Practicing proper breathing and muscle strengthening. Breathing exercises for weight loss and recovery

Top tips to learn how to breathe correctly. Why is it important for the health of the body to breathe through the nose, directing the air to the upper abdomen?

The importance of breathing for health

A healthy breathing process through direct expansion of the lungs and movement of the muscles of the diaphragm provides a micro-massage of the internal organs, while improving the functioning of the digestive and circulatory systems. However, most people breathe incorrectly.

Improper breathing significantly reduces the percentage of oxygen absorbed by the body from the air. A number of scientific studies show that a modern person receives only half of the amount of oxygen that the body needs for normal operation.

How to breathe correctly?

Breathing that draws air into the chest and not into the abdomen is wrong. The muscles of the diaphragm in this case do not move up and down, but forward, compressing and limiting the lungs. In addition, this way of breathing makes you breathe through your mouth, not your nose.

Remember how children breathe - they breathe through their nose, and when they breathe, the upper part of their tummy goes down and up, while the chest practically does not move. Such breathing is called "diaphragmatic" and is the most natural for a person.

How to learn to breathe correctly?

Take the most comfortable position for you - sitting, standing or lying down. Place your left hand on your chest, your right hand on your stomach. Try to breathe normally. Spend a few minutes observing exactly how you breathe and whether your stomach or chest moves as you breathe.

If your stomach does not move, lightly massage it with your palms around the navel, while trying to breathe so that the air allows the stomach to “open up”. Also, make sure that breathing is deep and carried out directly through the nose, and not through the mouth.

Why shouldn't you breathe through your mouth?

In fact, one of the main functions of the nose is to filter the air that enters the lungs. At the same time, mouth breathing practically does not filter the air, allowing both too cold and hot air, as well as various particles of dust or microbes, to enter the lungs.

Don't be surprised if you find nasal breathing "uncomfortable" - give your body a few days and it will restore normal function. Just try to devote a few minutes every hour to consciously breathing not through your mouth, but through your nose.

Breathe with your diaphragm

In the process of diaphragmatic breathing, not only the muscles of the diaphragm itself are included in the work, but also the abdominal muscles of the press, the muscles of the chest, shoulders and neck. All these muscles are extremely important not only for healthy breathing, but also for proper posture.

The main postural disorders caused by a weak diaphragm are "open scissors" syndrome and "hourglass" syndrome. In the case of the latter, the lower ribs and pelvis seem to tighten, forcing the center of the abdomen to sink inward, minimizing the arch of the lower back.

Short breaths and long breaths

A healthy breathing cycle consists of a deep breath of 2-3 seconds, followed by a long exhalation of 3-4 seconds and a final pause of 2-3 seconds. Breathing should be rhythmic and as silent as possible.

The most correct is the commission of 8 breaths per minute - slow and measured. Mouth breathing with chest movement usually tends to be fast, about 10 cycles per minute, as the body is chronically short of oxygen.

The importance of correct posture

the site has already written that a constant sitting in a sitting position leads to posture disorders. However, the same factor also affects the breathing process - being in a “hunched” position, a person begins to breathe with the chest, and not with the stomach.

The position of the body during sleep is also critical for breathing. The healthiest sleep is considered to be on the back, in which two pillows are used - a small pillow under the head and a pillow of medium height, placed under the hips and raising the pelvis.

Improper breathing significantly reduces the supply of oxygen to the body. To restore the habit of correct breathing, it is enough several times a day to pay attention to whether you breathe through your nose or through your mouth, and whether your stomach moves in the process.

Have you thought about how you breathe? In life, we use less than half the volume of our lungs, we inhale the air superficially and rapidly. Such an incorrect approach disrupts the vital activity of the body and provokes the appearance of many ailments: from insomnia to atherosclerosis.

The more often we inhale the air, the less oxygen the body absorbs. Without holding the breath, carbon dioxide cannot accumulate in the blood and tissue cells. And this important element supports metabolic processes, participates in the synthesis of amino acids, calms the nervous system, dilates blood vessels, excites the respiratory center and makes it work optimally.

What is dangerous wrong breathing?

Rapid shallow breathing contributes to the development of hypertension, asthma, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and other diseases. In an effort to make up for the excess loss of carbon dioxide, the body turns on the defense system. As a result, overvoltage occurs, which leads to an increase in mucus secretion, an increase in cholesterol levels, narrowing of blood vessels, spasms of bronchial vessels and smooth muscles of all organs.

How to normalize the breathing process?

