Numerous experiments have already unequivocally proved that diaphragmatic respiration contributes to the saturation of blood with oxygen and the overall healing of the body. However, few people know how to breathe with a diaphragm so that it is done correctly and leads to the desired results, so they are advised to carefully read the recommendations for proper breathing from leading experts.
Diaphragmatic breathing
Before we begin to figure out how to breathe properly in the diaphragm, let's find out how this process proceeds. It turns out that when we breathe in this way, we use the abdominal muscles that separate the abdominal cavity and the chest cavity. When we inhale, the diaphragm goes down, begins to put pressure on the internal organs located in the lower abdomen, and a large amount of air is accumulated in the lungs, which occurs due to the pressure difference. When we exhale, the diaphragm rises, returns to its original position, and the processed air is pushed out. At first glance, the breathing process is similar to the way we always breathe, that is, chest breathing, but only this time the amount of air we breathe in and out is several times larger, and the diaphragm acts as a second heart. And all because during inhalation and exhalation, this organ accelerates the blood through our body with much greater force than our heart does.
The benefits of diaphragmatic breathing
Before we begin to learn how to learn how to breathe with a diaphragm, let's figure out why this is necessary at all. So, according to the reviews of doctors, in people who constantly resort to diaphragmatic breathing, there is:
- improvement of the state of blood vessels;
- improvement of the condition of the abdominal cavity and lungs due to pulmonary massage;
- cleansing the smoker's lungs;
- getting rid of shortness of breath;
- getting rid of problems with the work of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract;
- elimination of bloating, excessive peristalsis and constipation;
- improving the work of the kidneys, gall bladder and pancreas;
- gradual loss of excess weight;
- an increase in lung volume by approximately 25%;
- elimination of problems with potency and the causes of prostate adenoma;
- lowering blood pressure;
- normalization of the nervous system.
Get rid of chest breathing
In fact, a person always breathes precisely with a diaphragm, because this organ takes a direct part in the process of breathing. However, when we inhale and exhale, the pectoral muscles also take part in this process, and those people with whom they are involved most of all, before figuring out how to breathe with their diaphragm or stomach, should wean themselves from chest breathing. To do this, it is recommended that you perform three specific exercises that you need to do until you can repeat them correctly, without the slightest stress.
- You should lie on your back, put your left hand on the top of the abdomen, and the right hand on the chest, and then take a calm breath so that the upper part of the abdomen is inflated, and the chest remains motionless.
- You should lie on your side and start breathing with your stomach, which will turn out almost spontaneously, because in this situation it is problematic to breathe with your chest.
- You should sit down, relax your neck and shoulders, and then take a deep breath and exhale, trying to relax the pectoral muscles and begin to breathe in the stomach.
Rules for performing diaphragmatic breathing exercises
Before we begin the exercises that will allow us to learn how to breathe through the diaphragm, we should remember several rules for their implementation, which, judging by the reviews, allow us to get the maximum benefit from training.
- Before starting training, it is better to consult your doctor, as these classes are contraindicated for those who suffer from hypertension, because during the exercise there is an increased effect on the lungs and heart, which can trigger an attack.
- Since overweight people find it difficult to immediately relax their muscles during training, they must learn to relax before doing the exercises.
- The best time to complete the exercise is early morning or late evening.
- It is very important to choose a quiet place for training, where no one will distract you and you can fully concentrate on yourself.
- First, you should train once a day for 30 minutes.
- In the future, specific exercises should be performed three to four times a day for 10 minutes.
- You should not be scared if after the first lessons you will feel pain in the diaphragm, since after a couple of days of training it will completely disappear.
Learning to breathe through your diaphragm or stomach.
When you managed to get rid of chest breathing and remember the rules for doing exercises, with which you can learn to breathe with your stomach or diaphragm, you can start a simple training session, which will continue for a couple of weeks. Judging by the reviews, during this time everyone will be able to learn how to breathe correctly, and then to begin more complex workouts that will bring even more benefits to the body.
