Shallow breathing:

The most common type of breathing. Too frequent and shallow inhalations and exhalations, with a slight delay - all this indicates that you are breathing shallowly.

As a result, the lungs are not ventilated! Fresh air enters only the outer sections, preventing ventilation of a larger volume of the lungs. In short, an ideal environment for the spread of viruses and bacteria.

Check your breath:

Take a stopwatch. Sit as comfortably as possible and straighten your shoulders. Take a minute and count the number of inhalations and exhalations.

Notice the rhythm. To do this, match the inhalations and exhalations, as well as the pauses between them.

Determine the type of breathing, there are three of them:

1. Abdominal - active relaxation of the abdomen.
2. Thoracic - lifting and lowering chest.
3. Mixed - an alternate combination of the previous types.

And now the results:

Less than 14 breaths is great! This is a reason to be proud! This is how the trained and very hardy people. When you take in air with your whole chest, the lungs are fully ventilated and become invulnerable to various diseases.

14 to 18 breaths is also good. This is how most people breathe, who do not get colds more than 2 times per season.

More than 18 breaths - it's time to worry! You are obviously breathing shallowly and already know what it threatens!

What is the reason? Think about what you do in your free time. Perhaps you sit too much at the computer or TV? Do you eat a lot? you suffer overweight? Any factor can adversely affect your breathing, and therefore your health! Fix yourself up right now!

Now remember your breathing rhythm and read on:

Long inhale, pause, short exhale. This is how cheerful and energetic people breathe!

Our body is very interesting. When you inhale, you are excited, when you exhale, you calm down. And if you feel very tense or just tired, try breathing like this:

Short energetic breath, long exhalation, pause. This rhythm works better than any pill. Muscles and nervous system relax, internal tension goes away.

Frequent sighs signal overwork of the body, which means that it needs a break. Do not joke with health, overwork increases the chances of getting the flu or SARS several times!

Remember! Improper breathing disrupts the movement of the diaphragm, which affects the activity of the heart and blood circulation in the chest and abdomen!

Breath types

Abdominal type:

Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing is typical in men and young children. And regardless of gender and age, for sleeping people.

Do not force children to draw in the stomach, the abdominal muscle will simply get out of the respiratory cycle and ventilation in the lungs will deteriorate.

Exercises to develop abdominal breathing:

Breast type:

As a rule, women breathe through the chest. However, men who lead a sedentary lifestyle (TV, car, office) also breathe “like a woman”.

Chest breathing exercises:

1. Assume the resting lion pose: lie on your stomach and straighten your legs. Raise your chest slightly, focusing on the palms and forearms. The arms are bent at the elbows.
2. Take a deep breath in through your chest, drawing as much air into your lungs as possible.
3. Hold this position for a few seconds and exhale sharply, relaxing your chest.
4. After a short pause, when there is a need to inhale, repeat the cycle again.

After you have mastered both respiratory types and feel how your body has become stronger, you can move on to the last type, which combines the previous ones into one.

Full type:

Full or mixed breathing is the healthiest! It involves the abdominal muscles, intercostal muscles and diaphragm at the same time.

In properly breathing people, in addition to the lungs, the work of the heart, intestines and liver is debugged! The resistance of the nasopharynx and bronchi to environmental influences increases.

Introduction

Respiration is a complex and continuous biological process, as a result of which the body consumes free electrons and oxygen from the external environment, and releases back carbon dioxide and water saturated with hydrogen ions.

The existing opinion that breathing is intended only to enrich our body with oxygen is not accurate enough. A number of psychophysiological functions are also associated with breathing: diaphragm massage of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity, training of the respiratory muscles, effects on the peripheral and central nervous system, the release of waste gases and toxins, etc.

Accordingly, thanks to the ability to control the breathing process itself, very, very effective results can be achieved. Thus, you can not only strengthen your own body, but also get rid of many chronic diseases. The methods proposed in this book are very effective and at the same time quite simple. Readers get the opportunity to get acquainted with various ways of influencing their body through the regulation of respiratory processes.

The book offers various techniques breathing. Each of the proposed methods has been developed and tested for a very long time. In this book, the reader is offered the following techniques: yoga about breathing; "hysterical" or "sobbing" breathing; qigong; breathing according to the method of P. Bragg; breathing and swimming; air hardening.

Chapter 1 Yoga about breathing

One of the main occult (esoteric) functions of breathing is the promotion of "vital energy" - "Qi" ("Chi"), "Ki" (in Chinese and Japanese) or "Prana" (in Indian).

In ancient Chinese treatises, all "vital energy" is divided into three types:

- the main energy "Qi" (supporting the body and formed from food);

- great energy "Jing" (which is the main energy of a person, providing human breathing);

- spiritual energy "Shen" (giving life). In Vedic culture (ancient Indian scriptures), they correspond to:

- food prana (responsible for the physical body of a person);

- respiratory prana (supporting the pranic energy body of a person);

- energy - Kundalini (which is the source of all types of energies human body).

In these ancient writings it is found that physical strength, vital manifestations depend not so much on food as on correct breathing. This is the essence of Hatha Yoga. By controlling the breath (pranayama), we control the whole body. "Oshtanga yoga" (according to Patanjali) gives each type of energy movement its own specific place. On the lower levels are yama and niyama (representing "living ethics"), and asana (movements); pranayama in relation to them is on a higher level.

Yogis distinguish four main ways of breathing: 1) upper breathing; 2) average breathing; 3) lower breathing; 4) full breath yogis.

Upper (clavicular) breathing

The body is relaxed, in a horizontal position on the floor or sofa. The palm of one hand lies on the stomach, the second - on the chest (position 1).

After a free exit, inhalation is made by lifting the upper chest and collarbones. The chest in the middle part does not expand, the stomach and both arms are motionless. In this case, only the tops of the lungs are filled.

Upper breathing is obviously the worst kind of breathing because it wastes energy. It is this way of breathing that is more common in the West. This is how women usually breathe, and even singers, preachers, lawyers, etc.

Average (thoracic and costal, or intercostal) breathing

While in position 1, exhale freely (not maximum). When the desire to inhale arises, begin to expand the chest forward and to the sides, the ribs move apart. This movement is felt by the hand lying on the chest. This works the middle part of the lungs. The abdomen and the hand lying on it should remain motionless both during inhalation and exhalation.

This breathing is more efficient than upper breathing, but still not enough to carry out a complete gas and energy exchange.

Lower (abdominal, or deep, or diaphragmatic) breathing

Being in position 1, pulling in the stomach, exhale as much as possible. When you feel the urge to inhale, lower your belly slowly and smoothly. Inhalation starts automatically.

Then, sticking out your stomach, continue to inhale. At the same time, the lower sections of the lungs are filled. The hand on the stomach controls the movement. The second hand remains motionless, i.e., the chest does not expand during lower breathing.

Inhalation ends when the movement of the abdomen stops and the chest remains motionless. Breathing should be smooth, without significant effort.

Diaphragmatic breathing gives the abdominal organs a gentle massage, stimulating them to work better.

Diaphragmatic breathing is more common in men and young children. This is the breath that fills the middle and lower part lungs, it is much preferable to medium and lower breathing.

However, it will not allow you to fill the entire space of the lungs with air. Therefore, full breathing is optimal, allowing the lungs to absorb the greatest amount of prana from the air.

Rules for mastering full breathing

Before you start mastering full breathing, you need to gradually master the lower, middle and upper breathing. The exercise for mastering each type of breathing should be started with 10-15 breaths per day (or 1 minute), adding 1 minute every 3-4 days until stable skills are developed, but not more than 5 minutes at a time. Breathing is carried out in all cases only through the nose. If the lower, middle and upper breathing is carried out freely and rhythmically, then you can begin to master full breathing, in which all parts of the lungs are filled with air, the maximum number of alveoli is involved in the process.

Full breath

Being in position 1, exhale as much as possible, fill the lower part of the lungs with diaphragmatic breathing, without a pause, continuing to inhale, fill the middle part of the lungs with an expansion of the chest, ending the inhalation with clavicular breathing, fill the upper part of the lungs.

To better fill the upper part of the lungs in the final phase of inspiration, you can slightly tighten the stomach. Thus, inhalation during full breathing occurs smoothly, without jerks, passing from one phase to another, in waves. After inhalation, there may be a pause of 1-2 seconds, or without a pause, a free smooth exhalation can be made, starting from the bottom of the lungs and ending with the top.

The expiratory time for a correct full breath is approximately 2 times the inspiratory time.

Having mastered full breathing while lying down, you can begin to train the elements and the entire complex in a standing position. You need to stand straight. Head, neck, back and legs are on the same vertical line. The arms are freely lowered along the body, the palms are straight or slightly bent, without any effort, the chin is horizontal, the gaze is straight ahead (position 2).

For more better development full breath in position 2, it is also recommended to alternately work out lower, middle and upper breathing. The number of complete breaths at one time in the initial period should not be more than 5. During each subsequent week, 5 breaths can be added, bringing the total number per day to 60, but not more. Breathing should be carried out only through the nose.

Full breathing sets in motion the entire respiratory apparatus of the lungs, each of their cells, each muscle of the respiratory system. The maximum benefit is obtained with a minimum of energy expended.

According to yogis, full breathing is not artificial and abnormal. On the contrary, it is a direct return to nature.

For greater clarity, being in position 2, all movements can be performed by standing in front of a mirror and placing your hands on your upper abdomen in order to see and feel all movements, imprinting them in your mind.

Mastering full breathing allows you to acquire free, holistic breathing.

Full breathing creates a rhythm, which is a powerful means of renewal and revitalization of the body, available in the hands of nature. The ideal of a yogi is an absolutely healthy body, under the control of a strong and developed will, animated by high ideals and spirituality.

Yogi Cleansing Breath

To cleanse the lungs and the entire respiratory system, the following exercise is suggested:

1. Exhale as much as possible, then inhale deeply.

3. Purse your lips as if you are about to whistle. Then exhale the air sharply, as when coughing. Stop for 2-3 seconds and then exhale again. Repeat until all air is out of your lungs. But it must be remembered that you need to exhale the air with effort. Otherwise, this exercise will not give the desired effect.

