The Importance of Breathing, and Breathing Right

In “Three Steps to Better Belly Breathing” (Core Exercise Solutions, 16 Feb 2017), Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall, DPT, CPT, CNC, writes:

Breathing is everything. Rather, correct breathing is everything.

It can be the difference between a super strong pain free body and one that’s under constant cortisol distress, locked down by tight paraspinals and full of instability. Sure, you heard shallow breathing is bad, so you started letting your belly expand with every breath.

Well, not so fast, let me take you through why that’s bad as well and what you should be doing.

Before we dive into all the inspiring details for great breathing, keep in mind that things often need to happen in stages. As you bring awareness to deep vs shallow, belly breathing at this stage is fine. You can’t fix everything at once and going down instead of up with your breath is better! Once you develop awareness for going down, then it’s time to refine it into a more 360 approach so you’re not fully letting go of your abs with each breath while tightening your back (paraspinal) muscles.

https://www.coreexercisesolutions.com/belly-breathing/

Read on to learn more and to learn what Dr. Duvall recommends!

Breathe. But breathe right — I.e., not dysfunctionally, but in a way that lets breathing do everything it is supposed to in the way it is supposed to.

Optimal breathing is more than just sucking in air. It is the biomechanics and biologic functions that give us the right tension and relaxation in the right sequence and timing to take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide and other chemicals to support our metabolism, activity, immune system, and health.

It will help when taking tests, destressing, dealing with stressful situations, getting ready to sleep, waking up in the morning, exercising, and moving about in everyday life.