Full yogi breathing: technique of execution. Breathing yoga (pranayama) for weight loss

We breathe deeply when we feel good. We feel stiffness in the solar plexus in moments of pain, anger or fear. And we hold our breath during the most significant moments of our lives. Our emotional state certainly affects how we breathe. At the same time, in the East, the opposite has been known for several thousand years: breathing in yoga is a powerful tool for controlling the psyche, capable of not only regulating emotions, but also opening up qualitatively new levels of perception for us.

A special branch of yoga - pranayama - teaches proper breathing control. However, before seriously studying pranayama, it is important for those who are just beginning to immerse themselves in the practice to master the basic principles of proper breathing in yoga for beginners: without this foundation, all our efforts in the classroom will not bring the desired result.

Principles of proper breathing in yoga for beginners:

Let's use the aperture. The diaphragm is a muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities. When you inhale, lowering, it expands the volume of the lungs, and when you exhale, it returns to its original position. For most people, chest breathing is common, in which the diaphragm moves slightly and the air fills mainly the upper part of the lungs. Such breathing cannot provide the body with oxygen fully and over time leads to malfunctions in its functioning.
In yoga classes for beginners, we learn to “breathe with the stomach”: inhaling, we inflate the stomach, leaving the chest motionless, and exhale, drawing it in again. In this way, we provide more amplitude movement of the diaphragm and expand the working area of the lungs, allowing air to penetrate into their lower sections.

This type of breathing is natural for humans: it is easy to see that this is exactly how children breathe. However, due to stress, constant running and not the most healthy lifestyle, our stomach becomes more and more tense, our breathing becomes more and more shallow. Society, where a flat stomach is considered aesthetic, also plays a role in this.

Not everyone succeeds in diaphragmatic breathing the first time. A simple exercise can help here. Lying on your back, bend your knees and place one hand on your stomach, the other on your chest. Breathe so that the hand on your chest remains motionless, and the hand on your stomach rises with inhalation and falls with exhalation. Only after you have mastered the correct breathing in yoga for beginners, you can move on to full yoga breathing - consistently filling the lower, middle and upper sections of the lungs.

By relaxing the abdomen and diaphragm, we are able to gradually get rid of the tension accumulated in this area and respond more effectively to new stress. The great yogi B.K.S. Iyengar in his book “Conversations on Yoga” writes: “If the diaphragm is straightened, it can withstand any load.”
Breathe slowly and deeply.“Pranayama” literally means “control of prana” or “expansion of prana” when translated from Sanskrit. Prana is vital energy that we receive from various sources, including through breathing. The better and more fully we breathe, the more energy we accumulate in the body.
Correct breathing when doing yoga is slow and deep breathing. It allows you not only to relax the body, but also promotes maximum energy gain.
Let's maintain the rhythm. The transition from one asana to another is accompanied by a certain breathing rhythm. The main rule: movements directed upward (raise your arms, straighten your spine, bend over) are performed while inhaling, and movements directed downward (bend over, round your back) are performed while exhaling. Dynamic complexes, for example “Salutations to the Sun,” are especially subject to rhythm.
But even when performing static asanas, breathing in yoga should not stop. Each exhalation should be used to relax a little more and enter the position deeper.

DO YOGA WITH FUN

Start lesson. Sometimes we involuntarily tense up and hold our breath. Yoga instructor and AnySports.tv expert Vasily Kondratkov recommends to beginning students: “It is necessary to monitor such delays and start correct breathing in yoga again and again. The reason for the delay may be too high a load. In this case, it is worth reducing it, that is, simplifying the asana. No difficult pose will be beneficial if you cannot breathe deeply in it.”

Breathing as a tool of awareness. Proper breathing during yoga not only allows you to get the desired effect from performing asanas, but also puts you into a special meditative state. In classical sources, breathing is described as a “bridge from the physical to the spiritual,” a way to go beyond the usual boundaries of perception. By concentrating on inhalation and exhalation, we are aware of what is happening here and now, we are fully present in our own body. This is meditation.

