Basic set of breathing exercises. Breathing exercises: types, how to do, what are the benefits Sets of exercises for the respiratory system

Conscious breathing can bring enormous benefits to the body - improving overall well-being, relieving stress and relaxing muscles after a hard workout. We do effective breathing exercises using Strelnikova’s method.

Breathing exercises: benefits and goals

Breathing exercises are a specific sequence of breathing exercises. With its help, diseases of the bronchi and lungs are treated, and the osseous-ligamentous system is strengthened.

The general condition improves: activity and concentration increase, sleep becomes easier, and physical performance is better. Given that breathing exercises can be performed for 30 minutes a day without much effort, the effect is felt almost immediately, and the visible result will not take long to appear.

Purpose and benefits of the breathing exercises complex

Controlled breathing reduces stress, improves alertness and strengthens the immune system. The purpose of breathing practice is the complete healing of the body and knowledge of one’s body. During breathing practice, a person concentrates on his sensations and feels a surge of oxygen in all his cells. And all this happens consciously.

For centuries, yogis have incorporated breathing exercises into daily life to increase inner awareness. Modern research shows that breathing practices can help get rid of anxiety, insomnia, depression and attention deficit disorder.

A conscious way of breathing effectively affects the brain - the heart rate slows down, which helps you quickly calm down and begin to control the release of the “stress hormone” (cortisol).

Breathing practices additionally help:

relax the muscles;
lower blood pressure;
produce more endorphins;
improve the functioning of the lymphatic system;
relieve stress and anxiety.

Methods and exercises of breathing exercises

There are a huge number of techniques and methods of breathing exercises. They all target different physical and mental health issues. Some breathing exercises can be mastered on your own, while others are best practiced with a professional.

Breathing exercises for the abdomen

This type of breathing exercise is easy to practice on your own. During the practice, you fill your lungs with air and push it out using simple abdominal movements.

Lie down on the bed or floor, place one hand on your stomach and inhale slowly through your nose. The stomach should puff up and rise. Then you need to completely push out the air, contracting your abdominal muscles. This type of breathing practice is suitable for losing belly fat.

"Mindful" breathing

The goal of concentrated breathing exercises is to achieve control over breathing and body. During practice, you need to breathe slowly and watch how the air enters and leaves your lungs. Slow breathing helps you relax, as it feels like a calming meditation.

Square breathing exercises

During practice, you need to visualize one side of the square as you inhale, and then the other as you exhale. The process must be continued until you put the square together in your imagination.

Breathing exercises alternate nostrils

The technique helps to quickly cope with excitement and anxiety. Breathe through one nostril first, closing the other with your finger. Then repeat the breathing practice through the second nostril.

Method 4,7,8

This version of breathing exercises was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. The 4, 7, 8 breathing method helps you fall asleep in seconds. How to do it? It’s very simple: inhale for a count of four, then hold your breath for a count of seven, and then exhale for a count of eight.

Breathing exercises from Wim Hof

Wim Hof came up with a deep breathing practice that, on the contrary, should invigorate you. The goal of breathing exercises is to reduce shallow breathing, as it causes “oxidation” of the body. How to do it: several times a day for 5-6 minutes, start breathing as deeply as possible.

Strelnikova: effective breathing exercises

Alexandra Strelnikova’s technique helps fight not only stress and anxiety, but also symptoms of respiratory diseases. The Strelnikova system is a whole complex of 11 breathing exercises. The practice is suitable for all ages in any condition. The creator recommends doing the exercises in the morning - at this time they are much more effective.

Benefits of exercises from Strelnikova’s technique:

improving blood circulation in the lungs;
restoration of nervous system functions;
restoration of nasal breathing;
prevention of respiratory diseases by increasing immunity and general tone;
strengthening the circulatory system and restoring lost functions of the cardiovascular system.

Rules of breathing exercises by Strelnikova

To achieve maximum results, you need to know the basic rules for performing breathing exercises.

One lesson - at least 1300 inhalations and exhalations.
One lesson is at least 30 minutes.
Each exercise - at least 3 approaches, 30 repetitions.
One lesson should include the entire complex of breathing exercises.
The practice needs to be repeated 2 or more times a day - it depends on the sensations and well-being.
We do the practice in the morning before meals.

Breathing exercises by Strelnikova: video for home practice

Include and repeat effective breathing exercises from Alexandra Strelnikova at home.