This exercise will restore strength and vigor to the body and cleanse the respiratory organs, relieve tension and headache.

It is advisable to perform it immediately after a night's sleep to eliminate congestion, after being in crowded places, in public transport.

Yogi voice breathing

1. Slowly but forcefully draw in the air with a full breath through the nose, inhaling as long as possible.

2. Then hold the air in for a few seconds.

3. Open your mouth wide and exhale the air with force.

4. Finish with a cleansing breath.

General cleansing ("psychic") breathing of yogis

This breathing method will help cleanse the entire body and get a boost of energy and youth. This is a special form of breathing, which was called "psychic breathing" by yogis. This breathing method requires appropriate training and is performed if you have already mastered the previous breathing methods. This exercise fills the whole body with energy, and after you do it, you will feel an unprecedented surge of strength and vitality.

3. Then, while inhaling and exhaling the air, mentally imagine a picture of the breath that passes through your entire body through every cell of it.

4. Continuing to breathe rhythmically, mentally direct the flow of energy (or "Prana") to the seven vital centers, calling their images in turn in your mind:

- back of the head,

- base of the brain

- solar plexus

- region of the sacrum,

- umbilical region

- reproduction area.

– Finish the exercises with a cleansing breath.

rhythmic breathing

Yogis use certain forms of breathing that help them accumulate "Prana" in themselves and direct it where it is needed. In this way they strengthen their body and nervous system. The yoga rule for rhythmic breathing requires that the inhalation and exhalation last the same time. And the retention of air in the lungs and the interval between inhalation and exhalation would be equal to half of all this time.

Basic exercise in rhythmic breathing

2. Slowly inhale air with a full breath, counting six beats of the pulse.

3. Hold the air in your lungs for three pulse beats.

4. Slowly release air through the nose, counting six beats of the pulse.

5. Before starting the next breath, skip three beats of the pulse.

6. At the end of the exercise, take a cleansing breath that will clear your lungs.

Proper breathing

Human health is entirely dependent on proper breathing. Many diseases of civilized man are no doubt due to the widespread habit of breathing through the mouth. Many infections (especially colds) often depend only on this bad habit. The nostrils serve as the only protective mechanism of the respiratory organs: they filter the air and trap dust in themselves, in addition, certain substances (lyzazyme, interferon) are produced there, which allow local fight against pathogenic microbes. Nasal breathing allows you to warm the incoming air, protecting the throat and bronchi, especially during the cold period of time.

Begin breathing exercises with both free nasal passages. If necessary, you can rinse the nasal passages and nasopharynx using a strong saline solution of water at room temperature. Leaning at an angle of 45 °, you need to draw in this solution (it is possible from the palm of your hand) first with one nostril, then with the other so that the liquid flows out through the mouth. Although the described procedure is not a pleasure to perform, it nevertheless perfectly sanitizes the nasal cavity and nasopharynx.

After rinsing the nose, one should carry out the “cleansing breath of yogis” and complete breathing.

It must be remembered that full breathing is not a continuous breathing system, but only an exercise. Except for the full 60 breaths, all other breathing should be optimal, avoiding hyperventilation of the lungs, which occurs with deep and frequent breathing. Optimal breathing is set automatically depending on the load and the condition of the person.

For people suffering from cardiovascular and bronchopulmonary diseases, the development of breathing exercises should be gentle, gradual. Forced mastering of breathing exercises with increased pulmonary ventilation in these individuals can cause an increase in blood pressure, dizziness, and impaired respiratory function.

To activate the work of all body systems, it is recommended to carry out a series of breathing exercises, which will also help get rid of or improve the condition in various diseases.

Breathing exercises that stimulate the nervous system

With oxygen starvation, the nervous system primarily suffers. Since the functioning of the organs depends directly on nerve stimulation, nervous exhaustion weakens their activity.

Therefore, in order to restore and strengthen nervous system We offer the following breathing exercises:

1. Stand up straight.

2. Take a full breath and hold the air in.

3. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you, without tensing your muscles, so that they are slightly supported by nerve force.

4. Bending your arms at the elbows, slowly take them to the shoulders, gradually tensing the muscles so that they feel trembling.

5. Then, keeping the muscles in tension, slowly straighten your arms and then quickly move your fists back to your shoulders. This movement must be repeated at least three times.

6. Exhale forcefully through your mouth. This exercise very well stimulates the nervous system, develops vitality and improves immunity.

Rhythmic exercise to stimulate brain activity

Sit up straight, put your hands on your knees. Breathing should be rhythmic. When the rhythm is established, close the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand and inhale through the left, then block the left nostril with the thumb of the left hand and exhale through the right. This exercise must be done several times.

Morning exercises that stimulate the protective functions of the body

Exercise 1

1. Stand straight, raise your head up, straighten your shoulders, connect your knees, lower your arms along the body.

2. Slowly raise yourself up on your toes, inhaling evenly through your nose, take a deep breath.

3. Then hold your breath for a few seconds, remaining in the same position.

4. Slowly lower yourself onto your heels, gradually exhaling air through your nose.

5. Repeat this exercise several times and then take a cleansing breath.

Exercise 2

1. Stand up straight, lower your arms along the torso.

2. Take a slow and deep breath.

3. While inhaling, lightly tap on the chest with the pads of your fingers.

1. Inhale and hold your breath for a few moments.

2. Then take a cleansing breath.

Rhythmic exercise to restore the body's defenses and relieve fatigue

Lie on your back, relax, put your hands on the solar plexus (the place where the ribs begin to separate). Breathing should be rhythmic. When the rhythm is established, mentally wish that each breath brings life energy and strength into you.

Mentally imagine how with each breath the energy spreads throughout your body, being transferred to every cell. With each breath, imagine how a large amount of world energy enters your body. Be sure to create in your imagination pictures of the processes that you mentally tell yourself.

With this exercise, you can strengthen the protective functions of your body. This exercise is especially effective when a person is tired and feels a breakdown.

Breathing exercises to improve circulation

To perform this exercise, you will need an auxiliary tool - a stick.

1. Stand up straight.

2. Take a full breath and hold the air as you inhale.

3. Put the stick on the floor, and then slowly bend forward and pick up the stick, squeezing it tightly in your hand.

4. Release the stick and, straightening up, with a slow exhalation, return to starting position.

5. Repeat this exercise several times and finish with a cleansing breath.

Exercise to restore blood circulation with rhythmic breathing

For headaches, do the following.

Lie on your back or sit up straight. Then begin to breathe rhythmically and as you inhale, mentally direct the movement of blood to that part of the body where blood circulation is insufficient.

But with headaches, on the contrary, the blood must be pulled downwards in order to reduce the blood pressure in the brain and get rid of the pain. Mentally direct the movement of blood downwards until you begin to feel a warm stream in the legs from the blood going down.

Exercise to strengthen the respiratory muscles and stimulate the digestive organs

1. Stand up straight.

2. Take a full breath.

3. Hold your breath as long as possible until it becomes difficult for you.

4. Exhale forcefully through your open mouth.

5. Take a cleansing breath.

This exercise can be used for various disorders of the stomach and liver. It is possible that at first you will not be able to hold the air for a long time, but with practice you will definitely achieve good results.

General strengthening exercises

Exercise 1

1. Sit up straight, straighten your shoulders.

2. Exhale, then take a long breath.

3. While inhaling, first stick out your stomach, and then expand your chest.

4. When exhaling, first reduce the volume of the chest, and then draw in the stomach.

Exercise 2

1. Lie on your back and completely relax.

2. Take a deep breath and hold your breath as you inhale.

3. While exhaling, draw in the stomach.

Exercise 3

1. Stand up straight and take a deep breath while slowly tilting your head down.

2. Then exhale the air, slowly raising your head up.

Exercise 4

1. Place the palm of the left hand on the side of the chest, lower the right hand down. Take a deep breath.

2. Breathe out.

3. Place the palm of your right hand on the side of your chest, closer to the armpit. Take a deep breath.

4. Breathe out.

Exercise 5

1. Walking at an average pace. Inhale for three steps, exhale for the fourth.

2. Sit straight, lower your arms along the torso.

3. Take a deep breath and raise your arms at the same time.

4. Then exhale and slowly lower your arms.

Exercise 6

1. Close the left nostril with the finger of the left hand and take a deep breath. Hold your breath for a few seconds.

2. Then exhale. Inhale slowly alternately through the right and left nostrils.

Exercise 7 Finish the set of exercises with a cleansing breath. Having mastered this simple set of exercises, move on to more complex ones. Sports games and swimming will also help the respiratory system.

Tension Relief Exercise

If during the working day you feel weak or tired, then use the following exercise.

Stand straight, take your shoulders back, lower your arms along the body. Gradually raise your heels off the floor, transferring the entire weight of the body to the soles of your feet.

At the same time, raise your arms and spread them at shoulder level, like wings.

Then take a deep breath and slowly exhale the air, gradually sinking onto your heels and bringing your hands to their original position.

Repeat this exercise several times. It will restore your strength and vigor, it will take little time.

Exercise to relieve tension in the facial muscles

1. Take a shallow breath, relax your facial muscles as you exhale and visualize your skin smoothing and wrinkles disappearing.

2. Then inhale shallowly and exhale through slightly parted lips.

3. When inhaling, draw in your cheeks and exhale forcefully through your open mouth.

4. Close your eyes as you inhale, and open them as you exhale and smile.

5. Clench your teeth as you inhale, and relax as you exhale.

6. Take a deep breath and smile, while inhaling, stretch your lips with a tube.

This exercise will strengthen the muscles of the face and get rid of wrinkles. Do it at least three times a day for great results.

