Improve Your Posture and Mobility by Learning to Breathe Properly
We don’t think about breathing often, but the way we breathe can have a profound effect on how we feel and move. Breathing properly, the coach of professional athletes tells us, takes practice.
CNN offers six exercises you can do to help you breathe more efficiently, designed by Dana Santas, yoga coach for pro athletes from Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Orlando Magic and other NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB players. … Correct breathing allows these athletes to move better as well as focus more.
Most of the breathing exercises on offer are built into yoga exercises (naturally, since Santa Claus is a yoga coach), but you can do a simple seated exercise that involves keeping your arms in the center of your chest and stretching the muscles below the shoulder. blades down, inhale, pause, and exhale for five counts each. It’s all about the diaphragm :
Fold your arms in the center of your chest, close your eyes, and activate the muscles under your shoulder blades (lower trapezoid) to pull them down. You should feel relaxation in the uppermost back muscles that go into your neck (upper trapezium). As you inhale, gently press down on each other with your fingertips, one at a time, starting with the little fingers, up to five. Repeat as you exhale. Pause after exhaling without taking another breath for another five counts. Concentrate on the movement of your chest during breathing. Inhale and expand your ribcage, especially at the base. Exhale as you internally rotate your lower ribs and lower your ribcage towards your waist. While paused, keep the lateral waist (obliques) and the low deep core (transverse abdomen) engaged so that the ribcage is down. Avoid vertical inspiratory movements – don’t shrug or lift your collarbones. Repeat 10 breaths. Note: If you find that you can continue to exhale after counting to five, lengthen the expiration time as much as necessary to completely empty your lungs before pause.
While exercising to breathe can seem silly, even if you’re not a professional athlete, breathing more efficiently can mean less stress, less stress, and better posture – something we could all probably use.
Breathe Better for Better Movement: Practice Breathing Like a Professional Athlete | CNN