Have you ever thought about how you breathe? In life, we use less than half the volume of our lungs; we inhale air superficially and rapidly. This wrong approach disrupts the functioning of the body and provokes the appearance of many ailments: from insomnia to atherosclerosis.

The more often we inhale air, the less oxygen the body absorbs. Without holding your breath, carbon dioxide cannot accumulate in the blood and tissue cells. And this important element supports metabolic processes, participates in the synthesis of amino acids, calms the nervous system, dilates blood vessels, stimulates the respiratory center and makes it work in optimal mode.

Why is improper breathing dangerous?

Rapid shallow breathing contributes to the development of hypertension, asthma, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and other diseases. In an effort to replenish the excess loss of carbon dioxide, the body turns on the defense system. The result is overstrain, which leads to increased mucus secretion, increased cholesterol levels, narrowing of blood vessels, spasms of the bronchi and smooth muscles of all organs.

How to normalize the breathing process?

The enrichment of blood with carbon dioxide is facilitated by sleeping on the stomach, fasting, water procedures, hardening, sports activities and special breathing practices. It is also important to avoid stress, overeating, taking medications, alcohol, smoking and overheating, that is, to lead a healthy lifestyle.

What are the benefits of breathing exercises?

Prevention of bronchial diseases (bronchial asthma, obstructive, chronic bronchitis).
Massage internal organs, improve intestinal motility and strengthen the abdominal muscles.
Concentrating and increasing intellectual activity.
Reducing fatigue, combating stress, etc.
A surge of energy, vigor and excellent well-being.
Young, elastic skin and even losing extra pounds.

Five general rules for performing breathing exercises

Start with the lightest, gradually increasing the load.
Train outdoors (or in a well-ventilated area) and wear comfortable clothing.
Don't get distracted while studying. Concentration is important to achieve maximum effect.
Breathe slowly. Slow breathing promotes the greatest saturation of the body with oxygen.
Have fun doing the exercises. If unpleasant symptoms appear, stop training. Consult a specialist regarding reducing the load or increasing the pause between approaches. The only acceptable discomfort is slight dizziness.

Types of breathing exercises

Yoga practice

Many centuries ago, yogis discovered the relationship between breathing and the emotional, physical and mental development of a person. Thanks to special exercises, chakras and channels of perception open. Breathing exercises have a beneficial effect on internal organs, you gain balance and harmony. Yogis call their system pranayama. During exercises, you need to breathe only through your nose.

Pranayama is the ability to consciously control breathing and manage the energy of the body through inhalation and exhalation.

Kapalbhati - belly breathing

Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. Close your eyes and focus your attention on the area between your eyebrows. As you inhale, inflate your stomach: relax the abdominal wall, and the air itself will enter the lungs. As you exhale, pull your stomach towards your spine, the movement should be active. The chest and upper lungs are not involved in the process. Start with 36 breaths. When you get used to it, bring it up to 108.

Nadi shodhana - breathing through the left and right nostrils

Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale and exhale evenly through your left. Perform five cycles (inhalation and exhalation count as one cycle), then switch nostrils. Inhale and exhale through two nostrils - also five cycles. Practice for five days and move on to the next technique.

Inhale and exhale through your left nostril, then close it and inhale through your right. Change fingers, covering alternately the left and right nostril. Perform 10 breathing cycles.

Gymnastics Strelnikova

This gymnastics was developed as a way to restore the singing voice. However, practice has shown that A. N. Strelnikova’s method, based on gas exchange, is capable of naturally and effectively healing the entire body. The exercises involve not only the respiratory system, but also the diaphragm, head, neck, and abdominals.

The principle of breathing is to inhale quickly through the nose every second while doing the exercises. You need to inhale actively, intensely, noisily and through the nose (while the nostrils should close). The exhalation is imperceptible, it happens by itself. Strelnikova’s system includes many exercises, the basic ones being three.

Exercise "Palms"

Stand up, bend your elbows and point your palms away from you. Clench your hands into fists while taking sharp and noisy breaths. After completing a series of eight breaths, rest and repeat the exercise for a total of 20 cycles.

Exercise "Epaulettes"

Place your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width, your hands at waist level, your palms clenched into fists. As you inhale, sharply lower your arms, unclenching your fists and spreading your fingers. Try to tense your hands and shoulders with maximum force. Do eight episodes eight times.

Exercise "Pump"

Leave your legs in the same position. Inhale loudly, slowly bend down and reach your hands towards the floor without touching it. Then smoothly return to the starting position, as if you were working with a pump. Do eight episodes eight times.