Exercises for headaches

Exercise 1

1. Sit up straight, in a comfortable position for you.

2. Take in the air with a full breath.

3. Hold the air in your lungs for as long as you can.

4. Slowly release air through your nose.

5. Repeat this exercise several times, but don't tire yourself out.

Exercise 2

1. Lie on your back, stretch your arms along your torso and relax.

2. Breathe rhythmically until the rhythm is established.

3. As you inhale, imagine a stream of pleasant green light that you inhale deeply. Mentally direct the stream of light to the forehead and back of the head. Imagine how light fills every cell of your brain. Then direct the light beam to the area of ​​the head where the pain is concentrated. Direct the light beam to this area and imagine a strong beam of light irradiating this part.

4. Continue to breathe rhythmically until you have a feeling of warmth in your head.

5. Finish this exercise with a cleansing breath. If you are doing this exercise indoors, turn on the lamp under the green shade.

Exercises for diseases of the nasopharynx

If you have a stuffy nose, try the following breathing exercise. First, clean the nasopharynx by washing with warm boiled water. Clamping each nostril alternately, flush the nasal passages from the accumulated mucus. Then do the following.

1. Sit up straight. Tilt your head back a little.

2. Breathe rhythmically.

3. When the rhythm is established, mentally imagine how with each breath a stream of warm blue color penetrates into your body. Mentally imagine how this light fills all the cavities of the head, frontal sinuses, nasal, jaw. Imagine how this light clears all the sinuses and warms them. Mentally direct the light to diseased organs from the outside and from the inside.

4. After you feel warm and your breathing becomes easier, close one nostril, then the other, and take a few deep breaths.

5. Finish the exercise with a cleansing breath.

When applying breathing exercises, be sure to combine the phases of breathing with movements. Excessive enthusiasm for breathing exercises helps to reduce the carbon dioxide content in the body, and this, in turn, affects the tone of the respiratory center. There may be such unpleasant sensations as weakness, dizziness, etc. Therefore, breathing exercises must be supplemented with exercises of a general developmental nature, which are performed with even, shallow breathing.

Exercises for patients with bronchial asthma

Exercise 1

Sit straight, take your shoulders back, lower your arms along the body, relax. Take a shallow breath and hold your breath. Then exhale and inhale again and hold your breath. Try to pause for as long as possible. This exercise must be performed several times a day.

Exercise 2 During the attack, sit down, put your hands on your knees and relax your muscles. Breathe calmly and less deeply. Try to reduce the inspiratory volume while maintaining the respiratory rate. Watch your breathing, do not take deep breaths, hold back your cough. Holding the breath while inhaling also helps to localize an attack of bronchial asthma. These preventive measures can help you deal with bronchial asthma.

Rhythmic breathing in the treatment of asthma

As a rule, people with asthma, during attacks and outside them, are subject to fears, pessimism and other neurotic manifestations. All these negative emotions only exacerbate the disease.

Proper breathing will help to cope with this.

In this case, it is necessary to master the technique of rhythmic breathing and learn how to breathe deeply, which will save you from a painful illness.

Exercise to get rid of negative emotions in asthma

1. Lie on your back and relax.

2. Breathe rhythmically until the rhythm is established.

3. After the rhythm is established, create in your imagination a picture of an endless stream of blue light that passes into you through all your cells and pores. Imagine how this flow of color goes through the bones of the hands, then through the stomach and goes to the solar plexus.

4. Continuing to breathe rhythmically, mentally imagine how the healing light fills all the cells of the respiratory system. And with each breath, it penetrates deeper into your body.

5. When you feel warmth in your chest, mentally draw a flow of color through your body.

6. Finish the exercise with a cleansing breath.

Eastern healers believe that all diseases human body associated with a violation of the rhythm of breathing, since all living things in this world must have their own specific rhythm, coinciding with the rhythm of the planet and the universe.

When a person gets out of this rhythm, then adverse changes occur in his body. Therefore, before all yoga medicines, certain breathing exercises are used to restore health to a person and prolong youth.

Chapter 2 "Hysterical" or "Sobbing" Breathing

Yu. G. Vilunas developed methods of "shallow" breathing, which allow to normalize higher nervous activity and have a quick relief effect in case of exacerbation of coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. A good therapeutic effect has been obtained in atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, cancer, and in certain conditions during pregnancy.

Basic rules of sobbing breath. Breathe only through the mouth and superficially. The exhalation should be longer than the inhalation. There should be three times more carbon dioxide in the blood than oxygen.

The new is the well-forgotten old. People have long noticed that crying relieves stress and fatigue. The main thing is not the cry itself, but the breath. And breathing is not through the nose, but through the mouth.

The duration of one session of "sobbing breath" can be from two or three breaths and exhalations to one hour. As soon as the exhalation becomes short (1/2 s) - this is a signal to stop the "sobbing breath".

An exercise

1. A short, vigorous, shallow breath on a sob when the sound "a" is pronounced (1/2 s). In this case, the air does not reach the lungs.

2. Immediately a short continuous exhalation is made. At the same time, the sounds are pronounced: “hooo”, “fuu”, “ffff”. At first, you can exhale any one sound until you feel that the exhalation becomes short, then, if necessary, you can switch to another. The exhalation should be unsharp and long. If you did not feel discomfort, then now you have a need for sobbing breath.

3. After exhalation, a pause without breathing lasts 2 s. Only then can you do the following short breath on a sob "a".

Two types of breath

We have introduced you to two opposite types of breathing: the deep, full yogi breathing and the shallow “sobbing” breathing. None of these breaths can be used for a long time. They are used only for healing the body, struggling with certain ailments. First of all, every person who is going to improve his body must learn to listen to his body, to know its needs. Only then can you easily choose which path of healing breathing you should follow at a given moment in time.

It is dangerous for people who have chronic diseases of the bronchopulmonary, circulatory, cardiovascular systems, especially in a state of decompensation, to independently experiment with the selection of healing breathing.

The choice of one or another healing breath, the determination of the time for performing exercises should be carried out together with the doctor.

An important factor will be a certain mental attitude of the patient. Thus, the combination of all three types of energies gives the maximum positive effect.

Chapter 3 Qigong

This is one of ancient systems psychophysical exercises aimed at maintaining and strengthening health, treating diseases and prolonging life. Qigong is an integral part of all martial arts. However, it also has an independent meaning, being part of the national culture of China.

At Chinese medicine its own special approach - it considers the human body as a complex self-regulating system that is in dynamic balance with the environment.

In the person himself, 12 main systems (channels) and 8 subsystems are distinguished, which interact with each other according to certain laws. There are systems for diagnosing the main systems: by pulse, biologically active points, complexion, etc., as well as ways to influence them, taking into account their interaction and the ability of the whole organism to self-regulate.

The main task of the specialist oriental medicine– to figure out in which of the 12 systems the balance is disturbed, and then, using the rules of regulation, to choose the means of influencing this system. In this sense, a Qigong specialist is an expert on the entire human body as a whole.

The way to regulate a disturbed system is based on the concept of "Qi" - a certain energy that has the polar qualities of Yin and Yang, which circulates through all these systems and on the uniform and correct flow of which depends whether a person is healthy or sick. Any blockage or roughness of the walls of energy channels due to internal or external influences leads either to stagnation or to a perturbed flow of Qi energy, which causes imbalance and, accordingly, illness.

A person receives part of Qi even in the womb, and replenishes the other part from the outside as a result of exchange with the external environment in the process of life. Therefore, two tasks are essential:

- Providing enough Qi.

– uniform flow of Qi along energy channels in a certain direction.

From these ideas, their own classification of diseases is derived and methods and means of influence are developed, moreover, those that are guided by both internal and external forces, namely: acupuncture, cauterization, acupressure, psychotherapy. physical exercise, medicinal herbs, etc.

Qigong therapy is an impact on the body with the help of psychophysical exercises, it is a self-managed, self-regulating, self-controlled therapy.

How to decipher the name "Qigong"? Qi in Qigong means not only the inhalation of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide, but also a type of substance that carries a more valuable and complex signal and energy. Traditional Chinese medical theory believes that the "true Qi" in the human body is the motivating force of its vital activity. A person's life and all his activities are determined by intrauterine Qi and are supported by postpartum Qi. These two Qi act on each other and connect with each other, forming the true Qi for the life of the body.

When, through Qigong exercises, true Qi begins to function normally or in excess in the human body, this means gong, commonly called Gongfu in Qigong terminology. Gong Fu is a method of strengthening Qi.

The most essential moment when doing qigong exercises is perseverance. The quality of the exercise is directly related to the results. And the purpose of their implementation is "nurturing the true Qi."

Acquiring sufficient true Qi means acquiring excellent health. Strengthening true Qi includes three types of actions:

1. Inhalation of the main and vital Qi.

2. Maintaining a calm mental (mental) state.

3. Keeping the organs of the body in harmony.

These three kinds of actions, which are aimed at regulating "concentration of thought", "breathing" and "posture", are the three main factors of Qigong.

Qigong exercise methods are varied in different schools. In China, there are approximately five of them - Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian, Medical and Boxing. Despite the differences, all methods of performing exercises do not go beyond three specific types - motionless Qigong, mobile Qigong and mobile-stationary Qigong. All three types involve the training of the mind, breathing and posture.

Mental states training includes mental daoyin (control and arousal). It requires that thoughts be concentrated on one object, bringing the cerebral cortex into a special inhibited state.

Breathing training refers to the respiratory daoyin (control and arousal). Breathing exercises include exhalation, inhalation, deep exhalation, rapid short breathing, inhalation with sound and breath holding.

Posture training means daoyin (governing and stimulating exercises) through the adoption of various postures by the body, which are roughly divided into six kinds: walking, standing, sitting, lying down, kneeling, massaging.

Let us now consider the very system of regulating breathing and strengthening Qi.

I. The simplest method of promoting health.

This method of health promotion is an elementary exercise. Step forward with your heel gently touching the ground. Relax your head and waist as you swing your arms, looking left and right, as if you were among flowering bushes. Among the flowering bushes you walk slowly, with a smile on your face and lightness in your heart. Breathe through your nose like a blowing wind.

This method of health promotion is a free-style exercise.

