5 Simple Breathing Techniques for Better Breathing
There are many benefits to practicing better breathing, including improved respiratory health, increased energy and improved mood. By practicing some or all of the following breathing techniques regularly, you can improve your breathing and enjoy the many benefits that come with it.
From the very beginning working with each and every one of my clients, I teach the basics of diaphragmatic breathing, mainly but sometimes we don't know how to breathe properly. By implementing breath-work into your day, you can effectively manage stress, improve your fascia network, and learn how to deregulate when you need to!
Here are five simple breathing techniques that can help you breathe better:
1. Diaphragmatic breathing
This is the most basic breathing technique, and it's the one you should use when you're trying to improve your breathing. To do diaphragmatic breathing, lie down on your back, place your feet on a wall, knees bent at 90 degree angle and place one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. When you breathe in, the hand on your abdomen should rise, and the hand on your chest should stay still. When you breathe out, the hand on your abdomen should fall, and the hand on your chest should rise.
Tips for success: Engage your hamstrings by pushing your feet down (without moving them), this should tuck the pelvis under, allowing for a more neutral spine, and a better position for breathing.
2. Abdominal breathing
This is a bit more advanced than diaphragmatic breathing, but it's a good way to improve your breathing if you find diaphragmatic breathing difficult. To do abdominal breathing, sit or stand with your spine straight and place your hand on your abdomen. When you breathe in, the hand on your abdomen should rise, and the hand on your chest should stay still. When you breathe out, the hand on your abdomen should fall, and the hand on your chest should rise.
Tips for success: Keep a focus on your pelvis. As you inhale, belly expands and pelvis relaxes. On your exhale, belly should draw inwards towards the spine, simultaneously, try to contract your pelvis or think of the motion of “stopping your pee”, the engagement of the pelvis & diaphragm together with the breath will strengthen your abdomen and help you build a stronger core.
3. Nasal breathing:
This is another good way to improve your breathing. To do nasal breathing, breathe in and out through your nose. This will help warm and moisten the air, and it will also help to filter out pollutants.
Tips for success: If you are ever feeling congested or feel out of balance, try out alternate nostril breathing.
-Start by using your right hand, placing your index & middle finger on your “third eye” or in between your brows.
-Next using your thumb for your right nostril and ring finger for your left nostril, plug your left nostril, and breathe in through your right, plug your right with your thumb.
-Unplug your left nostril and exhale out. Now, inhale through your left and repeat.
-Aim for 10 breaths on each side!
4. Quadruped Breathing:
Get into a Cat/Cow Position or on all 4s, hands below the shoulders and knees under the hips. In this position, on your inhale, let your belly drop or fall towards the ground. As you exhale, you should feel your belly draw towards your spine.
Tips for success: Make sure to keep the shoulders away from the ears, by drawing your shoulders down towards your butt.
5. 90/90 Breathing
This is an advanced breath technique, and requires some level of hamstring flexibility! You’ll need a foam roller or towel rolled up to place between your legs. To start, lay on your back, with your feet on the wall or chair, knees bent in a 90 degree angle, and placing the foam roller between the legs.
Before we move on, think of the concept of connecting your shoulder to your hip (in a diagonal crossing) so right shoulder to left hip, and left shoulder to right hip.
Next, let’s try to extend one of your legs up towards the ceiling, as best as you can keep that leg straight, and reaching up towards the ceiling. Now, with your opposite arm, raise that up towards the ceiling, making a U shape with your body. The opposite foot should still be on the wall, and your opposite arm should be driving into the floor as if you were elbowing someone.
Finally, take a sip of air in, and force the exhale. On the exhale, reach the arm & leg in the air up as much as you can. Without losing any of the progress you made, take another sip of air, and repeat. Aim for 6-8 breaths on each side
Hope you were able to try these 5 simple breathing techniques! A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 3 minutes of breathing everyday.
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Happy breathing!