Enrichment of blood with carbon dioxide is promoted by sleeping on the stomach, fasting, water procedures, hardening, sports activities and special breathing practices. It is also important to avoid stress, overeating, taking medications, alcohol, smoking and overheating, that is, to lead a healthy lifestyle.

What are the benefits of breathing exercises?

  • Prevention of bronchial diseases (bronchial asthma, obstructive, chronic bronchitis).
  • Massage of internal organs, improvement of intestinal peristalsis and strengthening of abdominal muscles.
  • Concentration of attention and increase of intellectual activity.
  • Reduce fatigue, fight stress and.
  • A surge of energy, vivacity and excellent well-being.
  • Young elastic skin and even weight loss.

Five general rules for performing breathing exercises

  1. Start with the lightest, gradually increasing the load.
  2. Exercise outdoors (or in a well-ventilated area) and wear comfortable clothing.
  3. Don't get distracted during class. Concentration is important for maximum effect.
  4. Breathe slowly. It is slow breathing that contributes to the greatest saturation of the body with oxygen.
  5. Do exercises with pleasure. Stop exercising if you experience any unpleasant symptoms. Consult with a specialist about reducing the load or increasing the pause between sets. The only acceptable discomfort is slight dizziness.

Types of breathing exercises

yoga practice

Many centuries ago, yogis discovered the relationship of breathing with the emotional, physical and mental development of a person. Thanks to special exercises, the chakras and channels of perception are opened. Breathing exercises have a beneficial effect on the internal organs, you gain balance and harmony. Yogis call their system pranayama. During the exercise, you need to breathe only through the nose.

Pranayama is the ability to consciously control breathing and control the energy of the body with the help of inhalations and exhalations.

Kapalabhati - belly breathing

Sit in a comfortable position with a straight back. Close your eyes and focus on the mid-eyebrow. As you inhale, inflate your stomach: relax the abdominal wall, and the air will automatically enter the lungs. As you exhale, pull your stomach to the spine, the movement should be active. The chest and upper lungs are not involved in the process. Start with 36 breaths. When you get used to it, bring it up to 108.

Nadi shodhana - breathing through the left and right nostrils

Close the right nostril with your thumb, and through the left, inhale and exhale evenly. Perform five cycles (inhalation and exhalation count as one cycle), then change the nostril. Inhale and exhale through two nostrils - also five cycles. Practice for five days and move on to the next technique.

Inhale and exhale through the left nostril, then close it and inhale and exhale through the right. Change fingers, alternately covering the left and right nostrils. Perform 10 breath cycles.

Gymnastics Strelnikova

This gymnastics is designed as a way to restore the singing voice. However, practice has shown that the method of A. N. Strelnikova, based on gas exchange, is able to naturally and effectively heal the entire body. The exercises involve not only the respiratory system, but also the diaphragm, head, neck, and abdominals.

The principle of breathing is to quickly inhale through the nose every second during the exercise. You need to inhale actively, intensely, noisily and through the nose (while the nostrils should close). Exhalation is imperceptible, it happens by itself. Strelnikova's system includes many exercises, three of which are basic.

Exercise "Palms"

Stand up, bend your elbows and point your palms away from you. Clench your hands into fists while taking sharp and noisy breaths. After completing a series of eight breaths, rest and repeat the exercise - a total of 20 cycles.

Exercise "Carriers"

Place your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width, hands at waist level, palms clenched into fists. As you inhale, lower your arms sharply, unclenching your fists and spreading your fingers. Try to strain your hands and shoulders with maximum force. Do eight sets of eight times.

Exercise "Pump"

Leave your legs in the same position. Inhale noisily, slowly bend over and stretch your arms towards the floor without touching it. Then slowly return to the starting position, as if you were pumping. Do eight sets of eight times.

Buteyko method

According to K. P. Buteyko (a Soviet scientist, physiologist, clinician, philosopher of medicine, candidate of medical sciences), the cause of the development of diseases is alveolar hyperventilation. With deep breaths, the amount of oxygen received does not increase, but the amount of carbon dioxide decreases.

An interesting fact serves as confirmation of this theory: the lung volume of a patient with bronchial asthma is 10–15 liters, a healthy person - 5 liters.

The purpose of this breathing exercise is to get rid of hyperventilation of the lungs, which, in turn, helps to cope with diseases such as bronchial asthma, allergies, asthmatic bronchitis, angina pectoris, diabetes, and so on. The Buteyko system includes artificial shallow breathing, delays, slowdowns and difficulty in breathing up to the use of corsets.

