Some details about breathing activities
Inhalation is an automatic process in the breathing cycle, produced by movements of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. As air passes down into the lungs, the diaphragm contracts, and the external intercostal muscles expand, pushing the ribs and sternum upward. The cavities in the chest expand, the pressure inside the lungs decreases, and air flows in.
Inhalation causes the front of the body to expand, and movement of the intercostal muscles helps the chest expand outward and upward. When the diaphragm moves downward, it compresses the entire stomach, and the abdomen expands.
Breathing is a passive process of the breathing cycle. During exhalation, the diaphragm and respiratory muscles are relaxed. The elastic lung tissue that is stretched during inhalation will suddenly bounce back. The pressure inside the lungs increases, and air is forced out of the lungs. Unlike inhalation, during exhalation, the front part of the body moves inward and tends to collapse.
The importance of breathing in Yoga
Breathing activities when combined with postures will make practicing yoga easier. Breathing regularly helps maintain the mind, and balance all emotions and postures. Breathing in Yoga is also a stepping stone to detoxify the body. Through postures, inhale to maintain balance, and exhale to eliminate toxins accumulated inside the body. A deep and steady breath helps eliminate toxins more quickly. In addition, holding your breath is also a way to warm up the body, allowing the internal organs to be "massaged" easily.
How to breathe properly when entering the Yoga position
With each yoga movement, the first thing to know is when to inhale and when to exhale. When moving, adjusting inhalation and exhalation will help the practitioner go deeper into the posture and move more gently. According to yoga sage Patanjali, breathing can control the body, mind, and emotions.
All postures that tilt the waist, twist the spine and bend forward (standing or sitting). We will inhale when our body is in an upright position, the chest is open, it will be easy for us to inhale deeply and our lungs will be full. Stretch the intercostal muscles on both sides of the body, front and back. The diaphragm will be pushed down on the internal organs, causing the abdomen to rise. Due to the pressure of the lungs on the diaphragm, when inhaled, it inflates. These are parts related to the respiratory system, they will be maximally active in this position. Breathing like this will bring the most oxygen into the lungs. All cells in the body function better, and muscles will stretch better.
When tilting, twisting, and bending, you need to breathe to contract your abdomen, tighten your abdominal muscles to your back vertebrae, and stimulate and massage internal organs such as the stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen... This helps the body. digestion, and some other activities in the body. At the same time, when we tighten our abdominal muscles, we will help push out a large amount of toxic CO2 gas from the body.
Focusing on breathing in Yoga is considered the basic step for all exercises. Regulating and controlling good breathing not only helps in Yoga exercises. Even in life, you also learn how to control people from anger.