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Questions &
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Movement and Breath
Coordinated breathing is the key to performance for all movement.
Although meditation sitting is the classic practice
for understanding breath and life itself, it's often easier to learn correct
breathing while moving. Swimming is a perfect example since easy movement
in the water depends on breathing and relaxation.
There's no way around this paradox – your
emotional state is linked to your breathing and, therefore, your body's
functioning, relaxed or not.
And, physically trying harder doesn't get you as
far.
The following compares various forms of movement and sport and how breathing is addressed for each.
Tai Chi –
Each set of movements or forms follows the principles of:
- in and out;
- open and close;
- up and down and
- left and right actions.
Tai
Chi breathing follows the same patterns
as the movements.
Inhaling is" in" or "close";
exhaling is "out" or "open". According to tai chi
teachers, this breathing pattern enhances
natural breathing, making it deeper and more even.
This new (to me) form of exercise is performed vertically in chest deep water, using natural, snake-like movements. The result is a deep sense of relaxation, increased flexibility and most importantly, wonderfully correct breathing.
Stress or anxiety can cause a person to breathe in an unnaturally forced way, expanding the chest and contracting the abdomen. Ai chi addresses both the physical and emotional effects of stress because the practitioner breathes not from the chest but rather the diaphragm. This is a similar benefit as that of meditation and martial arts, among others.
To find out more about Ai Chi, visit the Aquatic Exercise Association website to order their products.
Scuba Diving –
Divers know that safety and control of their movements underwater depends upon relaxed breathing. Divers never hold their breath, but inhale and exhale a normal breath steadily.
Moreover, experienced divers will master "Neutral Buoyancy". This means that a fully equipped diver hangs suspended in the water without effort or jerky up-and-down movements. Depth is controlled by the diver's own breath; exhaling causes a slow descent, while inhaling results in a gradual rise. Relaxed breathing and movements plus neutral buoyancy is what this low-key spectator sport is all about, really feeling a part of that rich sea world that's otherwise hidden.
Yoga –
The most important part of any yoga study is breath, or pranayama.
Classes
may traditionally begin attention to their breath with the "OM"
and end with a prayer or sitting meditation. In class, yoga practitioners
assume the same positions or asanas in the same order each time, and attention
to the breath is paid thruout. The result of this practice is balanced,
relaxed, detoxifying breathing, in harmony with the joints and spine.
Students learn to pay close attention to themselves in a non-judgemental
way, concentrating on breathing through the poses they're taught.
Like swimming, optimum development
of yoga depends on controlled breathing.
And also like swimming, relaxing enables one to
benefit from the great physicality yoga offers.
Kung Fu – I'm working on it right now...
Boxing – soon, soon...
There is also a wealth of information on breathing practices while sitting or resting.
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I can recommend a good audiotape/CD by Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. titled "Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing". I've tried it out and liked it.
- I found this website, as well, for the Carl Stough Institute of Breathing Coordination, Inc. Here's an article on how to improve your breathing, at http://www.carlstough.org/selfhelp/helpyou1.html
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Read
about these movements and breathing techniques:
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Tai
Chi
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Correct
breathing
is easiest
to learn
while
you're
moving –
by
swimming
or doing
tai chi, for
example.