The initial stage of training

Measure the control pause - the interval from a calm exhalation to the desire to inhale (so that you do not want to breathe through your mouth). Norm - from 60 seconds. Measure the pulse rate, the norm is less than 60.

Sit on a chair, straighten your back and look slightly above the eye line. Relax the diaphragm, starting to breathe so shallowly that a feeling of lack of air appears in the chest. In this state, you need to be within 10-15 minutes.

The meaning of Buteyko exercises is to gradually reduce the depth of breathing and reduce it to a minimum. Decrease the inspiratory volume for 5 minutes, and then measure the control pause. Train only on an empty stomach, breathe through your nose and silently.

Bodyflex

This is a method of combating excess weight, sagging skin and wrinkles, developed by Greer Childers. Its undeniable advantage is the absence of age restrictions. The principle of bodyflex is a combination of aerobic breathing and stretching. As a result, the body is saturated with oxygen, which burns fat, and the muscles tense, becoming elastic. Start mastering gymnastics with five-stage breathing.

Five-stage breathing

Imagine that you are going to sit on a chair: bend forward, resting your hands on your legs, slightly bent at the knees, push your buttocks back. Place your palms about 2-3 centimeters above your knees.

  1. Exhalation. Squeeze your lips into a tube, slowly and evenly release all the air from the lungs without a trace.
  2. Inhale. Without opening your mouth, inhale quickly and sharply through your nose, trying to fill your lungs with air to capacity. The breath should be noisy.
  3. Exhalation. Raise your head up 45 degrees. Make a movement with your lips, as if smearing lipstick. Exhale from the diaphragm with force all the air through the mouth. You should get a sound similar to "groin".
  4. Pause. Hold your breath, tilt your head forward and pull your stomach in for 8-10 seconds. Try to get a wave. Imagine that the stomach and other organs of the abdominal cavity are literally placed under the ribs.
  5. Relax, inhale and release your abdominal muscles.

Muller system

Danish gymnast Jørgen Peter Müller calls for deep and rhythmic breathing without pauses: do not hold your breath, do not take short breaths. The goal of his exercises is healthy skin, respiratory endurance and good muscle tone.

The system consists of 60 respiratory movements performed simultaneously with ten exercises (one exercise - 6 breaths and exhalations). We recommend starting with an easy level of difficulty. Perform the first five exercises slowly six times. Breathe in through your chest and through your nose.

5 exercises to strengthen the muscular corset

Exercise number 1. Starting position: hands on the belt, feet next to each other, back straight. Alternately raise and lower straight legs forward, to the sides and back (one leg on the inhale, the other on the exhale).

Exercise number 2. Place your feet a short step apart. While inhaling, bend back as much as possible (with your head), move your hips forward, bend your elbows and hands clenched in fists. As you exhale, bend down, straighten your arms and try to touch the floor with them. Do not bend your knees while doing this.

Exercise number 3. Close and do not lift your heels. As you inhale, tilt your torso to the left while moving your half-bent right arm behind your head. Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat the movements to the right side.

Exercise number 4. Spread your feet as far apart as possible. The heels are turned outward, the arms hang freely at the sides. Turn the body: the right shoulder - back, the left hip - forward, and vice versa.

Exercise number 5. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, slowly raise your arms in front of you. Do a deep squat as you exhale. Straighten up and lower your arms.

Contraindications

No matter how great the benefits of breathing exercises, they should be performed carefully. Before starting any activity, consult your doctor. Gradually move on to increasing the load to avoid the unpleasant symptoms of hyperventilation.

Breathing exercises are contraindicated for people after surgery and with certain diseases. Limitations are severe hypertension, a high degree of myopia, a previous heart attack, glaucoma in the acute stage of the disease against the background of hyperthermia, acute respiratory viral infections, decompensated cardiovascular and endocrine pathologies.

Strange but true: the natural process of inhaling and exhaling can make a big difference in your life. Properly selected breathing technique can improve health and provide. The main thing is the desire to learn and a competent approach.

How often do we stop noticing the little things we are used to? But some of them are of great importance. For example, breathing. Agree, rarely anyone pays attention to the correct setting of breathing, does exercises, knows the techniques. And this knowledge is useful for health and general well-being. How to breathe correctly and why - let's talk in this article.

There are several types of breathing, breathing techniques and exercises, and many of them have their origins in the distant past. Which ones and how to follow them - let's figure it out.