You can control your attention with the help of breathing more precisely. Taking a pose that is unusual for the body, sometimes we experience tension and even pain. Of course, severe pain should not be endured, but some unpleasant sensations are still inevitable when our body is not yet flexible enough. In such cases, you can hear mysterious words from yoga teachers: “Breathe into your pain.” What does it mean? The best way to relax tight areas of your body, such as opening your pelvis or stretching your hamstrings, is to imagine your body “breathing in” and “breathing out” in that area. You will notice that after just a few breathing cycles the tension will begin to subside.

By practicing conscious breathing in yoga, you can gradually get rid of old blocks and clamps that fetter our body and prevent the movement of energy, causing poor health and emotional imbalance.

Correct breathing in everyday life. Practicing proper breathing during yoga does not stop at the mat. The habit of constant diaphragmatic breathing will help maintain health and more effectively overcome stress. Start small: breathe with your belly for a few minutes when you're worried. You'll see - calm will return much faster!

Photo: bigstock.com

The uniqueness of yoga lies in its comprehensive approach to all factors of the human body. A competent technique for performing exercises, combined with measured breathing and the ability to meditate, forms a system from which it is impossible to exclude even one component. Consider breathing practice as an aid to weight loss.

Benefits of breathing yoga for the body

The history of breathing yoga goes back at least 5 thousand years. Exercises based on proper breathing are called pranayama, translated from Sanskrit meaning “breath control.” They activate metabolism, this process, in turn, guarantees the breakdown of fats. Since stabilizing metabolism improves brain activity, the functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous and digestive systems, and strengthens body tone, the importance of breathing yoga is difficult to overestimate.

What else is useful about yoga pranayama - breathing for weight loss? It normalizes blood sugar levels, removes toxins, has a cleansing effect on the liver, reduces hunger, and, of course, gives an indescribable feeling of cheerfulness and a slim, toned figure.

How to control your breathing correctly

In order for the classes to give the desired effect, you should master the technique of their implementation, among which the following points stand out:

Definition of rhythm. The posture should be comfortable, the pulse beats should be calm and even. The duration of each inhalation is 6 beats: two to fill each area of the lungs (lower, middle, upper).
Inhalation is carried out slowly, the chest increases in size, and the stomach tightens.
(as far as strength is enough).
Exhale through the mouth (also for 6 beats).

When performing exercises, it is necessary to ensure that inhalations and exhalations are carried out by tensing the muscles located on the abdomen. After class, you should sit in a relaxed position for at least a couple of minutes, not thinking about anything, completely detaching yourself from the world around you and everyday problems.

For people who constantly experience stress, breathing yoga is perfect, because it allows you to find harmony and mental balance.

Breathing yoga for weight loss will be available to a beginner only after fully mastering the technique of proper breathing.

For whom is breathing yoga contraindicated?

Pranayama yoga for weight loss is not as safe for the body as it might seem at first glance. There are a number of contraindications that should be taken into account in order to avoid negative consequences. cannot be done if a person has the following diseases:

hypotension;
bronchitis;
asthma;
runny nose;
temperature;
chronic constipation.

If you have cardiovascular diseases, a set of exercises that do not involve holding your breath is recommended.

You also need to take into account that yoga for weight loss with breathing exercises is not performed before bed, as they are aimed at increasing the tone of the body and stimulating energy. The likelihood that you will not be able to fall asleep after them is very high.

The best time to exercise is 2-3 hours after eating, on an empty stomach. Ideally, some time before breakfast.

During pregnancy, practicing pranayama yoga is contraindicated due to hyperventilation.

If during exercise you feel malaise, weakness, dizziness, nausea, or numbness of some muscle groups, exercise should be stopped. The breathing practice of yoga for weight loss in these cases will not bring any benefit, and can only do harm.

You cannot train in places where the air is heavily polluted, since during the exercise the nose does not work, breathing is done through the mouth. Rooms with low temperatures are also not suitable for this, since the cold air entering the lungs through the mouth does not have time to warm up.