- You need to lie on a fitness mat on your back, put a pillow or a roll of towels under your head, bend your knees and try to relax as much as possible.
- You should close your eyes, concentrate on all your muscles and watch how they relax immediately after you exhale.
- Hands should be placed on the chest and abdomen in order to feel how you breathe, which will help adjust your breathing during training, if suddenly you feel that not your stomach, but your chest is moving during the exercise.
- Inhalation of air should be through the nose very slowly, trying to saturate the lungs with oxygen as much as possible and making sure that the stomach is swollen.
- Air should be exhaled through the mouth, making it twice as slow as a perfect breath, making sure that the stomach is pulled inward as much as possible.
Sitting training
Now that you know what it means to breathe with your diaphragm when you are lying down, you can start training in a sitting position, which you can perform at any time convenient for you when you are sitting in a chair or chair.
To do this, sit on a chair, straighten your back, look directly in front of you, and then close your eyes. After that, you need to completely relax and begin the exercise, alternating a slow breath and an even slower exhalation. It’s best to put your hands on your stomach so that you can feel how it rounds when you inhale, and when you exhale, it is blown off. Naturally, the chest should not take any part in the exercise.
Dog exercise
You can also improve your knowledge of how to breathe through the diaphragm from an exercise called "Dog", which, judging by the reviews of experts, allows you to learn how to feel the work of this organ and control the lungs. The main thing is not to do it for a very long time, because otherwise, judging by the reviews of people working by a similar technique, you may feel severe dizziness.
To perform this exercise, you will need to get on all fours, taking the dog’s pose, and try to relax the abdominal muscles as much as possible. And then you just need to breathe very often and quickly, inhaling and exhaling air with your mouth. Judging by the reviews, the optimal exercise time is 3-5 minutes.
Book exercise
And for a full understanding of how to breathe with a diaphragm, experts recommend training with weight, the role of which can be played by an ordinary book with a thick cover. Such an activity will help to learn to fully and completely control each air intake into the body and its every removal from there, because in this case the oxygen saturation of the body takes place at the slowest pace, which brings the person maximum benefit.
To perform this exercise, you should lie on the mat, put a roller under your head, relax and put a book on your stomach. Then you will need to slowly inhale and exhale, carefully observing the book, which should move in the direction of "up and down."
We reduce the volume of inhaled and exhaled air
After performing specific exercises that allow you to learn diaphragmatic breathing, you can begin training, which will reduce the amount of inhaled and exhaled air. The fact is that in the training exercises we constantly control ourselves during inspiration and exhalation, trying to do it slowly, so that in ordinary life, when we stop monitoring ourselves, many then begin to breathe again. To prevent this from happening, experts advise you to train to reduce the volume of inhalation-exhalation.
To do this, you need to take a comfortable posture, completely relax, and then you can inhale and exhale the air with your nose, but do it not slowly, but quickly. At first, you will feel that only your chest is moving, but after a while the diaphragm will come into operation and then, after several weeks of training, you will completely switch to diaphragmatic breathing.
How to breathe with a diaphragm for weight loss
Many nutritionists recommend that their customers learn how to breathe in order to lose weight, and judging by the opinions of these people, as soon as they started breathing with their diaphragm or abdomen, they really began to lose weight faster. They performed the following exercises for weight loss:
- we take a breath, counting up to four in the mind at this time, then hold our breath, counting up to four, and exhale, counting up to four again (repeat 10 times);
- we draw in the stomach, tighten its muscles and take a deep breath, then tightly squeeze the lips and begin to jerk out air through them, after which we completely exhale and relax the abdominal muscles (repeat 15 times);
- we occupy a sitting position, we straighten the back, while with our feet we press firmly against the floor and begin to breathe in the stomach, alternately straining and relaxing the abs muscles (repeat first 10, and after a time 40 times);
- we lie down on the floor, bend our knees, put the left palm on the chest, the right on the stomach, begin to inhale alternately, while pulling in the stomach and pressing on it, and exhale, inflating the stomach and pressing on the chest (repeat 15 times).
These simple exercises can help you lose weight and learn how to breathe properly.