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises are a specific sequence of breathing exercises. With its help, diseases of the bronchi, lungs are treated, and the bone-ligamentous system is also strengthened. The general condition improves: activity and concentration increase, it becomes easy, and physical indicators are better. Despite the fact that breathing exercises can be performed for 30 minutes a day without much effort, the effect is felt almost immediately, and the visible result will not be long in coming.

Such practices are very specific, have many types and, if performed incorrectly, can be harmful. You should be careful and careful when choosing your method of treatment with breathing exercises. Consult with your doctor and choose the block of breathing exercises that suits your body.

To more fully reveal the possibilities of gymnastics, let's look at what types of breathing exist:

  1. Upper- breathing through the upper chest. The diaphragm almost does not move down, and the abdominal muscles barely tense.
  2. Average- air enters the body due to the expansion of the middle section of the chest. The abdominal muscles contract more strongly, the diaphragm barely moves down.
  3. lower- Involves the lower chest. The diaphragm is maximally lowered down, and the abdominal muscles are relaxed.
  4. Complete- combination of all previous types of breathing. There is a maximum filling of the lungs with air.
  5. Reverse- when inhaling, all actions are reversed: the abdominal muscles are tense, the diaphragm goes down. The internal organs are compressed and massaged.
  6. Delayed- breathing, in which a delay appears in the cycle "inhale-exhale". There are several options for such breathing:
    • inhale, hold, exhale;
    • inhale, exhale, hold;
    • inhale, hold, exhale, hold.

The latter method is actively used in yoga, since the ancient masters of this doctrine believed that at the moment of holding the breath, the body is filled with energy and strength.

So, we know the main types of breathing - now let's talk about the types and differences of breathing exercises.

There are many types of breathing exercises, but they all work according to the following principles:

  • artificial embarrassment;
  • breath holding;
  • slowing down breathing.

In other words, everything is built on the weakening of breathing, due to which the benefits of breathing exercises arise.

As a young opera singer, Alexandra Nikolaevna Strelnikova, together with her mother, developed a method for restoring her singing voice, as problems began with him. The technique turned out to be useful not only for vocals, but also for the body as a whole.

How to do breathing exercises Strelnikova? Before starting, you should prepare the venue: it should be a bright room with clean air and an open window. Classes are best done on an empty stomach or half an hour after eating.

The essence of Strelnikova's technique- in every second sharp breath through the nose, which is accompanied by a series of exercises. Such a breath should be active, strong and noisy - “sniffing the air”. Exhalation - imperceptible, occurs by itself.

Required set of rules:

  1. Shoulders with each breath move not up, but down.
  2. The nostrils should close as if they were pressed. They must obey you and be under control.
  3. Gymnastics should be carried out until it tires you, as long as there is pleasure.

At the first lesson, the exercises should be performed for 4, 8 or 16 sharp breaths. Rest between exercises - 2-4 seconds. For one approach, the average number is 32 breaths, with a rest break of 2-4 seconds.

When training for two weeks, you can bring the level of training to 4000 breaths per day, dividing the series of exercises into three parts, performed in the morning, afternoon and evening. After you feel a significant improvement in health, you can reduce the number of breaths in the exercises, but you can’t finish the exercises at all.

If you feel worse, the disease worsens - it is better to perform this set of breathing exercises while sitting or lying down for 2, 4, 8 breaths with a break between them of 2 or more seconds.

Strelnikova's gymnastics affects the lungs, bronchi, skin and vocal apparatus and treats the corresponding diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, stuttering, scoliosis, spinal injuries, diseases of the genitourinary system and even neurosis.

The method of breathing exercises by Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko is based on the principle of “breathing less”. It has been clinically proven that this approach can treat over 90 diseases, the main cause of which is a lack of carbon dioxide in the body. The author himself called his approach “the method of volitional elimination of deep breathing”.

All exercises in the Buteyko system are based on holding or shallow breathing. The task is to reduce the need for oxygen and a good saturation of the body with carbon dioxide.

Standard breathing exercises according to the Buteyko method:

  1. Inhale - 2 seconds.
  2. Exhale - 4 seconds.
  3. Breath holding - 4 seconds.

At the same time, you will experience a feeling of lack of oxygen - this is normal. This state is an integral part of Buteyko breathing exercises.
Breathing itself should be light, imperceptible, in contrast to Strelnikova's technique, absolutely silent.

This type of gymnastics does an excellent job with bronchitis, pneumonia, adenoiditis, skin pathologies, Raynaud's disease, obesity, rheumatism and many other diseases.