Shitali pranayama exercise for weight loss

Before a cycle of exercises aimed directly at losing excess weight, it is recommended to perform light asanas, for example, adho mukha shvanasana (downward-facing dog) pose or urdhva mukha shvanasana (upward-facing dog). Then you can begin breathing exercises, one of the most effective of which is shitali pranayama.

How to do it:

Sit in any comfortable position.
Place your hands on your knees and cross your fingers.
Close your eyes and try to achieve maximum relaxation physically and mentally.
Stick out tongue. Roll it up on the sides into a tube. Take a yogic breath through this “tube” so that the air evenly fills all three sections of the lungs - lower, middle, upper.
Inhaling, remove your tongue, close your mouth, and exhale. The exhalation should be noisy, reminiscent of the sound of the wind. A feeling of coolness on the palate and tongue is normal.

To lose weight, a beginner only needs to perform 3-5 cycles (inhale-exhale – 1 cycle), gradually increasing the number of exercises to 15.

Proper breathing plays an important role when practicing yoga.

In yoga, breathing exercises are called “pranayama”. They affect the entire human body, including both the physiological and emotional components. Prana is cosmic energy that floats freely in the air. Passing through the nerve centers, prana is converted into human vital energy. The practice of yoga teaches you to breathe so that prana accumulates in the nerve centers for use by the body when necessary. Pranayama is a fundamental condition for meditation and concentration. The purpose of pranayama is not only the technique of proper breathing, but also the ability to control vital energy (prana).

In accordance with the authoritative treatises of hatha yoga, you can move on to studying the pranayama technique only after successfully mastering the basic asanas. The process of performing pranayama, especially at first, must be carried out under the guidance of a teacher. As the teachings of yoga began to spread from East to West, elements of pranayama appeared, rather simplified from their original version. Therefore, it became possible to master pranayama on your own.

Yoga and proper breathing

Yoga recommends breathing only through the nose. You can inhale through your mouth only in those exceptional cases when your nose is blocked. Nowadays, most people are breathing incorrectly. There are 3 types of breathing:

Clavicular - upper.
Intercostal – average.
Diaphragmatic - lower.

In a person with clavicular breathing, when inhaling, the shoulders of the collarbone and the top of the lungs rise. With clavicular breathing, a person expends quite a lot of energy, obtaining little efficiency. This type of breathing occurs in people with a sedentary lifestyle. They are much more likely to have constipation, cystitis and diseases of the digestive organs.

During intercostal breathing, air fills the middle section of the lungs; when inhaling, the ribs diverge, and when exhaling, they lower. Many people with a “sedentary lifestyle” have just such breathing.

During diaphragmatic breathing, the muscular septum that separates the abdomen and chest tenses, but when inhaling, it becomes denser, protruding the abdomen outward, displacing the abdominal organs downward. When you exhale, it returns to the IP again. In this case, only the middle and lower sections of the lungs are filled with air.

Types of exercises to train proper breathing

Breathing exercises in yoga practice are divided into two groups:

Full breathing cycle.
Special exercises to train proper breathing.

According to reputable gurus, the most beneficial is a full cycle of breathing. Therefore, we will consider complete breathing. With the help of proper breathing, the lungs are ventilated, the flow of oxygen into the blood increases, the functioning of the liver, internal organs and stomach is stimulated, which helps remove toxins from the body.

Full breathing technique

Full breathing combines all 3 types of breathing: clavicular, intercostal and diaphragmatic.

Correct breathing technique:

I.P. – move your left hand to your stomach, your right hand to your ribs, concentrate your attention on the lung area.
Exhale completely and then slowly inhale using your belly. At the same time, the stomach should protrude so that the air enters the lower part of the lungs, while continuing to inhale, straighten the chest and ribs to fill the middle part of the lungs. At the end of the inhalation, slightly raise your shoulders and collarbones to fill the upper part of your lungs.
Exhale smoothly, slowly drawing your belly in, your ribs contracting and your hearts lowering.
Do not allow intermittent inhalations, perform full breathing smoothly, resembling waves.