You will benefit from it as you walk with your heels touching the ground, maintaining the required state of relaxation and rest in a standing position. Press your tongue against the base of your upper teeth with a smile on your face, gently turn your head and waist while waving your arms. Once you have mastered the art of walking, start inhaling and exhaling slowly through your nose.

We describe in detail all the movements.

1. In a standing position, start the exercise by relaxing and calming down. Step forward first with your right and then with your left foot, touching the ground with your heel. When moving, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, as in a standing position.

2. As you move forward, walk as you normally would, don't swing your arms too much, be natural.

3. The arms move with the twist of the waist.

4. The rotation of the waist is controlled by the rotation of the head.

5. Breathe in and out through your nose.

6. Be reserved, happy and relaxed. Imagine that you are walking in a flowering garden, looking left and right. Therefore, there should be a smile on your face - it is also a type of Qigong technique.

II. The method of short fast breathing with a fixed step.

This method is the preparatory stage of the system for regulating breathing and strengthening Qi. Take a step with your right foot, touching the ground with your toes, and then plant it flat on the ground. Raise your toes, leaving your heel on the ground. With the hands slightly raised and facing each other, wave the left hand outward to the left, followed by the right hand. At the same time, when turning from right to left, the neck leads the waist, and the waist leads the arms as they swing.

Inhale twice through the nose while the right foot is flat on the ground, and exhale once as the left foot rises. Inhaling and exhaling through the nose is called the short rapid breathing method.

Shift your body weight to your right foot after breathing. When the body is completely relaxed, plant the left foot and distribute the weight evenly on both feet with the arms waving naturally. This is the first part of the method of short fast breathing with a fixed step. Do it 9 times with the right foot in front. Then push your left leg forward and return to a position of relaxation and calm in a standing position, do the exercise three times - opening and closing.

Then take a step with your left foot and begin to take short, quick breaths with a fixed step in left side. The principle is the same. Let us now describe in detail all the movements.

1. Begin the method of short rapid breathing with a fixed step, with the arms at the sides of the body. Step with your right foot and plant it flat immediately after your toes touch the ground, then lift your toes up.

2. Turn your torso naturally to the left, shifting your body weight to your left leg.

3. Lower your pelvis and lower waist slightly with your back leg bent and your front leg relaxed, turn your waist to the right. Move your arms to the right until the left hand reaches the midline and the right hand reaches the right side of the thigh. Turn your head to the right. You should also look to the right.

4. Turn your waist to the left and shift your body weight from left to right. Move both hands from right to left until the left hand reaches the left thigh and the right hand reaches the middle, turn the head from right-forward-left with eyes looking in the same direction.

5. Shift the weight from the left to the right heel, inhale twice through the nose, plant the right foot flat and lift the left heel up, bend the front leg and relax the back leg (the right hand now reaches the middle). Exhale once through your nose.

6. Swing both hands to the right, shift the weight onto the right foot and lift the toe of the right foot again. This is the end of the first round. Do this exercise 9 times with your right leg in front.

7. Take a half step forward with your left foot, stand flat on both feet.

8. Make three openings and closings. To do this, turn your hands with the backs to each other. Move them sideways to your hips with your palms facing out. This is called "open view". At the same time, point your fingers forward (little finger across the thumb) until they go beyond the boundaries of the hips. Turn your palms in an arc, inward with thumbs up and little fingers down, move your hands inward towards the center of your body until the fingers of both hands meet. This is called "closed view". Repeat three times.

9. Exhale when you “open” and inhale when you “close”. Exhale through your mouth when "opening" and inhale through your nose when "closing".

10. When the Three Opening and Closing exercise is completed, step with your left foot and begin the Short Rapid Breathing Method with a stationary step to the left side 9 times. The execution method is the same, although the direction is opposite.

11. When the exercise is completed, take half a step forward with your right foot and then three openings and closings. Move on to the next system of Qigong exercises.

III. Short quick breathing method to strengthen the kidneys.

Strengthening kidney function is the main system of exercises that strengthens Qi and the substance of life. Focus your mind on the raised toes. Inhale twice for one step and exhale once for another, draw in and send out the air like a blowing wind. The head controls the rotation of the waist, and the arms move with the movement of the waist. This method requires walking at a speed of 60 steps per minute.

Now detailed description all movements.

1. Begin the exercise by stepping with your right foot, toes up, heel touching the ground.

2. When stepping with your left foot, also lift your toes and touch the ground with your heel.

3. Turn your head right-right-left like a fan.

4. Do the exercise with your eyes open.

5. The waist turns with the turn of the head. The hips do not rotate.

6. Turning the waist moves the arms. When stepping with the right foot, the left hand moves down to the tan tien from the epigastric fossa and then towards the left thigh. The right hand moves to the right in the direction of the midline of the trunk, as well as the epigastric fossa with the palms turned towards the body. Shift your body weight from your left foot to your right.

7. When stepping with the left foot, move the right hand from the epigastric fossa towards the Dan Tien and then towards the right thigh. Move the left hand from the left side towards the epigastric fossa in the middle of the body. Shift your body weight from your right foot to your left.

8. When moving the arms, the maximum angle between each arm and the body must not exceed 60°.

9. As you step with your right foot, inhale twice through your nose and exhale through your nose once as you step with your left foot.

10. During the exercise, focus on the toes so that the heel can touch the ground gently and calmly, which will help to avoid pain. Focusing on the heel can cause pain.

11. When you learn to walk, but cannot come to a calm state when doing the exercise, use the method of listening to the breath, that is, listen to the sounds of inhalation and exhalation through the nose in order to get rid of extraneous thoughts.

12. Another way to enter a calm state. When looking in three directions, look in such a way that everything seems unclear, as if there is nothing around you and you cannot see anything, although you look.

13. When walking, keep your feet shoulder-width apart as you would in a standing position and move forward in an S-shape, but keep your feet parallel.

IV. Short rapid breathing method to strengthen the lungs, spleen and kidneys.

The basic technique of this method is the same as that of the kidney strengthening method. But there are differences, which we will consider in a detailed description of all movements.

1. Take a step with your right foot with the hands moving in the same position. After inhaling twice through the nose, take a step with your left foot. When stepping with your left foot, touch the ground with your toe instead of your heel.

2. When the fingers touch the ground, both hands are on the left side of the body with the fingers bent as if they are grasping something. The thumbs and index fingers rub each other at the points of shao-shan (the root bed of the nail of the outer part of the thumb) and shang-yang (the root bed of the nail of the inner part of the index finger).

3. Exhale through the nose as the fingers touch the ground and rub the fingers together.

4. Lower the heel of the left foot as soon as its toe touches the ground and inhale twice through the nose.

5. The toe of the right foot touches the ground with the hands on the right side of the body and the fingers rubbing the shao-shan and shang-yang points. Meanwhile, exhale through your nose.

6. Lower your right foot to your heel. Inhale twice through the nose. Keep repeating this. A suitable walking pace is 50-60 steps per minute.

V. Method of short rapid breathing to strengthen the heart.

Two methods of strengthening the heart will be presented here. The first is easier to perform, and the second is useful in terms of the circulation of vital energy. Each method has its own characteristics, and both work wonderfully. Both methods have four consecutive steps.

Now a detailed description of the movements in the first method.

1. This method is based on the kidney strengthening method. Four steps make up one cycle. Inhale on the first step, inhale again on the second step, exhale on the third step (all through the nose), hold the breath on the fourth step.

2. First step start with the right foot and inhale when her heel touches the ground, start the second step with the left foot and inhale when her heel touches the ground. On the third step, exhale with your right foot as its heel touches the ground. Hold your breath for the fourth step. Then repeat everything again.

3. When holding the breath in the fourth step, when both hands are on the left side of the body, the zhong-chun point of the middle finger touches the lao-gong point of the palm. If you find it difficult to touch the lao gong point, you can touch any point on the palm of your hand.

4. Except for touching the zhong chun point, in the fourth step the movement of the hands is the same as in the method of strengthening the kidneys, the pace of movement is slower, the angle between the arms and the body is limited to approximately 30°. The pace of steps is approximately 45 per minute.

5. The heart should be calm and the mind balanced.

Now let's describe in detail the movements for the second method. Based on the kidney strengthening method, this method also consists of four steps.

1. Inhale in succession through the nose twice as you take a step with your right foot.

2. Inhale twice through the nose as you step with your left foot.

3. On the third step, with the right foot, exhale twice through the nose.

4. On the fourth step, exhale once with your left foot and then hold your breath.

5. While holding the breath on the fourth step, touch the lao-gong point of the palm of the hand with the zhong-chun point of the middle finger.

6. When exercising, it is necessary to have a happy mind and a light heart. The heart energy rises slightly when inhaling and sinks slightly when exhaling.

7. While inhaling, draw in the air gently, portion by portion. Inhale mentally through the Dan Tien, avoiding loud sounds.

The zhong chun point is located at the tip of the middle finger 0.3 cm from the nail bed.

The lao gong point is located in the middle of the palm and is defined as follows: when the fingers are bent into a fist, the gap between the third and fourth fingers will indicate the point.

The shao-shan point is located on the terminal phalanx of the thumb 0.3 mm outward from the nail bed (base of the nail) of the thumb.

The shan-yang point is located at the root of the nail of the index finger outwards by 2 mm.

The middle Dan Tien energy center is located at the level of the Qihai point (this is approximately 3 cm below the navel).

Chapter 4 Breathing according to the method of P. Bragg

From the point of view of P. Bragg, the healthy state of the body is the balance in it of all substances and energy obtained from nature. This equilibrium is called homeostasis by official medicine. According to Bragg, for normal life, a person only needs to maintain a balance in the ratio of his natural, natural principles, which take the form of vitamins, trace elements and other biologically active substances. The composition and ratio of significant substances is a constant value. Any violation of this value leads to complications and diseases.

Breathing is an important health factor, because with its help, a person interacts with such a “doctor”, in the view of P. Bragg, as air. The main physical exercises that Bragg offers are carried out exclusively in the fresh air. This is explained very simply: a person cannot live without oxygen contained in the air for more than 5 minutes, so its amount must be constantly updated so as not to lead the body to deep intoxication with metabolites. Meanwhile, the way of breathing may be incorrect, contributing to the accumulation of toxic metabolites.