To find out your condition according to the Buteyko system, conduct the following experiment:

  1. Take a normal breath.
  2. Hold your breath for as long as you can.

If the delay lasted less than 20 seconds - it is bad, from 20 to 40 seconds - satisfactory, from 40 to a minute - good, and more than 60 seconds - excellent.

Naturally, before using such breathing exercises, you should consult a doctor and find out if such loads are suitable for you.

In addition to solving problems with internal organs, breathing exercises solve aesthetic problems, for example, struggling with excess weight. A special series of exercises, a special technique and their daily performance will give you strength, energy and will be able to remove extra pounds.

This type of breathing exercises is much easier than running or strength training, so applying it in everyday life is much easier and more enjoyable. Lessons can be done anytime and anywhere. However, it is worth consulting with your doctor, as not all exercises will be beneficial. For example, with injuries of the spine, cardiovascular system, during pregnancy or feeding, you should not resort to such gymnastics on your own. But you can exercise under the supervision of a doctor or instructor.

The first results from weight loss exercises will be noticeable in two weeks. With intensive training for a year or more, they will affect the general well-being and health in general.

The main types of gymnastics for weight loss include:

  • qigong- spiritual and breathing practice of three exercises to get rid of excess weight;
  • pranayama- a system of yoga exercises to get rid of everything superfluous in the body;
  • bodyflex- Childers Grieg based on aerobic respiration;
  • oxysize- modification of the bodyflex without sharp exhalations and inhalations, a more gentle technique.

The main exercises in this gymnastics are "dollar", "cat", "abdominal press" and "scissors". All of them are especially useful for women after childbirth.

As we can see, there are several varieties within one type of gymnastics. In order not to make a mistake in choosing and choosing an effective method, consult your doctor.

Despite such a rich assortment of breathing techniques, there are general guidelines for all types of exercises:

  1. Constant and regular training.
  2. Classes should take place only in a good mood, abstract from everything that can cause negative emotions.
  3. You can’t stop training for a long time, but it’s better to keep one pace of training that is convenient for you.
  4. . The most ideal option is classes on the street or in nature in a clean area.

The last point is especially important, because without clean air there is no point in such breathing exercises. What if you live in a polluted area and frequent trips to nature are not possible?

One option is to practice at home if you have an air purifier installed. Even better - because it has three degrees of filtration against dust and dirt, allergens and harmful gases. It supplies a stream of oxygen, which is so necessary for breathing exercises, already purified from street dirt. Such equipment constantly maintains fresh and clean air in the house, which will help you to practice breathing.

Marina Korpan's methodology is based on bodyflex and oxysize - a combination of proper breathing with muscle stretching:

  1. Inhale through the nose with the retraction of the abdomen.
  2. Calm exhalation through the mouth with the maximum exit of air from the lungs.

Marina also practices holding her breath for 8-10 seconds, which contributes to the saturation of the body with carbon dioxide, the importance of which we have already discussed in the method of Konstantin Buteyko.

Practice for 15 minutes a day and you will soon get the first visible results and sensations. The most important condition for technique is constant and regular training - do not skip or postpone classes for a long time. Otherwise, the effect will be either minimal or not at all.

Eating is best done an hour after training. If you plan to practice during the day, then the practice will be beneficial two hours after a meal or an hour before a meal. Your advantage will be slight malnutrition - the body will be fresh and ready for exercise, during which you will realize that you are full.

You can not do such breathing exercises in case of bleeding, glaucoma, high blood pressure.

Bodyflex exercises with Marina Korpan are easy to find on the Internet.

Yoga originates from antiquity and helps not only to feel your body, control emotions and mind, but also to comprehend the spiritual principle. Breathing is one of the steps of yoga.

Yogi breathing exercises use full breathing with consistent muscle tension:

  1. The starting position can be any: sitting, standing, lying down. It is important to remember that you need to sit with a straight back and straightened chest. Lie down on a hard surface, breathe only through the nose.
  2. A sharp exhalation, while the lower abdomen is drawn in.
  3. Inhalation also starts from the lower abdomen, then the upper part goes, the ribs are spread apart and only then the chest expands with a slight rise in the shoulders.
  4. Exhalation phase: we draw in the stomach, exhale, lower the ribs and chest.
    Inhalation and exhalation are light and free - as much air as necessary for comfortable breathing should come in. This exercise is mastered gradually: from 20 seconds to 2 minutes a day. Later you can go up to 8-10 minutes a day.