At first, perform only three cycles of full breathing, over time the number of repetitions is increased to 10.

The most important condition for regulating breathing is controlling the breathing rhythm. You must always remember that in order to breathe correctly, you need to accurately count the prescribed rhythm; To count time, Indian yogis take the frequency of the pulse beats before classes, and this rhythm is the basis for counting our breathing.

Each breathing exercise begins with a strong and complete exhalation. The main breathing exercises of yogis are full breathing, consisting of three parts:

abdominal;
average
upper

Abdominal breathing

Performance: standing, sitting or lying down. Focus on the navel area. As you exhale, we draw in the abdominal wall, then slowly inhale with a weakened diaphragm through the nose. The abdominal wall bulges outward and the lower part of the lungs fills with air. Exhale [while exhaling], strongly tighten the abdominal wall, exhale air through the nose. During abdominal breathing, the chest remains motionless, and only the stomach makes wave-like movements and releases the lower part of the lungs.

Therapeutic effect: gives a wonderful rest for the heart. Reduces blood pressure, regulates intestinal activity and promotes digestion. Produces an excellent internal massage of the abdominal organs.

Medium Breath

Performance: standing, sitting or lying down. Focus on the ribs, after exhaling, inhale slowly, stretching the ribs on both sides; exhaling through your nose, squeeze your ribs.

Therapeutic effect: reduces pressure in the heart. Refreshes the blood circulating in the liver, spleen, stomach and kidneys.

Upper breathing

Performance: standing, sitting or lying down. Focus on the tops of the lungs. After exhaling, we inhale by intentionally lifting the collarbones and shoulders, letting air in through the nose and filling the upper part of the lungs. As you exhale, lower your shoulders and collarbones and squeeze the air through your nose. With upper breathing, the stomach and middle part of the chest remain motionless.

Full Yogi Breath

Whole volumes can be written about its therapeutic effects. Through the lungs and blood circulation, it fills the entire body with fresh oxygen and prana. There is no point in listing all the organs and explaining in detail how and why this exercise strengthens, rejuvenates and tones everyone who practices it. There is not a single part of the body, even the smallest, that is not beneficially affected by this breath. Its healing effect even reaches the brain. Yogic breathing removes impurities from the blood, increases our resistance, improves metabolism and has an exceptionally strong restorative effect on the endocrine system, and this rejuvenates the body. It often happens in the practice of yoga schools that a student who is no longer young, after practicing [for] one or two months, happily notes the disappearance of ulceration of the gums, which he considered as a sign of old age and about which he kept silent, not expecting improvement.

Both in India and in some clinics in Europe, famous doctors are experimenting with the full rhythmic breathing of yogis, and in all areas of research they have achieved amazing results, especially in cases of high blood pressure and cardiac disorders. In many cases of heart disease that were considered incurable, a complete cure or significant improvement has been achieved. With the help of only the breathing of the yogis, the large and expanded hearts took approximately their normal shape. In most cases, heart disease is the result of functional disorders of other organs, mainly the thyroid gland and kidneys. A number of medications also have a great effect on the heart, but they do not eliminate the causes of the disease. Full yogic breathing, used in combination with appropriate mental treatment and bodily postures - asanas, cures organic disorders that cause heart disease, and as a result the heart also becomes healthy. Consequently, the effect of the full breathing of yogis surpasses the effect of any best medicine that treats only the heart, but does not eliminate the causes of its disease.

The narrow specialization of branches of medical science has led to the treatment of parts [of the body], losing sight of the main thing - that the human body is an indivisible whole and often an insignificant gland in one part of the body is responsible for the occurrence of a disease in another.