Buteyko method

According to K.P. Buteyko (Soviet scientist, physiologist, clinician, philosopher of medicine, candidate of medical sciences), the cause of the development of diseases is alveolar hyperventilation. With deep breaths, the amount of oxygen received does not increase, but the amount of carbon dioxide decreases.

An interesting fact confirms this theory: the volume of the lungs of a patient with bronchial asthma is 10–15 liters, and that of a healthy person is 5 liters.

The goal of this breathing exercise is to get rid of hyperventilation of the lungs, which, in turn, helps to cope with diseases such as bronchial asthma, allergies, asthmatic bronchitis, angina pectoris, diabetes, and so on. The Buteyko system includes artificial shallow breathing, holding, slowing down and difficulty breathing up to the use of corsets.

Initial stage of training

Measure the control pause - the interval from a calm exhalation to the desire to inhale (so that you do not want to breathe through your mouth). The norm is from 60 seconds. Measure your pulse rate, the norm is less than 60.

Sit on a chair, straighten your back and look slightly above your eye line. Relax your diaphragm, starting to breathe so shallowly that your chest feels short of air. You need to stay in this state for 10–15 minutes.

The point of exercises according to the Buteyko method is to gradually reduce the depth of breathing and reduce it to a minimum. Reduce the inhalation volume for 5 minutes, and then measure the control pause. Train only on an empty stomach, breathe through your nose and silently.

Bodyflex

This is a technique for combating excess weight, sagging skin and wrinkles, developed by Greer Childers. Its undeniable advantage is the absence of age restrictions. The principle of bodyflex is a combination of aerobic breathing and stretching. As a result, the body is saturated with oxygen, which burns fat, and the muscles tense, becoming elastic. Start mastering gymnastics with five-stage breathing.

Five-step breathing

Imagine as if you are about to sit on a chair: bend forward, resting your hands on your legs, slightly bent at the knees, put your buttocks back. Place your palms about 2-3 centimeters above your knees.

Exhalation. Purse your lips into a tube and slowly and evenly release all the air from your lungs without any trace left.
Inhale. Without opening your mouth, inhale quickly and sharply through your nose, trying to fill your lungs with air to capacity. The inhalation should be noisy.
Exhalation. Raise your head up 45 degrees. Move your lips as if you were smearing lipstick. Forcefully exhale all the air from your diaphragm through your mouth. You should get a sound similar to “groin.”
Pause. Hold your breath, tilt your head forward and draw in your stomach for 8-10 seconds. Try to get a wave. Imagine that the stomach and other abdominal organs are literally placed under the ribs.
Relax, inhale and release your abdominal muscles.

Muller system

Danish gymnast Jørgen Peter Müller calls for deep and rhythmic breathing without pauses: do not hold your breath, do not take short breaths and exhales. The goals of his exercises are healthy skin, respiratory endurance and good muscle tone.

The system consists of 60 breathing movements performed simultaneously with ten exercises (one exercise - 6 inhalations and exhalations). We recommend starting with easy difficulty. Perform the first five exercises slowly six times. Breathe through your chest and nose.

5 exercises to strengthen your core muscles

Exercise No. 1. Starting position: hands on the belt, feet next to each other, back straight. Alternately raise and lower your straight legs forward, to the sides and back (one leg as you inhale, the other as you exhale).

Exercise No. 2. Place your feet a short stride apart. As you inhale, bend back as far as possible (with your head), push your hips forward, bend your hands clenched in fists at the elbows and hands. As you exhale, bend down, straighten your arms and try to touch the floor with them. Do not bend your knees.

Exercise No. 3. Keep your heels closed and do not lift. As you inhale, tilt your torso to the left, while simultaneously moving your half-bent right arm behind your head. Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat the movements to the right side.

Exercise No. 4. Spread your feet as far apart as possible. Heels point outward and arms hang loosely at your sides. Turn your body: right shoulder back, left hip forward, and vice versa.

Exercise No. 5. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, slowly raise your arms in front of you. Do a deep squat as you exhale. Straighten up and lower your arms.

Contraindications

No matter how great the benefits of breathing exercises are, they should be performed carefully. Consult your physician before starting any activity. Gradually increase your exercise to avoid the unpleasant symptoms of hyperventilation.

Breathing exercises are contraindicated for people after surgery and with certain diseases. Limitations are severe hypertension, a high degree of myopia, previous heart attack, glaucoma in the acute stage of the disease against the background of hyperthermia, ARVI, decompensated cardiovascular and endocrine pathologies.