Another type of breathing yoga exercise is cleansing breathing:

  1. Inhale as deeply as possible through your nose.
  2. Then hold your breath and, after a few seconds, forcefully and rarely exhale a small part of the air through your mouth. At the same time, the cheeks do not swell, and the lips are closed.
  3. Again, hold your breath for a second and exhale the second portion.
  4. Do this until you exhale all the air. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times a day and you can strengthen the lungs, and, therefore, the whole body.

If this technique turned out to be closer to you than the others, sign up for yoga in your city and, under the supervision of an instructor, do not only breathing practices, but also stretching your muscles. This will positively affect both general well-being and health in general.

For better enrichment of the body with oxygen, abdominal breathing or diaphragmatic breathing is used. At the same time, the chest remains motionless, the stomach protrudes and relaxes on inspiration, and retracts on exhalation.

To understand how to breathe correctly with your stomach, perform the following set of exercises:

  1. Lying on the floor, place your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your stomach. Start breathing with your belly, expanding it as you inhale and relaxing as you exhale. The right hand remains motionless. The left one moves up and down.
  2. Change the pressure as you exhale. Take a light normal breath, close your lips and slowly exhale the air as if you were calmly blowing on a candle. The abdomen should be drawn in as much as possible.
  3. Reverse technique - exhale sharply with the sound "Ha". The sound should come from the lower abdomen.
  4. Place a book no more than 1.5 kg on your stomach. Continue breathing while holding your breath for “one-two-three” both on the inhale and on the exhale. This exercise will strengthen your abdominal breathing and abdominal muscles.
  5. “Dog”: get on all fours and begin to breathe sharply and quickly from the stomach. This will allow you to better feel the diaphragm and control its operation in the future. Exercise is done for a short time so as not to cause dizziness.

Belly breathing, dynamic exercises and prolonged exhalation are excellent for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the pulmonary system. Breathing exercises for the lungs fit perfectly into several exercises.

  1. Exhale into the water. Take a glass of water, put a tube in it, take a normal breath and slowly exhale the air through the tube. Exercise develops the mechanical properties of the lungs, normalizes gas exchange. It is necessary to do no more than five times a day for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Hug yourself. Starting position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms spread apart, palms up. We take a breath and as we exhale, we quickly cross our arms in front of us so that the palms hit the shoulder blades. Exhale quickly and loudly.
  3. Firewood. We stand on our toes, bend back with our hands raised up, fingers clasped. We take a breath and as we exhale sharply bend down, as if chopping firewood, then return to the starting position. We exhale also strongly and loudly.
  4. Skier. Starting position: feet shoulder width apart. We rise on our toes, slightly move the body forward, we also stretch our arms in front of us, as if they were ski poles. On exhalation, we lean down slightly, as if we pushed off, bring our hands as far down and back as possible, and in this position we spring on our feet for 2-3 seconds. We complete the exhalation and return to the starting position with a diaphragmatic breath.

Breathing exercises are very effective, which help with numerous diseases, relieving various symptoms and alleviating the condition, and are also effective in losing weight. It is important to perform them regularly and in accordance with a number of existing rules.

Therapeutic breathing exercises

Regardless of what breathing exercises are used for, you need to know and take into account a number of rules:

  1. You should start your workouts with simple loads, gradually increasing the number of repetitions and the complexity of the exercises.
  2. When performing breathing exercises to improve health, it is important to maintain maximum concentration, not be distracted by anything, so it is better to do it alone and in a calm environment.
  3. Practice outdoors or keep the room well ventilated.
  4. During the lesson, watch your posture, otherwise breathing will be difficult.

Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system

During the day, many people experience stressful situations that negatively affect their well-being. To relax, it is recommended to use breathing exercises to calm down. Repeat them until you feel relief.

  1. Standing straight, lower your arms down and take a deep breath. Hold your breath for half a minute, and then exhale strongly, folding your lips into a tube. At the same time, be sure to pull in your stomach. After that, take a calm breath in and out.
  2. In a comfortable position, slowly inhale deeply and exhale sharply. Repeat several times. Breathing exercises like this help to wake up and cheer up.

Breathing exercises for insomnia

Simple exercises for good sleep help get rid of mental fatigue, relieve nervous system overstrain and relax the muscles of the body. Do gymnastics to relaxing quiet music without words. Breathing exercises for sleep are recommended to be performed with your eyes closed.

  1. Draw in the air slowly and deeply, sticking out your stomach. It is important that at the same time the chest gradually expands, filling the lungs with oxygen to the maximum. In the next step of the exercise, exhale slowly. Make sure that the stomach is deflated first, and then the chest. Do 5-7 reps.
  2. The next breathing exercise is performed due to the diaphragm, that is, the chest should not move. When drawing in air, stick out your stomach, and when you release it, deflate it. Do everything at a slow pace.