When an organ is damaged, every part of our body from the brain to the last pigment cell changes and becomes different from that of a healthy person. There is no disease of one organ, but usually the disease culminates in one organ. For example: one patient was treated for hypertension, heart disease, using the latest drugs and the latest methods, but without success. No one, not even eminent medical authorities, thought to examine the patient’s legs and gait. It turned out that the patient suffered from advanced flat feet. As a result, the static load on his skeleton was distributed so incorrectly that the nerves coming out of his spine began to function improperly, and his heart could no longer cope with the stress caused by the improper distribution of weight, leading to high blood pressure and heart degeneration. Yoga exercises eliminated flat feet, the skeleton again bore its load correctly, the dispersion of energy stopped, the spine returned to its normal position, and the nerves were restored. Blood pressure dropped and the heart, freed from excess stress, quickly returned to normal. One can give countless examples of healing through Hatha Yoga, which are completely natural, because Hatha Yoga does not act by chemical means, and man is a child of nature and cannot be separated from it and considered separately. Anyone who is free to think logically will be able to understand the following: if the exercises of Hatha Yoga, and especially the breathing exercises, have such healing power for the sick, how much greater an effect should they have on people with a healthy body and mind who practice them.

Of course, such a person will be completely healthy. He will be able to cope with any difficulty in life and make himself and those around him happy. The full breathing of yogis underlies all further exercises to regulate breathing. Subsequent exercises are a development, variation and continuation of this breathing method. The beneficial effect of full yogi breathing cannot be assessed and it should not be a special exercise, but a constant method of breathing. There is no harm in it, only benefit, equally for both the sick and the healthy. Both can use it all the time. Once those who are accustomed to breathing in this way acquire stable mental balance and such perfect self-discipline that nothing dares make them lose control of themselves.

Performance: standing, sitting or lying down. We voluntarily, at will, revive our torso through continuous, wave-like breathing associated with inhalation and exhalation. In this way we achieve complete balance. After exhaling, we inhale slowly through the nose, counting 8 counts, alternating and connecting lower and upper breathing in a wave-like continuous movement. First of all, we protrude the stomach, then the ribs, and finally raise the collarbones and shoulders. At this moment, the abdominal wall is already slightly retracted and we begin to exhale in the same sequence as inhalation: first we draw in the abdominal wall, then we squeeze the ribs and lower the collarbones and shoulders, releasing air through the nose. During this breathing, the entire respiratory apparatus is in a monotonous [wave-like] movement. Between exhalation and the next inhalation, you can hold your breath until you naturally want to take the next breath. [Exhale also for 8 counts.]

Therapeutic effect: we experience a feeling of greatest peace. The lungs are fully ventilated. The flow of oxygen and prana into the blood increases, a balance is established between positive and negative currents, the entire nervous system calms down, cardiac activity is regulated and slowed down, high blood pressure is reduced and digestion is stimulated.

Psychic Effect: calms the nervous system and our psyche. Develops willpower and determination, filling us with a feeling of calm and confidence.

Kumbhaka

Performance: standing, sitting or lying down. Focus on the heart. Kumbhaka is the full breathing of yogis in a tense form, thanks to breath retention. We inhale through our nose to the count of eight, just like in the full breathing of yogis; hold your breath while inhaling for 8 - 32 seconds. (starting at eight and adding one second every day) until we can hold our breath for 32 seconds without any effort. No one should hold their breath for more than 32 seconds until the heart is in perfect condition. If, while increasing the breathing pattern, we feel any fatigue of the heart, we should stop at the amount of delay that we can withstand without any strain. Exhale through your nose and count to 8, as with full yogi breathing. Is in perfect order. During the constant increase in the breathing rhythm, if we feel any tension, we stop at the previous number of seconds, which we can withstand without effort. Exhale slowly through the nose, counting to 8, just as in the case of full breathing.

Therapeutic effect: Balances positive and negative currents, thereby perfectly calming the nervous system; slows down the activity of the heart and consciously regulates the pulse if it is uneven. Kumbaka is the most effective exercise for strengthening the discipline of the nervous system; makes her conscious.

Psychic Effect: Develops willpower and determination.