According to Bragg, only breathing in a pose with straightened shoulders can be called correct, when the chest has the opportunity to expand, taking a sufficient portion of oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide completely accumulated in the lungs. Breathing exercises are a special component of physical exercises in the Bragg system. The creator of the system himself did these exercises during the evening walk, which followed his schedule after dinner. Basically, they come down to mastering the technique of direct control of metabolic processes in the body. This technique allows you to remove toxins that are very dangerous for health from the body and enrich tissues and living cells with oxygen.

Of fundamental importance in this technique is the rationing of the amount of oxygen consumption in order to subsequently reduce the number of respiratory movements of the chest per minute. Achieved in the process of long-term monitoring of the need for oxygen, the optimal mode of breathing will supply the body with the maximum possible volume of life-giving oxygen with a minimum of respiratory movements of the chest. Such a regime can be called mild, or sparing, because it does not load the muscles of the chest and the actual lung tissue for the sake of useless meager portions of oxygen.

Lung tissue is an extremely weak substance of our body due to its increased porosity. The porosity of lung tissue is due to the presence inside its mass of an extensive network of alveoli extending from the bronchi, ending in alveolar vesicles, also numerous, which perform the function of natural air exchange chambers. The lung tissue, in addition, is permeated with capillaries - microscopically small blood vessels that entangle the alveolar vesicles, since oxygen is captured by red blood cells through the capillaries. In pursuit of the goal of reducing the load on such a fragile tissue, nature has created a special protective mechanism. The essence of this mechanism is as follows.

The intercostal muscles, contracting, move apart the costal bones that make up the chest, resulting in an increase in the volume of the chest cavity. The chest cavity is lined from the inside with the so-called parietal pleura. Actually the lungs are placed in a kind of film bag, called the pulmonary pleura. A certain pressure is maintained between the pulmonary and parietal pleura, which always has a value below atmospheric. With the expansion of the parietal pleura, following the chest, the lung pleura, which adheres to this film under the influence of low internal pressure, slowly expands. And only after the expanding lung pleura begins to change the volume of the lung tissue, as a result of which air is sucked into the lungs.

This mechanism brilliantly copes with its task, protecting the lungs from spontaneous damage provoked by constant and varying in strength and intensity pressure drops inside the chest cavity. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the respiratory movements are fraught with the danger of overworking the pectoral muscles and wear of the pleural films, and after them the lung tissue. Naturally, such wear will manifest itself in mechanical damage, but fatigue and wear and tear of tissues always leads to metabolic disorders in them, and therefore, to imbalances in substances and the accumulation of toxins.

From all of the above, the only possible conclusion suggests itself: the more often a person breathes, the less he lives. An irrational load constantly depresses the lungs and provokes painful processes and metabolic disorders throughout the body. The method of rational breathing consists in deep uniform breathing movements. Even breathing can be achieved through daily carefully planned breathing exercises, observation of one's own body and self-control.

Chapter 5 Breathing and Swimming

It has long been known that water has an extremely beneficial effect on human health, on its performance and mood. Under the influence of systematic swimming lessons, the activity of the nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and the digestive organs improves.

Swimming also develops the respiratory organs. Naturally, metabolic processes and the economical functioning of the cardiovascular system during training that require special endurance depend on a regular and sufficient supply of oxygen to the body.

This will be possible only if right process breathing. It should be taken into account that inhalation is difficult due to water pressure on the chest and abdominal cavity. In addition, with most swimming methods, the mouth and nose are in the water for a relatively long time, and, therefore, only with a well-developed breathing technique can the necessary rhythmic supply of oxygen be ensured.

In other words, the pressure of water on the abdominal cavity increases exhalation, and as a result, the muscles of the respiratory organs are strengthened. Exist different kinds swimming. One of them is a crawl on the chest and on the back. It helps to strengthen the respiratory system. Therefore, it is especially recommended for people with respiratory problems.

Crawl on the chest. The swimmer lies on the surface of the water in an extended position. The face is lowered into the water so that the water level is approximately at the top of the forehead. At the same time, the legs work up and down, ensuring a stable horizontal position of the body. Hands alternately perform a stroke from front to back under the body, and then they sweep through the air to their original position.

When one hand enters the water a little further than the head, the other ends the stroke at the hip. An intensive breath is performed through the mouth while turning the head to the side at the beginning of the removal of one of the hands above the water. After that, the swimmer lowers his face down and exhales into the water through his mouth and nose.

There are several variants of this style of swimming - six-stroke, four-stroke, two-stroke and unstressed, depending on the pace of footwork in each cycle of arm movement. In general, the crawl swimming technique has much in common with the crawl swimming technique on the back. This primarily refers to the alternating movements of the arms and legs, the movement of the arm above the water and the "gliding" position of the body in the water. In front crawl swimming, the head is slightly raised so that the swimmer's eyebrows are level with the surface of the water, which causes some deflection of the swimmer's body in the lower back. When swimming in this way, the feet are slightly more turned inward when moving the leg down than when swimming in a crawl on the back. This increases the impact action of the foot. When moving up, the leg comes close to the surface of the water, but does not come to the surface.

Full coordination of movements and breathing when swimming on the front crawl is achieved in the same way as when swimming on the back crawl in a six-beat rhythm, that is, for each complete cycle of movement of the arm, there are six strokes with each leg: three strokes up and three strokes down. However, there are also some differences. For example, while the left hand is in the water directly in front of the shoulder, the right hand passes under the water approximately under the right shoulder. When the left hand under water reaches the level of the left shoulder, the right hand with a strong repulsion leaves the water and moves forward.

Breathing should be fully included in the overall coordination of movements, providing the body with a regular supply of oxygen and the removal of exhaust air. At the same time, extreme head turns should interfere with movement as little as possible. When exhaling, the head should be kept in the water directly on the imaginary longitudinal axis of the body.

To inhale, turn the head to the side so that the mouth appears above the surface. However, one should not excessively raise the head up or tilt it to the shoulder, i.e., rotation should be done around an imaginary longitudinal axis. If the head is turned to the left, the exhalation is done while the left hand strokes underwater.

Exhalation, if possible, should be completed at the moment when the phase of pressing with the hand ends. At the moment of repulsion by the hand, the head must be turned to the side, and when the hand moves through the air, a deep breath should be taken. At the moment the hand enters the water in front of the shoulder, the face is already lowered into the water.

Crawl on the back. In principle, this is the same crawl, only the swimmer lies on the water not on his chest, but on his back, face up, which greatly facilitates breathing. With this swimming, the shoulders are slightly raised, the chin is slightly lowered to the chest. The legs perform alternating movements from the bottom up and from the top down.

Rowing movements can be performed with a straight arm or bent. For beginners, of course, the first option is convenient. The coordinated movement of arms and legs depends on the pace of work.

Swimming on the back is carried out mainly with the help of alternating movements of the arms and legs. The efficiency of motor impulses for advancement and for the creation of a dynamic lifting force is highest when the swimmer's elongated body takes on the so-called. "Gliding" position, i.e., the shoulders lie slightly above the back, the head is slightly tilted to the chest. However, tilting the head too much is undesirable, as this can lead to a "sitting" position in the water. During leg movements, the motor impulse should go from the thigh muscles and then spread to the entire leg, to the fingers. When alternating impulses of movements, a downward blow is made with a straight leg. When the leg is kicked up, a slight bending of it at the knee is first observed.

Then, upon reaching the top point, the leg straightens. After the movement in hip joint already completed, the lower leg and foot continue to move up. To increase the impact, the feet are turned slightly inward. At the top of the strike, the big toes come out to the surface of the water.

When moving with the arms, each of them in a continuous and rhythmic alternation performs pulling and repulsing movements, which give the body of the swimmer a motor impulse forward. After that, the hand performs a movement above the water and returns to its original position for subsequent movements. While one arm is performing the stroke, the other arm moves through the air as relaxedly as possible and enters in front of the shoulder, parallel to the imaginary longitudinal axis of the body.

Full coordination of the movements of the arms, legs and breathing is required when swimming on the back. In this case, regular breathing plays an important role, since it supplies the body with fresh oxygen and removes the used air. Since the head does not turn to inhale when swimming on the back, breathing does not present serious difficulties. It is best to coordinate it with the movement of one hand: exhale - while moving the hands under water, inhale - when moving the hand through the air.

Chapter 6 Air Quenching

In order to harden your body, you can also resort to ordinary air, which we constantly use for breathing. The impact of air on the human body is very high.

Everyone knows that a living organism cannot lead its existence without a constant process of respiration. Firstly, the inhaled air replenishes the body with the substances it needs, such as oxygen, air ions, phytoncides and others. Secondly, when you exhale, harmful gases and substances are removed from the body. Thirdly, under the influence of fresh air, important physiological changes occur in the body. These include quickening and deepening of breathing, activation of metabolism, stabilization of the heart.

The most useful for the body is winter frosty air, because it contains practically no microorganisms that can cause any disease.

But you need to start hardening with air again in the summer. In the warm season, you can accustom yourself to walking before going to bed, when the heat has already subsided and the air has become cool. Especially valuable in summer are walks in the forest or near open water. In these places, where a large number of green plants grow, the air is especially saturated with oxygen, which is necessary for any living organism.

With the advent of autumn, do not stop air hardening. On the contrary, this is the best time to continue strengthening the immune system of your body. In autumn, during dry, windless days, take walks in the air. Better yet, ride a bike or rollerblade.

In winter, outdoor walks are especially beneficial. But even they have their own special rules. With the advent of winter and a sharp drop in air temperature, the body has to rebuild and get used to the new conditions of functioning. You can help him—and ultimately yourself—adapt to these conditions. To do this, take daily walks in the fresh frosty air.

At first, stay in cold air should not exceed 10-15 minutes. Extend your walking time by 5 minutes every day. 1.5-2 hours in the fresh air should be the goal we recommend you strive for.

