision of specialists who understand breathing exercises. During the first classes, a person may experience malaise and dizziness.
Rules of breathing exercises
So that the exercises do not turn out to be useless and do no harm, you need to know how to breathe correctly with your stomach. When inhaling and exhaling with the diaphragm, you must adhere to the following principles:
- Classes are repeated twice a day.
- The duration of one workout should not exceed 10 minutes.
- Beginners to breathing exercises are recommended to start with exercises while lying on the floor.
- In the process of mastering the technique, you can begin training while standing or sitting.
- It is advisable to do breathing exercises in the fresh air, in a secluded place, away from large crowds of people, transport, and industries.
- If the training is planned to be carried out indoors, it must be thoroughly ventilated before starting.
- The first exercise begins with intense inhalation. Each subsequent exhalation and inhalation should be performed slowly.
- It is important to control the duration of exhalation: it must be made longer than inhalation.
- We must not forget about the rhythm of breathing. At first it should be uniform and only gradually become more frequent.
The simplest exercise
This is where classes usually begin for both beginners and experienced abdominal breathing masters. It must be performed every day, preferably several times - this will help a person quickly learn to control his diaphragm and feel it. To experience the benefits of deep breathing, do this simple exercise every day:
- Lie down on a hard surface and place a small bolster or pillow under your head.
- Bend your knees and place your right hand on your stomach to feel how the respiratory septum tenses and relaxes. The left hand is placed on the chest.
- Then begin the exercise by slowly inhaling through your nose and feeling the protrusion of the abdominal wall as your lungs fill with air.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, tensing your abdominal muscles until it is completely retracted.
The lesson is repeated several times during the day. For one workout, it is enough to spend 5-10 minutes a day. This breathing technique may seem difficult at first, but as the diaphragmatic septum strengthens, the exercise will seem easier and easier.
The role of proper breathing for yogis
Thanks to the use of abdominal breathing techniques during yoga classes, it is possible to saturate the body with oxygen as much as possible, eliminate muscle spasms, relieve general tension, relax and prepare for the transition from one asana to another. In addition, the purpose of breathing exercises is to help the yogi achieve a state in which all attention is directed to the sensation of his own body. Abdominal technique allows you to relax and discover internal obstacles, clamps, blocks, which you can get rid of through deep breathing and subsequently enjoy the exercise.
Oxysize weight loss method
Today this program is very popular among those who want to get rid of extra pounds. It is based on nothing more than diaphragmatic breathing. The Oxysize weight loss technique involves losing weight with the help of low-intensity sports training and breathing exercises, which accelerate the course of metabolic processes in the body. One of the exercises in the program is performed while taking a deep breath with a rounded belly. The idea is to take a few small breaths and, without holding your breath, exhale sharply, and then take a few more small exhalations. This is a simple breathing technique, but it will take some practice to become automatic.
Ancient Chinese Qigong Therapy
This type of unconventional treatment has been used in the Middle Kingdom for several millennia. Many people call qigong an ancient Chinese art that helps strengthen the body and increase its resistance to various diseases. Modern Chinese believe that qigong gymnastics prolongs life and improves a person’s spiritual state.
It is interesting that ancient Eastern therapy became known not so long ago, despite many practicing schools in which various approaches were borrowed and mixed. What they had in common was breathing through the diaphragm. Qigong therapy uses the abdominal technique of inhalation and exhalation.
One of the popular exercises in Chinese gymnastics is the “Wave”. It is performed in a lying position, with the limbs bent at the knees. One hand should be placed on the chest, the other on the stomach. When inhaling, a person should imagine that the air fills not only his lungs, but is also distributed throughout the body, filling every cell. The hand that lies on the stomach should rise and fall with each movement of the diaphragm, and the hand that is located on the chest should remain motionless.
Sports and deep breathing
After attending their first training sessions at a fitness club, many are surprised that the instructors devote their first classes to teaching breathing exercises. Professionals focus special attention on beginner athletes on the importance of proper breathing. During sports training, inhalations and exhalations should be rhythmic and uniform, but it is undesirable to retain air in the lungs, as this may negatively affect the effectiveness of the exercise.
The thing is that with increased physical activity, metabolic processes proceed faster. However, with a lack of oxygen, metabolism stops. If an athlete breathes through his mouth, the load on the heart and blood vessels will increase, and the body will suffer from a lack of oxygen. Improper breathing is the main mistake athletes make, because of which, instead of pleasant fatigue after training, they feel a loss of strength, weakness and lack of vital energy. For athletes, diaphragmatic breathing is of particular importance, and it can be used not only in the gym, but also in everyday life.
Home workout plan
You can do breathing exercises in different body positions. It was previously noted how to do this while lying on your back. The main thing is to try to relax as much as possible and make sure that your breathing is even. When you inhale, the stomach should round, and when you exhale, it should retract.
The sitting session is carried out on a comfortable chair. It should not be too soft, but it is advisable that it be equipped with a backrest. Sitting on a chair, you need to relax your muscles. Judging by the reviews, many manage to focus on their feelings by simply closing their eyes. It is recommended to do breathing exercises in complete silence. You need to breathe so that when you inhale, your stomach inflates, becomes round, and when you exhale, it retracts. In this case, the chest and shoulders should be motionless. The duration of the exercise is 2-3 minutes.
The next stage of training is called “dog breathing”. To perform it, you need to take a knee-elbow position, leaning on your forearms. In this position of the body, all abdominal muscles relax well. To feel how the diaphragm works, you need to inhale and exhale quickly and often through your mouth. After some time (after about 1 minute), the work of the lungs, compression and relaxation of the diaphragmatic septum will become much more clearly felt.
The “vacuum” belly breathing technique is used to lose weight and maintain abdominal muscle tone. For those who are just beginning to comprehend the basics of proper breathing, the exercise may seem quite complicated. To complete it, you need:
- lie on your back and bend your legs, stretch your arms along your body;
- Exhale deeply, trying to get all the air out of your lungs;
- then draw your stomach deeply into yourself and try to hold this position for 20-30 seconds;
- Relax your stomach and exhale slowly.
What mistakes to avoid
Before you begin teaching breathing exercises, it is necessary to pay attention to the theoretical side of this issue. Most people make the same mistakes during training, including:
- a sharp increase in respiratory load - the first workouts should not be intense and long, the body will gradually adapt to the increase in the volume of oxygen in the lungs;
- conducting classes immediately after eating - ideally, at least four hours should pass after eating;
- performing breathing exercises in the presence of a gastrointestinal ulcer, arterial hypertension or other cardiovascular pathologies in the anamnesis;
- conducting training from time to time, periodically - in order to get the expected therapeutic effect, you need to do it daily.