Surprisingly, it is true: the natural process of inhalation and exhalation can greatly change your life. Correctly selected breathing technique can improve health and provide. The main thing is the desire to learn and a competent approach.

Breathing exercises according to Strelnikova are based on exercises where inhalations must be taken at the end of the movement, when the chest is compressed. The technique was invented by a mother who was giving a lesson

Strelnikova - breathing exercises - essence and advantages

Once, during another heart attack, Alexandra Strelnikova tried to breathe the way her mother taught her, and the suffocation gradually subsided. From that time on, she began to constantly perform breathing exercises and did not have any health problems. Many famous singers and actors studied with the Strelnikovs, the technique was so impressive that Alexandra filed documents and received a patent for her breathing exercises.

Strelnikova’s gymnastics activates the entire immune system of the body.

The exercises initially helped restore the voice; later Strelnikova managed to cure her student and follower Mikhail Shchetinin from bronchial asthma. Doctors do not have a clear opinion, but consider the technique to be an effective tool in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory, nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Advantages of the method:

Combination with cyclic exercises (running, swimming, walking).
Restoration of diseased organs.
Disease prevention.
Positive effect on the entire body.
Lack of special conditions for classes.
Increased lung capacity.
Availability for adults and children.

The method is called paradoxical, because during inhalation the chest is in a compressed state, and not in an expanded state. However, exercise does not cause fatigue, and ventilation increases 5 times. Breathing is performed during movement, the entire energy balance of the human body is restored.

Indications and contraindications of the technique

The technique has a positive effect on all metabolic functions of the body, blood supply to organs and systems, helps restore impaired breathing and strengthen blood vessels.

chronic depression;
neurotic conditions;
pregnancy period;
inflammation of the lungs and bronchi, asthma;
heart diseases;
hypertension;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
previous heart attacks and heart rhythm disturbances;
post-stroke conditions, headaches and epileptic ailments; thyroid disorders and diabetes;
viral, inflammatory and skin diseases;
impotence;
excess weight and smoking.

Gymnastics can be done in parallel with the use of medications; healthy people perform exercises for prevention.

Strelnikova’s gymnastics is contraindicated in the following cases:

acute conditions with elevated temperature;
severe pathologies;
acute thrombophlebitis.

In any situation, without first consulting a doctor, you should not prescribe this complex to yourself.

Breathing exercises by Strelnikova

You need to start training with the initial 3 exercises, twice a day, adding more exercises every day. Initially, increase the rest time between movements to ten seconds, instead of three to five.

The main feature of the method is a strong and sharp inhalation through the nose.

You need to exhale arbitrarily, preferably through your mouth. The frequency of movements is 100-120 times per minute. Don't spend more than half an hour on a lesson. Strelnikova recommends exercising throughout your life, once a day. Movements 2 to 10 are performed in 12 sets of 8 breaths (12 x 8).

No. 1–Palms

Stand up straight, bend your elbows, palms forward. Take rhythmic breaths through your nose (4 in a row), clenching your palms into fists. Lower your arms and rest for 4 seconds. Exhale freely through your mouth. 24 approaches in any position (lying, standing or sitting). If difficulties arise, increase the rest to 10 seconds.

No. 2 – Shoulder straps

Stand straight, press your hands to your stomach, clenching your fists. Inhaling, you sharply push your fists down, tensing your shoulders. Return your arms back to waist level, relax your shoulders as you exhale. 8 breaths – pause 4 seconds. (12 x 8).

No. 3 – Pump

Stand straight, feet at shoulder distance, arms down along the body. Perform a slight bend forward (back rounded, head down), stretch your hands to the floor without reaching it. Inhale at the same time as you bend over. Then exhale, not straightening up completely. The rate of inclines is from 100 per minute. (12 x 8). If you suffer from head or back injuries, do not bend over too much.

No. 4–Cat

Stand up straight, feet shoulder-distance apart. Squat down a little, turning to the right and taking a sharp breath. Return to your original position. Repeat the movement to the left. The knees are slightly bent, the hands perform grabbing movements. Keep your back straight and turn at the waist. (12 x 8).
#5 – Hug your shoulders

In a standing position, bend your elbows and raise them to shoulder level. Take a sharp breath, hugging yourself by the shoulders without crossing your arms. (12 x 8). If it’s hard, perform 4 movements.
No. 6–Big pendulum

Stand straight, legs apart, narrower than shoulders. Lean forward, stretching your arms toward the floor and inhaling. Then you come back, wrap your arms around your shoulders and inhale again. (12 x 8). Can be performed while sitting. If you have diseases of the spine, you should not bend backwards.