We can attribute sleep with open vents and windows to air hardening. But before you sleep all night in a room into which frosty air penetrates, ventilate the bedroom before going to bed for 10 minutes. And only after your body gets used to this procedure, leave the window open all night. Initially, you need to sleep with an open window in winter under a blanket. But gradually it must be replaced with a lighter one, eventually abandoning any cover.

Air hardening, properly carried out, cannot cause harm and has no contraindications. But it must be carried out very carefully, adhering to the recommended rules and tips. Experiments with the body do not tolerate negligence, therefore, it is advisable to strengthen immunity (in particular, with the help of air) under the supervision of a doctor or a specialist in the field of traditional hardening.

Proper breathing is the basis of longevity and a healthy life A person's life begins at the moment when he takes his first breath and ends with the last breath. We can live without food for about a month, we can live for about a week without water, without air we can only live for a few minutes. Respiration is the most important biological function, with which all other functions of the body are connected. Thus, breathing is life itself. As is known, without exception, all processes in the Universe are cyclical and all these cycles are interconnected. The rhythm of these cycles is the “breath” of the Universe. Our breathing - inhalation and exhalation - is the most important of all the cycles to which our life is subject. Indian yogis say that each person in each incarnation has a certain number of breaths and exhalations. This means that the one who breathes deeply and calmly will live longer than the one who breathes shallowly, often and fussily. There is great wisdom in this statement, especially since yogis themselves are great experts in how to breathe properly, and are famous for their impeccable health and amazing longevity. They just shake their heads as they watch Westerners squander the divine gift of life, fussing around in hectic activity and, as a result, hastily taking small breaths in and out. Unfortunately, we have to admit that we, civilized people, armed with a large amount of knowledge and skills, do not know how to do the most important thing - we do not know how to breathe! Modern Western man breathes too quickly and shallowly, which is one of the main causes of low vitality and numerous diseases. Our unnatural living conditions in polluted cities, stuffy offices and cramped apartments have caused us to forget the natural rhythm of breathing. Primitive people living in natural conditions did not need to be taught to breathe correctly: the struggle with the elements, the harsh climate, the constant movement in the fresh air trained the lungs and developed the correct breathing habit. In addition, our overloaded emotional life, the constant rushing between passions and fears, literally constricts the throat, compresses the diaphragm and prevents normal, deep breathing. The way we breathe, according to yogis, barely keeps us alive. There is a saying in India: “When all the corners are swept clean, it is not the same as if only the middle of the room is swept.” Our breathing usually allows us to "sweep" only a small part of our lungs. Correct is such breathing, in which the entire volume is involved, all three sections of the lungs - upper, middle and lower. This way of breathing is called “full yogic breathing”. Well-ventilated lungs transfer a large amount of oxygen and prana into the blood - the subtle energy component of the air, the blood circulates more actively, all cleansing and metabolic processes are enlivened. If the blood is not sufficiently supplied with oxygen and prana, it is gradually filled with waste products and toxins, the removal of which is slowed down, and these harmful substances are carried to all tissues and organs, poisoning the body. Most modern people breathe only from the top of their lungs. Such breathing is called "clavicular", and it is especially characteristic of women who, in the pursuit of harmony, tighten their waist and stomach with belts, corsets, tight trousers and skirts. Men breathe a little better, some of them perform middle or intercostal breathing. With this breathing, both the upper and middle sections of the lungs are involved. And only a fraction of a percent of people have abdominal, or abdominal, breathing, in which all three sections are filled with air - the lower, middle and upper. In this breath, the diaphragm is actively involved. This way of breathing is the most correct, it ensures a long and healthy life. What helps to learn how to breathe correctly? First, exercise, especially outdoors. While walking, the volume of inhaled air doubles, while climbing mountains - ten times, while swimming - twenty times. Secondly, special breathing exercises - pranayama and qigong. The sages of India and China understood the importance of breath control for maintaining health, vitality and longevity thousands of years ago. The techniques of breathing exercises developed by them are, without exaggeration, a panacea for a modern urban person from most diseases and mental problems, as they not only restore health to the body, but also help regulate the psyche. Daily practice of full yogic breathing, at least for 15 minutes, significantly improves immunity and helps develop the habit of breathing correctly, with the entire volume of the lungs. And a few more words about the connection between breath and sexuality. Since childhood, our sexual self-consciousness has been enslaved by numerous fears and repressions, and the diaphragm, which plays a huge role in breathing, is literally tightened with the iron shackles of all these repressions. This is another reason why we can't breathe. With the help of a full breath, we release the diaphragm and release the energy of passion and ecstasy, enclosed in the lower abdomen in the sexual chakra. It is no coincidence that the ability to maintain the rhythm of deep full breathing during lovemaking is one of the key techniques. #Tantra yoga. Thus, by practicing full yogic breathing, we can also significantly improve the quality of our sex life.

Most recently, for the first time, I felt a real panic from the fact that I woke up from lack of air. Deep breaths did not help, it was scary. Usually a person breathes without noticing the depth and frequency of breathing, but the time comes and you understand that you need to take care of your health and change something in your life.

In my home library, I accidentally found an interesting book by a coach. According to the author, human culture is determined by the way of life. Here is what he writes:

“The cultural way of life is expressed in the observance of life rules and habits, such as breathing, eating, brushing teeth, cutting nails, clothing…”

It would seem that we know all this, and such information is not a “discovery of America”, but in fact in life we ​​do not observe elementary things, how to eat, dress, breathe, swim, cut our nails, brush our teeth ... we do not delve into the essence of many processes of the body.

I confess that I was very surprised by the article on breathing. Few people know that the air in our houses and apartments is qualitatively different from the air in the open air. Our ventilated rooms have sufficient oxygen but low levels of negative ions. In residential premises (atoms are actively neutralized) in one cubic centimeter they number from 40 to 50, on the street - ten times more, in the mountains, by the sea or in the forest - about 20 thousand per cubic centimeter.

Entering the nasal cavity, then into the lungs, negative ions irritate the nerve endings in the mucous membrane, in the alveoli, thereby enhancing the respiratory function of the lungs. It is on walks, hikes and travels that we can inhale enough of the “vitamins of the air” that are vital to us.

Scientists conducted an experiment with mice and proved that life without negative ions is unthinkable. The mice were only in oxygenated air. Due to the absence of negative ions, all experimental mice died.

It is known that modern medicine recommends that a healthy person breathe only through the nose. The air passing through the nasal passages is warmed, moistened and cleaned of dust and microorganisms. With heavy loads while swimming or running, a person is forced to breathe through both his nose and mouth. When swimming, air is inhaled through the mouth and exhaled through the mouth and nose. More information many of us do not, because they do not attach much importance to such an important process as breathing.

It needs to be known

At rest, we take 16-18 breaths per minute, absorbing about half a liter of air. By extending the breath, you can absorb three times more air.

Slow but deep breathing provides the body with the same amount of oxygen as fast but shallow breathing.

In an untrained person, breathing during exercise becomes much more frequent than in an athlete.

Breathing will be of high quality if it is constantly trained.

Effective breathing exercises in water are known, which are easy to do in a home bath or pool.

In the bath, lying on your back, bend your legs and dive under the water. Inhale as you raise your mouth above the surface of the water and exhale as you lower your head into the water. Try to make the exhalation last three times longer than the inhalation. Exercise is done evenly, slowly, without fatigue 25-40 times.

Water resists exhalation, which gives an additional load to the respiratory muscles. Inhalation is hampered by water pressure on the chest - the respiratory muscles overcome the additional load. Such leisure causes the respiratory muscles to work hard and achieve a complete renewal of oxygen in the lungs. Oxygen is required by the muscles, and the brain and nerve cells.

You can renew oxygen in the lungs by holding your breath or relaxing in the mountains. The rarefied air in the mountains of the Caucasus, in the Peruvian Andes, in the foothills of the Tien Shan, in the Alps contributes to the natural ventilation of the body. It is no coincidence that here is the highest percentage of centenarians. Due to the lack of oxygen, a person takes a deep breath, straightening the entire surface of the lungs, up to the most stagnant areas. After holding the breath, an involuntary deep exhalation always follows.

How to breathe correctly: deep or shallow? The opinion of doctors about this is quite contradictory.

There is an assertion of modern medicine that deep breathing is better than shallow breathing, since with deep breathing oxygen is better absorbed, blood circulation in the chest cavity improves. This is explained by the fact that the surface of the pulmonary vesicles - alveoli is equal to tens of square meters, and the smaller the breath, the smaller part of them comes into contact with fresh air, the greater the proportion in the lungs is stagnant air, saturated not with oxygen, but with metabolic products.

Some physicians believe that one should breathe superficially, shallowly, with pauses. In their opinion, with such breathing, the following physiological chain is activated: breath holding (carbon dioxide accumulates in the brain) - oxygen starvation - excess carbon dioxide - reflex vasodilation - an increase in blood flow and a simultaneous decrease in blood pressure. Accumulating carbon dioxide during slow breathing has a vasodilating effect. Holding the breath has a therapeutic effect in angina pectoris, hypertension and lung diseases.

Many processes in our body (body temperature, internal organs, blood pressure) are difficult to control. Breathing is an involuntary, but regulated process.

These breathing exercises must be brought to automatism.

Exercise 1

The “lower floor” of the lungs is included in the work.

Place your intertwined fingers on your stomach, and take a deep breath, sticking out your stomach by lowering the diaphragm (the chest remains motionless). While tucking in your belly (thereby raising your diaphragm), exhale for a long time.

Exercise 2

Place the interlaced fingers on the stomach, and press the elbows to the sides. When inhaling, spread your elbows to the sides (palms remain on the stomach), as if directing the expansion of the chest to the sides, the shoulders seem to move apart. The abdomen is immobile. It is important that the chest does not protrude forward, but only expands to the sides. As you exhale, press your elbows to your sides.

Exercise 3

The “upper floor” is included in the work (that is, the tops of the lungs are filled with air, inactive during normal shallow breathing).