Breathing exercises for VVD

During attacks, a person does not have enough air, and he may begin to suffocate. Feelings of anxiety, stress or excessive stress can lead to this. To calm down and alleviate the condition, experts recommend doing breathing exercises with.

  1. As you inhale, expand your chest and push out your belly, and as you exhale, draw in your belly and deflate your chest. It is recommended to control breathing with your hands. To complicate the exercise, you can exercise a little resistance.
  2. If the attack is severe, then breathe for a couple of minutes using a paper bag, pressing it to your cheeks and nose.

Breathing exercises for asthma

Doctors recommend that people with asthma regularly do exercises that can alleviate the condition. In addition, it helps prevent the development of complications and tension. Breathing exercises for bronchial asthma should be part of the daily schedule, otherwise there will be no positive dynamics.

  1. Lying in bed, bend your knees and pull them up while exhaling for a long time through your mouth. Repeat the exercise as many times as you like. Due to this, the process of sputum discharge is accelerated, and the respiratory tract is cleared.
  2. There are breathing exercises that can be performed in any position, these include the following: pinch the right nostril with your fingers, inhale, and then close the left and exhale. After that, do the opposite.

Breathing exercises for pneumonia

In the presence of this disease, the systematic implementation of special gymnastics helps to provide the lungs with full ventilation, improve blood flow, cope with intoxication, increase the depth of inspiration and remove sputum. Breathing exercises for pneumonia in adults speed up the healing process.

  1. In a relaxed state, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth after three seconds. In this case, the lips must be kept tightly compressed, thereby creating an obstacle for the exit of air. It should take no more than six seconds to exhale.
  2. Cleansing breathing exercises are based on a deep breath, after which you should hold your breath for a couple of seconds and release air through your mouth in short bursts. You do not need to puff out your cheeks during the exercise.

Breathing exercises for bronchitis

For a quick recovery, it is recommended to combine medication with special gymnastics. Breathing exercises for the lungs and bronchi strengthen the immune system, improve blood circulation, which contributes to the flow of oxygen to the bronchi, and facilitates the process of sputum discharge. In addition, overall well-being improves and the risk of complications decreases.

  1. Stand up straight with your feet at shoulder height and arms down. Inhale briefly through your nose, clenching your fists. Exhaling through your mouth, straighten your palms. Do four reps, rest five seconds, and do six more of these sets.
  2. For the next breathing exercise, lower your arms down and lean forward. Inhale noisily through the nose, slightly moving the body forward, rise back, releasing the air. Do 8 reps and then rest.

Breathing exercises for hypertension

For people with high blood pressure, breathing exercises are useful due to its positive effect on the work of the heart, which leads to the normalization of indicators and relief of the condition. A set of breathing exercises is recommended to be used as a preventive measure.

  1. Spread your arms out to the sides with your palms forward so that your hands are at neck level. Inhale noisily through your nose, clenching your fists as if you are grasping something. Exhale slowly through your mouth, relaxing your arms.
  2. For the next breathing exercise, bend your elbows, joining your fists at the waist level in front of you. Inhale deeply and intensely through your nose, while sharply lowering your fists forward and straightening your arms. While inhaling, return to the starting position.

Breathing exercises for arrhythmia

If there are problems in the work of the heart muscle, it is recommended to use a special one that accelerates blood circulation and saturates the blood with oxygen. Experts advise doing exercises for the respiratory system for people prone to developing heart diseases, as they normalize the functioning of the organ and reduce the risk of complications. Do gymnastics after waking up and before going to bed for no longer than 25 minutes. It is important to increase the number of repetitions every day.

  1. Breathing exercises for the heart, start with a few short sharp breaths and exhalations. In this case, you should gradually step in place, observing the rhythm - step / inhale.
  2. Standing straight and keeping your arms down, take a sharp noisy breath, clench your fists. As you exhale, open your palms. Do six repetitions, resting between them for 25 seconds.

Breathing exercises for pancreatitis

Active physical activity is contraindicated when, but breathing exercises provide a useful internal massage. It is especially recommended for the chronic form of the disease. Breathing exercises help to improve the movement of blood and the outflow of juice that forms the pancreatic gland. Training is recommended to be carried out 2-3 times a day, being in any position. Repeat each exercise at least three times, up to ten repetitions.