Having mastered the first six exercises, proceed to the remaining ones, adding one per day.

#7 – Head turns

Stand straight, legs narrower than shoulders. Turn your head to the right - inhale, to the left - inhale. Exhale between breaths. (12 x 8).

No. 8 – Ears

Stand up straight, legs narrower than shoulders. Tilt your head to the right, touching your ear to your shoulder - inhale, head to the left - inhale. Exhale between breaths (12x8).

Stand straight, legs narrower than shoulders. Tilt your head forward, looking at the floor, inhale, back (looking up) - inhale. Exhale between breaths. (12 x 8).

For head injuries, pathologies of the upper spine and epilepsy, exercises 7-9 can not be performed completely, but inhale sharply.

No. 10 – Rolls

Stand up straight, left leg forward, right leg back. Transfer your body weight to your left leg, bend your right leg and place it on your toe. Squat on your left leg while inhaling strongly. Straighten your leg and shift your weight to your right. Squat on your right leg, inhaling. (12 x 8).

#11 – Steps

Front step. Stand straight, feet at shoulder distance. Raise your left leg, bending it at the knee, to your stomach (the toe stretches down). Squat on your right leg while inhaling noisily. Take the starting position. Repeat with the other leg. 8 times 8 breaths. Rear step. Bend your left leg at the knee, reaching your buttocks with your heel. Squat on your right leg and inhale. Repeat with the other leg. 4 times 8 breaths. For limb injuries, thrombophlebitis, heart disease, raise your legs low, pause for 10 seconds.

We all know that physical activity is necessary to lose weight. But what should those who do not have the time and opportunity for full training in the gym do? An alternative could be breathing exercises for weight loss, which do not require a lot of effort and take a little time, but, nevertheless, it is really effective. How does it work, and how to breathe to lose weight? Let's try to figure it out.

Breathe correctly to lose weight. This seems strange to many, because it seems that there is no connection at all. Nevertheless, it is there, and very close. The essence of breathing exercises is to return to natural breathing. Breastfed babies always breathe deeply, with their stomachs, and their diaphragm takes an active part in the process. The lungs are completely filled with air and are completely released from it when you exhale. As we grow older, we lose this ability and breathe through our chest. In this case, the diaphragm and lower parts of the lungs are involved in this process very little, the air is not completely exhaled.

But full saturation of the body with air is extremely important, in particular for losing weight. Due to the fact that the cells receive enough oxygen, the body metabolism accelerates, respectively, fats are burned more actively. Improves digestion, from the body waste and toxins are actively removed. Oxygen promotes the oxidation and breakdown of fat. Another benefit of breathing exercises for weight loss is that they calm, reduce the production of stress hormones, while simultaneously increasing the production of happiness hormones. As a result, we fight depression, feel calmer and more harmonious, getting rid of the need to eat away stress.

Breathing exercises are beneficial for the body as a whole, and it has the following advantages:

reduces hunger;
stimulates digestion;
breaks down and oxidizes fat cells;
provides the body with additional energy resources;
increases the body's defenses;
helps cleanse the body of harmful substances;
calms down.

What is the name of breathing exercises for weight loss? It all depends on the technology. The most popular trends today are bodyflex and oxisize. Learn about bodyflex with Marina Korpan in. Both work with full breathing, but there are certain differences. It takes only 15 minutes to complete both complexes. In bodyflex, the essence is to hold your breath for 8-10 seconds after taking a deep exhalation. Exercises are done specifically during the delay. With oxidation, short “inhalations” and “exhalations” are made. That is, taking a deep breath, we take three small breaths, and, after exhaling deeply, we take three short breaths.

Preparing for breathing exercises

Breathing exercises for weight loss will help you get in shape in just 15 minutes a day. It does not require a trainer, special equipment or clothing.

Breathing exercises have contraindications. You should not exercise during pregnancy, increased intracranial pressure, bronchial asthma, glaucoma, certain heart and vascular diseases, or after recent operations. If you have any diseases, be sure to consult your doctor first.

How to properly do breathing exercises for weight loss, It is important to consider the following rules:

You need to exercise regularly. In the process of losing weight - every day, and when you have already achieved results, you can do exercises three times a week to consolidate it.
Do not exercise immediately after eating. In general, the best time is in the morning on an empty stomach. You can drink water during class.
It is important to provide yourself with a sufficient supply of oxygen. Ventilate the room in which you will practice. In the warm season, it is ideal to do gymnastics in an open space.