Fold your fingers on your shoulders near the collarbone, elbows down. While inhaling, raise your elbows through the sides up, while raising your shoulders. Lower your elbows as you exhale.

Learn and combine each of these exercises: inhalation with a protrusion of the abdomen turns into an expansion of the chest, followed by a protrusion of the chest and raising the shoulders - this is a full breath. A “cleansing” full exhalation occurs “from the bottom up”: the stomach is drawn in (the diaphragm rises), the chest falls, and the shoulders fall.

Learning how to breathe correctly with the stomach or chest will help exercises for difficulty breathing, where two types of breathing are used: chest (the chest moves with a relatively motionless front wall of the abdomen) and abdominal (only the stomach works).

These exercises are especially effective for training the "second heart" - the diaphragm. Each exercise is done 2 times.

1. Breathe deeply but slowly, alternating chest and abdominal breathing according to the formula: 4 breaths (thoracic) + 4 (abdominal), 3+3, 2+2, 1+1, 1+1, 1+1, 1+1…
2. Crossing your arms tightly at the bottom of your chest, perform the previous exercise, overcoming the resistance of clenched hands.
3. Take a deep breath, sticking out your stomach as much as possible. On a pause (with a closed glottis), draw in the stomach, lifting and expanding the chest. Exhale.
4. Inhale deeply, drawing in the stomach, raising and expanding the chest as much as possible. On a pause, stick out your stomach as much as possible (the chest will shrink and fall).
5. Take a deep breath - exhale completely. Squat down, clasping your knees with your hands, continuing to exhale as much as possible: as if squeezing the air out of yourself. On a pause - straighten up to your full height, pull your stomach in so that it seems to “dry to your back” and slowly inhale.
6. Take a deep breath - maximum exhalation. On a pause - stick out and pull in your stomach. Inhale slowly.

These active respiratory movements force the diaphragm (the most powerful muscle of the body) to work, which, rising and falling deep into the abdominal cavity, affects the intestines, stomach, and liver. The well-known doctor A. S. Zalmanov in the book “The Secret Wisdom of the Human Body” emphasizes the importance of the work of the diaphragm:

“The diaphragm descends like a perfect pressure pump, compressing the liver, spleen, intestines, stomach, enlivening the entire thoracic and abdominal circulation. It empties the venous system and pushes blood to the chest. This is the second, venous heart."

All this confirms the direct connection between deep breathing and digestive processes.

The following exercises include all areas of the lung tissue.

1. Raise your arms to the sides as you inhale, lower your arms as you exhale.
2. Inhale as you bend, exhale as you straighten up.
3. Do the same movements with the “reverse sign”: when exhaling, raise your arms to the sides-up, while inhaling, lower your hands.
4. Exhale as you bend, inhale as you straighten up.

Repeat reverse (contra) breathing 10 times.

Exercises that include the maximum surface of the lungs with the use of contra-breathing:

1. The exercise is performed while standing. Arms extended above head, fingers interlaced - exhale. As you exhale, bend and lower your arms past your face, chest, abdomen, bend over (do not bend your legs), trying to touch the floor with your palms. Slowly straightening up - exhale.

2. Hands to the side. As you exhale, wrap your arms around yourself, touching your shoulder blades with your fingers, as you exhale, spread your arms.

3. Hands on the belt. As you inhale, sit down slowly and deeply, as you exhale, slowly straighten up.

4. The right leg is in front of the left, the straight right arm is laid back, the straight left arm is forward and upward. As you inhale, vigorously change the position of your hands, swinging your left foot until it touches the toe of your right hand. Return to the starting position - exhale.

5. Sitting on your heels, join your hands behind the "lock". As you inhale, slowly bend down until your forehead touches the floor, while exhaling, slowly straighten up.

6. Sitting on your heels, tilt your head to your knees, straighten your arms forward. As you exhale, stretch forward. Sliding your palms on the floor, to the position lying on your stomach, while inhaling, return to the starting position.

7. Lying on your back while inhaling, raise your straight legs and bending your torso, touch the floor with your toes behind your head, while exhaling, slowly lower your legs.

8. Lying on your back, pull the feet of bent legs to the pelvis, press your hands to the ankles. As you inhale, pull your knees to your stomach with your hands, as you exhale, return to the starting position.

9. Free walking in place with spontaneous breathing.

It is interesting

Breathing is always associated with the state of mind of a person. A clear indicator of changes in the emotional state of a person is the frequency of breathing. At rest - rhythmic and deep breathing, in anxiety - intermittent and rapid. People who control their breathing control their own emotions. It turns out that even holding your breath has a beneficial effect on our body.

We can use a breathing pause at the moment of an emotional breakdown. Any of our irritation can be removed by holding the breath for half a minute.

Dear reader! I will be glad if the article turns out to be useful and interesting to someone. Do you think it is necessary to learn to control your breathing?

Information flashes from book to book: “A person must and can live up to 120-150 years. This age is laid down by nature. But only a few manage to live to a ripe old age and at the same time maintain strength and health. Most people reach the age of 60-70 and come to this milestone with a whole bunch of different diseases.

What prevents us from being healthy even up to 50-60 years?

From the first minutes of birth, a person is exposed to various stimuli. The body is ready for them, it has amazing abilities to adapt to very different conditions: heat or cold, complete rest or vigorous action. But only on condition that we do not interfere with him, we trust him. Otherwise, the body ceases to cope with problems and gives a distress signal - it gets sick. And we treat him. It doesn't matter what - herbal pills or fasting. Sometimes the problem recedes, but soon a new one arises. Why? Because before you treat, you need to think about the essence of the disease, about why it was given to us. You can give the answer to this question right now, after reading just one paragraph of this chapter: a disease is an indicator that we are doing something wrong - we are interfering with the body. And most often we prevent him from breathing properly.

Life begins with breathing. The first action of a child born into the world is a deep breath of air. The functioning of our organs and systems depends on breathing. Beauty, youth and longevity are directly related to our respiratory processes. They regulate our physical and mental activity. Our thoughts and emotions, mood and even manifestation of creative abilities also depend on breathing. Breathing is a reflection of our internal state and interaction with the outside world. Each inhalation and exhalation shapes a person. But at the same time, it is such a natural mechanism that we do not pay any attention to it.

As a rule, we do not think about how we breathe and what we breathe. And in vain. On the one hand, breathing is a physiological process during which natural gas exchange occurs in the body. But on the other hand, breathing is just as important a source of energy as nutrition. During inhalation, vital forces enter along with oxygen. On exhalation, the body is released not only from carbon dioxide, but also from negative energy and tension.

Breathing is a semi-autonomous function. That is, we don’t seem to think about how to inhale or exhale, but if we wish, we can consciously control our breathing, in contrast to our heartbeat.

Let's go back to the beginning of the chapter and try to answer - how, by violating the natural process of breathing, a person prevents the body from replenishing energy and cleansing itself - let's remember what the respiratory system is and how it works.

Breathing is the result of the complex work of an entire organ system.

Lungs are the central organ of the respiratory system.. They consist of tiny vesicles (alveoli) surrounding the bronchioles. There are about 700 million of them. Venous blood enters the alveoli through the pulmonary arteries, and atmospheric air through the respiratory tract.

The main function of the lungs is gas exchange. Gas exchange is the movement of gases and changes in their composition within the body. During gas exchange, oxygen is taken from the consumed gas mixtures and carbon dioxide, various gas impurities, inert nitrogen and water vapor are released.

The respiratory system also includes cavities of the nose and mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi.

First, air enters the nasal cavity and nasopharynx. They are motionless. Their shape is not accidental: the nasopharynx is designed to amplify the sound of our voice, give it timbre and sonority.

Further, the air passes into the pharynx, where the respiratory and digestive tracts intersect, and then into the trachea, where dust and foreign particles settle that can enter the body. In addition, the function of the trachea is to humidify the air. From it, the air flow passes into the bronchi.

The bronchi are tubes that form when the trachea bifurcates. They terminate in bronchioles located in the lungs. The task of the bronchioles is to distribute oxygen. The air reaches the lungs already heated, purified from the main amount of mechanical impurities and moistened.

Respiratory movements are carried out by the diaphragm (it separates the lungs from the abdominal cavity) and the intercostal muscles. When inhaling, the muscles raise the chest, the diaphragm contracts and thickens. As a result of this process, the volume of the lungs increases, and air enters the lungs. The process is similar to that of a conventional pump. When exhaling, the intercostal muscles relax, the diaphragm rises and the air is pushed out of the body.

In the process of gas exchange, oxygen and carbon dioxide are of paramount importance.

Oxygen enters the body with air through the bronchi, then enters the lungs, from there into the blood, and from the blood into the tissues.

Carbon dioxide goes through this chain in the opposite direction: it is formed in the tissues, then enters the blood and from there it is excreted from the body through the respiratory tract.

In a healthy person, these two processes are in a state of constant equilibrium: the ratio of carbon dioxide and oxygen is 3:1.

Carbon dioxide, contrary to popular belief, is necessary for the body no less than oxygen:

The pressure of carbon dioxide affects the cerebral cortex, respiratory and vasomotor centers;

Carbon dioxide provides tone and a certain degree readiness for the activity of various departments of the central nervous system;

Responsible for the tone of blood vessels, bronchi, metabolism, secretion of hormones, electrolyte composition of blood and tissues;

Indirectly affects the activity of enzymes and the rate of almost all biochemical reactions of the body.

Oxygen, on the other hand, serves only as an energy material, and its regulatory functions are limited.

Types of breathing

In a calm state, a person usually inhales and exhales 400-500 ml of a gas mixture. Although the maximum expiratory volume after the deepest breath reaches an average of 3500 ml. This indicator is called the vital capacity of the lungs.