  1. Slowly draw the air in and out, and then hold your breath and draw in the stomach as much as possible. Count to three and relax.
  2. Repeat a relaxed inhalation and exhalation, and then sharply hold your breath, strongly bulging your stomach, and count to three.

Breathing exercises for weight loss

People who want to lose weight can use breathing exercises as an additional technique, which reduces appetite, improves digestion and the process of splitting fats, and also gives a boost of energy. Breathing exercises for weight loss of the abdomen and other parts of the body will not take much time, so 15 minutes is enough.

  1. Pull in your stomach and inhale deeply, and then, in jerks, gradually release the air through your mouth, closing your lips tightly. During the exercise, tension and relaxation of the abdomen should occur. Do at least 20 repetitions.
  2. Sit in a chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. Breathe in your belly, tensing and relaxing your abs. Start with 10 reps and work your way up to 40 reps.

The release of air from the oral cavity, which is not filtered from microbes, microscopic dust particles and exposes a person to infections and situations, impairs mental activity.
It has been noticed that children in the presence of adenoids and polyps during oral breathing absorb educational material much worse, in addition, they lag behind in physical development from their peers who do not have such a problem.

How to breathe correctly

So, we found out: how well we know how to breathe will determine how well we will feel. Now consider the technique of the correct process.

Correct breathing technique

First you need to understand your own breathing technique. To do this, either sit in a comfortable position or lie down. Place your palm on your stomach and observe your inhale-exhale cycle.

If your stomach rises on inhalation and falls on exhalation, your technique is correct. Otherwise, you should practice to correct the process.

So, the cycle of a healthy process:

  • Inhale - two or three seconds.
  • Exhale - three to four seconds.
  • Two or three seconds - a pause between cycles.

Important! Measured diaphragmatic breathing of about eight cycles per minute fully satisfies the need of the whole organism for oxygen.

Improper breathing and its causes

There are many reasons why people can breathe incorrectly: the most common ones are usually related to health - these are nasal diseases: sinusitis of all kinds, chronic, sinusitis and rhinitis, other inflammation of the mucous membrane, adenoids and polyps.
With a stuffy nose, the mouth is involved in the process of absorbing air, while inhaling the stomach is drawn in, while exhaling - vice versa. Very little oxygen is supplied, the air is not purified, not brought to the required temperature, as in the nasal process.

Another reason may be the desire to appear slimmer, while many keep the abdominal muscles in constant tension, trying to draw in the rounded stomach as much as possible.

The same situation occurs with overly tight, especially it makes it difficult to process in a sitting position.

All the muscles necessary for a proper healthy procedure are tense, a person is forced to breathe shallowly, which is fundamentally wrong.

How to learn it?

Learning a healthy breathing technique is not difficult, the main condition is to take it responsibly and exercise daily for fifteen minutes, this time is enough.

Did you know? With too frequent breathing, too deep and intense cycle, the production of gastric juice is stimulated, thereby provoking a feeling of hunger.

Breathing practices and self-observation

When teaching practice, the main point is awareness of one's own actions, observation of them and one's own feelings.

So, during training, lying on your back, try to "hear" and focus on the following points:

  • air is drawn in by the nostrils, enters through the nasopharynx into the larynx, trachea, fills the lungs;
  • delayed for some time;
  • smoothly, more slowly than on inspiration, the air passes back;
  • try to feel each stage, whether there are any interference or discomfort, fix even the sound that you make on inhalation and exhalation.

Exercise to train the deep abdominal process:

  • lying on your back in a relaxed state, breathing with your stomach;
  • on the right deep breath, you should feel the movement of the pelvis back, on the exhale - the pelvis seems to rise;
  • the breast is practically not involved in the process.
To make it easier to restrain the chest, you can pull it tightly for a while, for example, with an elastic bandage.

Important! Don't forget to breathe in with your belly: inhale-belly protrudes, exhale-retracts.

Morning breath for weight loss, classic complex:
  • take a sitting position;
  • inhale deeply, with a duration of four seconds;
  • we linger for the same time;
  • exhalation - smooth, four seconds;
  • repeat the cycle ten times.
  • the position of "lying";
  • quick breath;
  • six second delay;
  • slow exhalation with tension of the press;
  • repeat the cycle six times.
  • do not change position;
  • one deep breath, then two short ones;
  • four second delay;
  • deep exhalation, followed by two short ones;
  • repeat ten times.

Cardio

Cardio training and proper breathing are two inseparable things. Cardio loads cause the heart muscle to contract more intensively, it runs faster through the vessels