It is recommended to start with one exercise, with the help of which you will accustom yourself to proper breathing.. Lie on your back, place your palms on your stomach, inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. As you inhale, your diaphragm should smoothly fall down towards your legs, and your stomach should inflate to the maximum. As you exhale, the diaphragm moves upward towards the head, and the stomach retracts. It is important to use the stomach as much as possible, while the chest should remain almost motionless. You need to inhale exclusively through your nose, and exhale through your mouth.

To begin with, it is enough to do the exercise for a minute, gradually increasing this time. If you are unaccustomed to breathing correctly, then at first you may experience weakness and dizziness. Only after going through the preparatory stage and mastering the basic principles of proper breathing, you will be able to include other exercises in the complex and fully perform them.

You should not start a full set of exercises without being prepared. Otherwise, negative consequences are possible in the form of dizziness, hyperventilation and even loss of consciousness. It is important to start breathing exercises gradually. Even one exercise, performed fully, will help you lose weight. Fat will begin to be burned already at the preparatory stage.

How to lose weight with breathing exercises: exercises

Breathing exercises for weight loss combine the basics of proper breathing with working different muscle groups. This allows oxygen access to fat cells, so they will begin to be actively burned. The muscles will become stronger, which will ensure a decrease in centimeters in problem areas.

Marina Korpan system

The exercises developed by Marina Korpan will help you notice obvious results after just two weeks. The woman is the author of the method and book “How to remove belly fat.” At one time, she herself got rid of excess weight, so all the principles of gymnastics were proven to her herself. The basic principles in this case are as follows:

Inhale smoothly through your nose, then take two more short breaths, then a long exhale and two short ones. Try to engage your stomach as much as possible while keeping your chest still. It is necessary to repeat 2-3 times.
Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, deeply and slowly. As you exhale, pull your stomach toward your back, while inhaling, push it forward. Repeat the exercise 3-4 times.
Take a deep breath, lower your head and draw your stomach in tightly. Then, as you exhale, empty your lungs as much as possible of air and hold your breath for a few seconds. Repeat three times.

Marina Korpan offers a wide list of exercises for different parts of the body. She also insists on the importance of proper nutrition and recommends avoiding fatty, fried and salty foods. There is no need to adhere to strict diets and strict restrictions. Eat in small portions: small portions and often.

Alexandra Strelnikova's system

It was developed in the middle of the last century. Strelnikova, being an opera singer, originally developed it for voice restoration. A little later it was discovered that this technique is useful for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, disorders of the nervous system, problems with the respiratory system, gynecological and urological diseases, and it also helps to lose weight.

The essence of the technique is that you need to inhale through your nose, actively, noisily and quickly, and exhale, on the contrary, through your mouth, slowly and effortlessly. In this case, while inhaling, the chest should contract, not unclench. Direct exercises are done while inhaling.

The Strelnikova complex includes 11 exercises. It is recommended to start with the first three, gradually adding one new one to them:

Take a standing position. Place your arms bent at the elbows, palms forward. Take four quick breaths while rhythmically clenching your palms into fists. Then lower your arms, rest for four seconds and exhale in a relaxed manner. It is recommended to repeat the exercise 24 times.
Stand up straight, press your palms clenched into fists to your stomach. Inhaling air, push your arms down and tense your shoulders. Then return your hands to their place, relax and exhale. Repeat the exercise 8 times, then rest for four seconds.
Standing straight, lower your arms parallel to the floor. As you inhale, lean forward and reach for the floor with your hands without touching it. As you exhale, do not straighten up completely. It is recommended to perform the exercises quickly - about 100 times per minute.

Once you have mastered these exercises, you can move on to others. They are also recommended to be performed with good access to fresh air.

Breathing exercises for losing weight in the abdomen and sides

place your feet shoulder-width apart;
bend your knees slightly;
place your palms on your thighs just above your knees;
Inhale and exhale deeply several times;
then take a strong, deep exhale;
take a sharp breath through your nose, inflating your stomach;
exhale deeply through your mouth, fully drawing in your stomach, hold your breath;
when pausing, keeping your stomach pulled in, place the elbow of your left hand on the knee of your leg on the same side;
straighten your straight leg and extend it to the side so that it does not leave the ground;
extend your arm straight above your head, feeling the tension in the side muscles;
hold in this position for 10 seconds;
inhaling, return to the starting position, repeat the exercise 3-5 times for each side.