Ujjayi

Performance: Standing, lying down or sitting. Consciousness is directed to the thyroid gland. We inhale through the nose, as if breathing fully, for eight counts, then hold our breath /kumbaka/ for 8 pulse beats. Exhale, as with a full breath, but in eighteen counts and through the mouth. It turns out to be a slow exhalation with the sound “o-o-o” until the air is completely out of the lungs. Then immediately begin the next inhalation and continue the cycle.

Therapeutic effect: As a result of the induction of a strong positive current, the activity of the endocrine glands is strongly stimulated. This exercise has a particularly powerful effect on the inactive thyroid gland and, thus, enhances the function of intelligence. Abnormally low blood pressure rises. Easily excitable individuals who have an overactive thyroid gland or high blood pressure should not do this exercise.

Psychic Effect: Mental serenity and concentration are enhanced.

Kapalbhati

Performance: Standing, sitting or lying down. Consciousness is directed inside the nose, and we pay special attention to clearing the air passages. Like all exercises in "pranayama", it begins with exhalation. However, since the entire rhythm of this exercise is driven by exhalation and the main attention in this exercise is directed to rechaka, we exhale immediately by contracting the abdominal muscles, tensing them suddenly and quickly, so that the air is forced through the nostrils with a loud sound like a blacksmith's bellows. After this quick exhalation, without pausing for a second, we allow the lower and middle parts of the lungs to fill with air. We do not pay attention to filling the apex of the lungs, since this is pranayama for the diaphragm. These quick bellows - exhalations - should be done through vigorous tension of the abdominal muscles. Inhalations are taken very slowly.

Therapeutic effect: Kapalabhati is one of the excellent exercises for the lungs. It cleanses and at the same time tones the nasal passages, strengthens the activity of the salivary glands and expels bacteria from the internal nasal cavity. By constant practice of kapalabhati, persons who have accidentally fallen into the very dangerous habit of mouth breathing develop nose breathing. A further therapeutic property of kapalabhati is that after 3-5 times the human body becomes vital, the solar plexus is overflowing with vital energy.

Psychic Effect: Increases the ability to concentrate.

Modification: Kapalbhati through each nostril separately. While sitting, keep the index finger of your right hand on the center of your forehead and close your left nostril with your middle finger; perform kapalabhati, release air through the right nostril. Then, closing the right nostril with your thumb, perform kapalabhati through the left nostril. Kalabhati, performed alternately through the left and right nostril, is of great benefit when the passages of the nostrils are not equally clear.

Sushna purvak (comfortable pranayama)

Performance: In the lotus position, we place the right index finger in the center of the forehead between the eyebrows. After an energetic exhalation, close the right nostril with the right thumb, inhale through the left nostril for four pulse beats. Hold your breath for 16 beats, open the right one and close the left one with your middle finger. Exhale through the right nostril for 8 pulse beats. The fingers remain in the same position. After inhaling through the right nostril for 4 beats and holding the breath for 16 beats, close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril for 8 beats, etc.

Therapeutic effect: Positive and negative currents come into complete balance. This exercise must be performed seriously and never more than 3 times. Persons who have weak lungs can perform the exercise in an 8-0-8 breath-hold rhythm.

Psychic Effect: Very strong, enhances mental serenity. The most important exercise in Raja Yoga to achieve a state of trance.

Bhastrika

Means bellows, the movement of the lungs is similar to the movement of a blacksmith's bellows.

Performance: In the lotus pose or sidhasana, we exhale and inhale powerfully and quickly 10 times, after which we take a full breath and hold our breath for 7-14 seconds. Exhale slowly. Repeat three times carefully. We perform it, instinctively stopping at the slightest tension, because this can cause harm. However, if there are no such signs, then this is the most powerful cleansing exercise. There is an option in which you can use one nostril.

Therapeutic effect: Bhastrika is a very powerful exercise and therefore does not need to be done forcefully. It clears the nose and throat in case of chronic runny nose, destroys, and if used intensively, treats asthma. It is very good when your feet are cold, especially in winter, as it not only increases the stomach fire, but also the warmth of the whole body. This exercise, in a modified form, is suitable for Europeans.