In a healthy person, gas exchange occurs with the same frequency of inhalation and exhalation (16-20 breaths per minute). In children, the respiratory rate is higher. It is 20-30 breaths per minute; in infants - 30-40; in newborns - 40-60. Respiratory rate can fluctuate depending on physical activity, emotional mood, health status. At the same time, each person is able to arbitrarily change the rhythm, depth, structure and level of breathing, use different types of breathing in different situations. Depending on which muscles are working, breathing can be abdominal or diaphragmatic, thoracic or intercostal (which in turn is divided into upper and lower) and mixed or full.

abdominal breathing It is carried out by means of contraction of the diaphragm and muscles of the abdominal cavity with the relative rest of the chest walls. Shoulders drop when inhaling pectoral muscles weaken, the diaphragm contracts and falls. This increases the negative pressure in the chest cavity, and the lower part of the lungs fills with air. This increases intra-abdominal pressure and protrudes the stomach. During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, rises, abdominal wall returns to its original position.

Why do you need

During diaphragmatic breathing massage of the internal organs. Most often, such breathing occurs in men. It also occurs when a person is resting, usually during sleep.

Lower chest breathing engages the intercostal muscles. As a result of muscle contraction, the chest expands outward and upward, air enters the lungs, and inspiration occurs. During lower breathing, only part of the lungs are filled, and only the ribs are involved, but the rest of the body remains motionless. As a result, a full-fledged gas exchange process does not occur.

Why do you need

Lower chest breathing is generally used by women. It is also used by people who are often in a sitting position, because they have to lean forward all the time to read or write.

Upper chest breathing occurs due to the work of the muscles of the clavicles. When inhaling, the collarbones and shoulders rise, and air enters the lungs. In this case, you have to make a lot of effort, because the frequency of inhalations and exhalations increases, and the supply of oxygen is insignificant. Such breathing can be deliberately induced by drawing in the abdomen. Only a small part of the lungs is involved in upper chest breathing, and gas exchange occurs incompletely. As a result, the air is not properly cleaned and warmed.

Why do you need

Women resort to this type of breathing during childbirth.

mixed or full breath sets the entire breathing apparatus in motion. At the same time, all types of muscles work, and the diaphragm, and the lungs are fully ventilated.

Why do you need

Such breathing removes toxins, stimulates metabolism, renews the body.

In this case, breathing can be both deep and shallow. Shallow breathing is light and accelerated. The frequency of respiratory movements is up to 60 movements per minute. At the same time, a silent inhalation and a noisy intense exhalation are made. This allows you to relieve tension from all the muscles of the body. With shallow breathing, the lungs are only partially filled with air.

Only small children breathe superficially. The older the child becomes, the fewer breaths per minute he takes. The breathing of an adult takes on a deep character. During deep breathing, the frequency slows down, the lungs are filled with air as much as possible. The volume of inhalation at the same time exceeds the permissible norm.

But is such breathing beneficial to our health? And what type of breathing is the best?

From childhood, we are taught to breathe deeply during physical and psychological stress. It is believed that the more oxygen enters our body, the better our internal organs will be “nourished” and the longer they will remain healthy.

But it turns out that deep breathing can occur in us and involuntarily the following reasons:

Overeating, especially the abuse of protein and fatty foods;

Taking medications, especially antibiotics, ephedrine, adrenaline, cardiamine;

Physical inactivity (low physical activity);

Bed rest, especially sleeping on the back and right side;

Overheating;

Smells of chemical origin: linoleum, rubber, household paints, etc.;

Neuropsychic tension;

gambling;

Smoking;

Alcohol.

Paradoxically, as early as 1871, the Dutch physician De Costa proved that deep breathing is bad for our health!

The Russian physiologist B. F. Verigo and the Danish scientist N. Bohr simultaneously discovered a phenomenon that became known as the “Verigo-Bohr effect”. They came to the seemingly paradoxical conclusion that An excess of oxygen and a lack of carbon dioxide lead to oxygen starvation.

The fact is that deep breathing saturates the lungs with oxygen, which means it displaces carbon dioxide. To compensate for the loss of carbon dioxide, the vessels shrink. Accordingly, the supply of oxygen also decreases, since it penetrates into the tissues of the body through the same vessels through which carbon dioxide is removed from there.

Therefore, the idea that deep breathing enriches the body with oxygen to the fullest extent is erroneous.

For the normal functioning of the body, it is necessary to maintain the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen established by nature. The desire to increase the oxygen content due to deep breathing leads to oxygen starvation.

From deep breathing after 1-3 minutes:

There is a decrease in pressure or hypotension;

There are swelling, bags under the eyes;

The work of the thyroid gland is disturbed;

The concentration of cholesterol increases, regardless of nutrition.

In addition, science has established a close relationship between breathing and the tone of the nervous system. Obviously, deep breathing removes carbon dioxide as completely as possible. But is it good for the body? Observations have shown that carbon dioxide is a hypnotic, sedative, and even a narcotic substance. Therefore, its decrease in nerve cells leads to their excitation. As a result, symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, memory impairment, and as a result, asthma, hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, etc. appear. In addition, a decrease in carbon dioxide in the blood leads to a decrease in pH. As a result, the environment in the body shifts to the alkaline side, which disrupts the activity of enzymes and vitamins and inevitably leads to improper metabolism, weakened immunity, and allergic reactions.

How to maintain the optimal balance of the depth of breathing, the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide, so as not to harm the body?

What is correct breathing

Most people are confident that they are breathing correctly. Well, what, it would seem, is complicated here. But in most cases we are limited shallow breathing, or vice versa, we focus on the deep. Both of them deviate from the natural norm. Only when health problems begin do we remember our breathing.

Proper breathing involves using the entire volume of your lungs and providing the body with a sufficient amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Proper, healing human breathing consists of three phases:

1) involuntary silent breath (necessarily through the nose);

2) exhalation;

3) a short pause - a respite.

All three phases are always present in the act of breathing. The exhalation is about one second, followed by a pause - about one and a half seconds, and the return of the breath (inhalation) - about a second. The time ratio may vary depending on the type and intensity of the loads. Three-phase breathing is provided for by the laws of nature. And I can assure you it is the most optimal and effective. By the way, it is in a dream that a healthy person breathes as correctly as possible, because breathing is not consciously controlled , because in a dream the control of this process is entirely transferred to the respiratory center.

Three-phase breathing is a cycle that in an untrained person repeats on average 16 times per minute, and in a trained person - about 8-10 times per minute.

Proper breathing facilitates the work of the heart, increases the respiratory movements of the chest and diaphragm, and stimulates the non-cardiac circulation mechanism. It immediately strengthens all the organs of the human body associated with breathing (voice box, lungs and diaphragm). Due to proper breathing, the normal activity of the nervous system is restored, the vital capacity of the lungs increases, the blood and tissues are actively saturated with oxygen, which affects a significant improvement in the general condition and performance.

In order to determine the rhythm of correct breathing, it is necessary to sit on a chair in a free, relaxed posture. Clothing should not constrain the body.

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Follow him, but do not consciously try to interfere with the process. Your task is to follow the sequence of filling and releasing the lungs:

First, gently fill the lower part of the lungs with air so that the stomach moves forward, the diaphragm goes down, then the middle one (this will raise the ribs and chest), and finally the upper one (the collarbones should rise, and the stomach should be pulled up to the spine);

As you exhale, your stomach should draw in, your diaphragm rise, and then your chest and shoulders should drop;

Movements during inhalation and exhalation should be soft, smooth, without sharp shocks and tension;

Repeat 3 times;

On the fourth breath, hold your breath and note the time in seconds;

Exhale and again record the time during which you can do without air entering the lungs;

Compare your results.

In most cases, the duration of inhalation and exhalation will be different. Someone has a short inhale, and someone has an exhale. With proper breathing, the duration of inhalation and exhalation should match. If you have a difference between inhaling and exhaling, it's time to get serious about your health. Once you master the technique of proper breathing, it will become your primary need and habit.

Proper breathing techniques

People have been thinking about what proper breathing is for a long time. The first information on this issue dates back to the VI century BC. The oldest sayings about the method of correct breathing are carved in stone: “When breathing, you need to do the following: hold your breath, it accumulates, if it accumulates, it spreads further, if it spreads further, then it goes down, it becomes calm, if it becomes calm, then it strengthens. If you release it, then it grows, when it has grown, you need to squeeze it again. If you squeeze it, it will reach the top of the head. There it presses on the head, presses down.

The peoples of the East attached philosophical meaning to breathing exercises. Breathing was supposed to control the energy of a person, to exist in harmony with feelings and thoughts.

In European philosophy and medicine, the connection between the breath of the soul, health and life was affirmed. The scientific and technological revolution made it possible to realize that breathing has a significant impact on all the main functions and processes of the body. Thanks to him, you can engage in the prevention of diseases.

20th century research in the field of breathing led to the creation of a number of methods of correct breathing. Initially, these techniques were used for respiratory diseases, as well as in the professional training of singers, announcers, teachers and athletes.

And only in the second half of the XX century. The development of respiratory gymnastics has found wide application in both traditional and alternative medicine.

There are many techniques that normalize breathing, make it right. Among them:

Oriental breathing exercises tai chi qigong;

Technique of respiratory gymnastics bodyflex;

Hyperventilation breathing technique;

The method of three-phase breathing L. Kofler - Lobanova-Lukyanova;

Paradoxical gymnastics by A. N. Strelnikova;

Method of volitional liquidation of deep breathing KP Buteyko.

Which one to choose, you think? And how safe will it be? Frankly, all these techniques are wonderfully combined with each other and everyone can find the best breathing exercises for him. In the table below, you can choose breathing techniques based on your state of health. You will find descriptions of all the mentioned techniques in this book. I have tried some of them on my own experience and have achieved significant changes in the state of health. But, of course, the biggest discovery I made for myself five years ago, when I found a description of the sobbing breathing method of Yuri Vilunas. Nothing could be easier or more natural!

Any of the breathing techniques requires effort and time to master and perform the exercises. You won't be able to breathe like a yogi while walking to or from work, mopping floors, or preparing dinner. Maybe that's why the results from the use of all the listed breathing exercises are not so impressive. While it hurts - I do it, I let go a little - I began to be lazy. That's the way a person is. But the Vilunas method was able to defeat even human laziness.

Comprehensive treatment and prevention of diseases by respiratory techniques