Breathing exercises for the hips

Consider an effective exercise for losing weight on your thighs:

The exercise is performed in a sitting position on the floor. Place your left leg on your right, bend them at the knees;
place your right palm on your left knee;
place your left hand behind your back;
in this position, exhale and inhale, then take a deep breath and exhale sharply, strongly drawing in your stomach as you inhale;
during the pause, you need to pull your left knee towards you and twist your body to the left;
turn your head and try to look behind you;
you should feel how the thigh muscles and lateral abdominal muscles work;
you need to hold for 10 seconds, then inhale.

Repeat the exercise 3-5 times, then change position, and repeat it the same number of times on the other side.

The effectiveness of breathing exercises is confirmed by numerous good reviews about it. Remember that all the benefits and effectiveness lie in proper breathing. If you find it difficult to learn it on your own, you can consult with a specialist who practices breathing exercises, or watch a video.

Breathing exercises for weight loss: video exercises

There are several popular systems of breathing exercises in the world, but the legacy that the great Patanjali left us still remains at unattainable heights, and in its uniqueness and multifaceted functionality, no other direction has been able to surpass the developments of the ancient yogic school.

In this article we will tell you the benefits of performing breathing exercises for the body and their beneficial effects on a person’s emotional and mental state. You will learn to manage your emotions through breathing practices.

A set of breathing exercises

A set of breathing exercises will be useful to anyone interested in a healthy lifestyle. Breathing is involved in all vital processes of the body. A person cannot live even a few minutes without it. Proper breathing will help normalize the functioning of internal organs and glands, improve blood circulation and, along with it, provide oxygen to the cells of the body, which previously lacked a vital element.

Gas exchange in the lungs depends on whether a person breathes correctly. If breathing is shallow and insufficient, then oxygen will not be delivered to those cells that need it. Proper breathing and its effect on blood flow is significant, since it is thanks to proper gas exchange and the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen that the body will receive nutrients delivered through the blood.

Much more can be said about the importance of breathing and how vital it is to learn to control it. Yes, breathing can be controlled, and the practice of yoga calls this the art of controlling and distributing prana in the body, or pranayama. Prana is the energy that we cannot see with our eyes, but it exists. This is not a synonym for the word “oxygen”, but much more. Prana is a life-giving energy that exists in everything around us: in food, living organisms, air, light, etc. This is what gives the Universe life.

Breathing exercises for calmness

Let's first understand what we mean by such a term as “breathing exercises for calming” and what we can understand by calming. As practice shows, this is a matter of paramount importance. If you understand by calmness physical calm, relaxation and complete comfort for the body, then to achieve such goals you must perform one set of breathing exercises.

If by calming exercises you mean primarily the psychological aspect, freeing the mind from thought processes, or at least reducing the flow of thoughts and slowing down the internal dialogue, then this will be a different conversation, because although physical and mental calming can go hand in hand, and usually mental Relaxation promotes physical calm, but these states can also occur separately from each other, that is, you can be physically active and at the same time mentally calm and relaxed.

The inverse relationship is somewhat more complicated, since psychological tightness or nervousness will affect the physical state, because the psychological and mental levels in terms of the hierarchy of human bodies are higher than the basic physical one. Based on this, we understand that the mental and psychological state plays a big role in controlling the physical body.

Let's remember the moment when you came home from work, sat comfortably in a chair and generally feel physically relaxed, while the brain still continues to function in the same mode as at work, i.e. it has not switched, did not disconnect from old programs. He continues to replay the stories of the day, which also does not help calm him down, and this happens day after day. The thought process does not leave us for a minute. We cannot talk about peace in its pure form if the brain is constantly comparing something, reviewing details, analyzing. This machine is constantly working, and most importantly, it is very difficult to stop.

Stopping the thought process with breathing exercises

Meditation techniques are used to stop the thought process, thus ultimately achieving complete relaxation, not just physical. But in order to enter into meditation, to start meditating, it is best to start with breathing techniques. They will help you concentrate, reduce the flow of mental images, and with constant practice it will become possible to completely stop it and, as a result, truly calm down.

Thoughts are what make us restless almost all the time. Unfortunately, we have no power over them, but it only seems so at first glance. A person can and should be the master of his thoughts so that, at his own request, he can concentrate on fruitful thought forms, selecting and weeding out unnecessary ones. This is what the practice of dharana teaches - concentrating thoughts on one thing.