Cleansing Breath

Performance: Standing with your legs apart, slowly inhale through your nose, as with full yogi breathing. When the lungs are completely filled with fresh air, we immediately begin exhaling as follows: we press our lips close to our teeth, leaving only a narrow gap between the teeth open. Through this gap we force the air to leave the lungs with a series of separate short movements. We should feel as if our mouth were completely closed and that great effort was required from the abdomen, diaphragm and ribs in order to force the air to pass through the small opening. If we release the air weakly and softly, the exercise is not beneficial.

Therapeutic effect: Toxins are removed from the blood, chronic diseases are overcome and immunity to diseases is strengthened. The unclean air that we breathed in poorly ventilated areas: cinemas, theaters, train cars is removed from the lungs and blood. Headaches, colds, fevers /influenza/ are quickly cured. During an epidemic, this exercise is very useful, because... Protects against infection. In this case, it is advisable to perform 5 times a day, three times during each execution. In case of poisoning by gas or other poison, this breath is a blessing.

Psychic Effect: Confidence increases and hypochondria is overcome.

Breathing that strengthens the nerves

Performance: Standing with your legs apart, after exhaling, slowly inhale, while simultaneously raising your arms in front of you to shoulder level, palms up. Then, clenching your fists and holding your breath, we quickly move them back and repeat this movement again. As we exhale, we relax our arms, allow them to fall and rest, bending forward. The exercise is beneficial if we stretch our arms forward as if they were encountering strong resistance and overcoming it. Each time we must stretch our arms forward slowly with great effort so that they should tremble with tension. For people who find it difficult to perform this exercise three times while holding their breath, it can be advised to do it twice.

Therapeutic effect: Increases the resistance of the nervous system, a good medicine against trembling /nervous/ hands and head.

Psychic Effect: Gives us confidence in the presence of other people and increases the power of our mind. We feel ready for any fight.

Breathing "ha" while standing

Performance: Standing with our legs apart, we slowly inhale the full breath of yogis. As you inhale, slowly raise your arms to a vertical position above your head and hold your breath for a few seconds. Then we suddenly bend forward, allowing our arms to fall forward and at the same time exhale through our mouth with the sound “ha”. When exhaling, the sound "ha" is produced only by the passage of air through the throat. Inhale slowly, straighten up, raising your arms vertically above your head again, then exhale slowly through your nose, lowering your arms.

Therapeutic effect: Revitalizes blood circulation, thoroughly cleanses the respiratory system, and counteracts colds.

Psychic Effect: We feel cleansed; when we are in cheap, tasteless surroundings, an unclean atmosphere enters us and, even after we have left the place, depression and mental poisoning make themselves known. In such cases, "ha" breathing effectively cleanses us of mental poisons and quickly dispels the feeling of depression. For policemen, detectives, specialists treating nervous and mental patients and others whose profession brings them into contact with people who are retarded and low, this exercise is a blessing, as it preserves their mental health and enables them to resist external influences.

Breathing "ha" while lying down

Performance: Lying flat on your back, inhale the full breath of yogis, at the same time slowly raise your arms until your hands touch the floor behind your head. We hold our breath for a few seconds, then quickly raise our legs, suddenly bend them at the knees, put our hands on our knees, press our legs with our thighs to our stomach and at the same time exhale through our mouth with the sound “ha”. After a pause of a few seconds, slowly inhale, raising your hands behind your head. At the same time, we raise our legs forward and slowly lower them to the floor; after a pause of several seconds, we slowly exhale through the nose, moving our hands to the floor on the sides of the body. Then we completely relax.

Therapeutic effect: Similar to the "ha" effect while standing.

Seven little pranayama exercises

1. Performance: Standing, legs apart, raise our arms, slowly inhaling until our palms touch each other above our heads. We hold our breath for 7-14 seconds and then exhale slowly, lowering our hands, palms down. We finish the exercise with cleansing breaths.