You can also learn not to think at certain moments when it is necessary to really calm down. If you understand by calmness to be a focus on positive emotions and memories, then this is not yet real calmness. This is just a way to temporarily avoid negative thoughts, but they will come back again, so this approach is, to put it mildly, counterproductive and is just a form of avoidance. For those of you who don’t want to return to where you started every time, you need to master meditation techniques, the best of which are associated with yoga breathing exercises -.

Yoga: breathing exercises

Yoga breathing exercises - pranayama - generally have a good preventive and therapeutic effect on the body, not to mention the fact that the calming effect on the psyche achieved when performing them is stable and has a beneficial effect on mental processes. If you want to learn in practice what it means to turn off the flow of thoughts, at least for a short time, then you can hardly think of anything better than pranayamas. From the entire list of pranayamas, we will select those that are best to start with and that will also allow you to experience meditation.

Anuloma Viloma;
Chandra Bhedana pranayama;
Samavritti pranayama;
Full yogic breathing.

There are many pranayamas in the practice of yoga, but it is undesirable to use Bhastrika and Kapalbhati, because these 2 breathing techniques ventilate the lungs very strongly, and it is better to use them only in combination with other pranayamas, since on their own they will not give a calming effect. While combining them with other types of pranayamas can be effective, but for this you need to have enough practice experience to skillfully create a complex of breathing techniques that is safe for your body and at the same time leading to the desired result.

Performing pranayamas that include kumbhaka, i.e. Holding your breath while inhaling or exhaling is possible, but you should wait until you have mastered basic breathing techniques well. Only after this can you engage in the practice of holding your breath, starting with very short periods of time: for 3-4 seconds.

Yogic breathing exercises are designed in such a way that by performing them, you fill the body with that same amazing energy - prana, which we have already talked about. It moves along internal nadis, there are hundreds and even thousands of them. The three most important of them are located along the spinal column, if we try to explain them from an anatomical point of view to make it clearer. However, these channels are energetic, that is, they are invisible.

Through Ida - the lunar channel on the left, Pingala - the solar channel on the right, and the central, most important - Sushumna - pranic energy passes and is distributed. By performing full yogic breathing and pranayama, you activate the flow of prana through these channels, filling your body with life.

Breathing exercises in yoga as preparation for deep meditation

For those who are just starting to take their first steps in the practice of pranayama, it is best to first master full yogic breathing. It consists of 3 stages: abdominal, thoracic and clavicular. The essence of such breathing is contained in the name itself - it is complete. Your breathing calms down and becomes deeper and more measured. Your thoughts concentrate on the breathing process; this alone prevents you from rushing or taking shallow breaths and insufficient exhalations. Gradually, through the breathing process itself, you relax, even if you were physically tense, because when the abdominal region is involved in the breathing process, the body itself smoothly relaxes.

Next comes the removal of emotional stress, and by concentrating on the processes of inhalation and exhalation, the mind also switches, its work becomes less intense, the thought process slows down, thus having a calming effect on the emotions and psyche, not only on the body. With the inclusion of full yogic breathing in your daily practice, even with its help you can for the first time understand what a state of thoughtlessness is, when the thought process is stopped, at least for a while. This is the beginning of real meditation, then it can be deepened, and performing pranayamas and full yogic breathing can be the key for you that will open the door to meditation.

Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system

All yoga exercises help to calm the nervous system to one degree or another. Some are more, others are less. In order to get your nerves in order, you can start practicing pranayama such as:

Apanasati or otherwise known as Anapanasati pranayama;
Nadi shodhana or Anuloma Viloma - they are similar, the only differences are in the moment associated with kumbhaka;
Samavritti pranayama, or “square breathing”;
Shitali pranayama, or “cooling breath”. Its essence is not in cooling you down, but in calming you down;
Chandra bhedana pranayama also refers to “cooling” in the same sense as described above;
Full yogic breathing completes this list of breathing exercises to calm the nervous system.

Yogic breathing practices, along with the practice of asanas, have a very organic effect on the psyche, strengthening the nervous system and increasing stress resistance. If you decide to practice breathing exercises regularly, after a short time you will notice how your way of thinking changes. You will begin to pay less attention to trifles, small, annoying moments that just recently irritated and drove you crazy.

A new outlook on life will be the factor that will help you be more balanced. Thoughts penetrate and govern all areas of life, therefore, by changing your breathing, you can change the very direction of thoughts, and this will help you react less to external stimuli, but be more aware of the series of events and their significance in your life. This way, not only will your life become more balanced, but you will be able to take control of it and become a co-creator of your life path.