2. Performance: Standing with our legs apart, we inhale the full breath of yogis, raising our arms forward to shoulder level, palms down. While holding our breath, we wave our arms horizontally back, forward, quickly and rhythmically 3 to 5 times. Then we exhale vigorously through our mouth, slowly lowering our arms. We complete the exercise with cleansing breathing.

3. Performance: Standing with your feet apart. While inhaling slowly, as with full yogi breathing, we raise our arms forward to shoulder level, palms inward. While holding our breath, we wave our arms in a circle forward - up, down - back, like the wings of a windmill, 3 times. Then we do the same in the opposite direction. Exhale vigorously, through the mouth, lowering your arms. The exercise ends like the first

4. Performance: Lying on the floor, face down, place the palms of your hands on the floor under your shoulders, fingers forward. After a full inhalation, we hold our breath and slowly push up from the floor, keeping the body tense so that it rests on the toes and two hands. Slowly lower the body to the floor and repeat this movement again 3 to 5 times. Exhale vigorously through the mouth. The exercise ends in the same way as exercise. 1.

5. Performance: We stand straight, facing the wall. Place your palms on the wall at shoulder height, arms spread wide. After a full yogi inhalation, we hold our breath and lean forward, keeping our body tense and bending our elbows until our forehead touches the wall. Then, straining our arms strongly and holding our body also tense, we return to a vertical position and straighten up again. We repeat this 3 to 5 times. Exhale vigorously through the mouth. The exercise ends similarly to exercise. 1.

6. Performance: Stand straight as an arrow, legs apart, hands on hips. After inhaling the yogis, we hold our breath for a short time, then slowly bend forward, exhaling through the nose. While inhaling slowly, we straighten up again, then, after a short breath hold, we exhale, bending back. While inhaling, we straighten up, then exhale, bending to the right and straighten again, inhaling. After holding your breath for a short time, calmly exhale through your nose, lowering your arms. Before this, we bend to the left with an exhalation, then straighten up, inhaling. Let's do a cleansing breath.

7. Performance: Standing straight, legs apart, or sitting in the padmasana / lotus pose, we take a full yogic inhalation, but instead of inhaling in one movement, we inhale through separate short breaths, as if we were inhaling perfume, until the lungs are filled with air fully. Hold your breath for 7-12 seconds and exhale calmly and slowly through your nose. Let's do a cleansing breath.

There are countless variations of breathing exercises, but for individuals who want to practice hatha yoga for health reasons, the exercises given are sufficient. They should be done alternately in accordance with the table given at the end of the book. Other exercises are needed for those who have set the goal in life to become a hatha yogi. For such persons, however, it is absolutely necessary to have a guru for help, advice and correction of mistakes. In this book I have outlined exercises that beginners can do without harm. Those who have passed this stage must in any case have the teacher they need. The same can be said about asanas. Even for hatha yogis who have reached the highest degree, the exercises given here are the most important and form the basis of daily exercises. Countless other exercises, which we could not list here for lack of space, are used to develop abilities in which Westerners are not at all interested. On the other hand, people who have the desire to develop such abilities in fact will find the guide and teacher they need, since "... When the person (disciple) is ready, the guru (teacher) comes."

An integral part of practice yoga- This pranayama- breathing exercises related to ancient yogic techniques of breathing control, with the help of which the body accumulates vitality. Many modern breathing techniques are based specifically on breathing practices taken from yoga.

Pranayama strengthens and heals the respiratory organs. Breathing exercises help normalize blood pressure, improve heart function, and improve immunity. Pranayama also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. The practitioner's mood and overall well-being improves.

Important Details

Yogis advise performing breathing exercises regularly, in a clean, ventilated room or outside.

The practice of pranayama requires complete concentration - concentrating on breathing and your own sensations in the body and mind - the effectiveness of the practice depends on this. It is not recommended to perform exercises in an absent-minded state, thinking about something extraneous.
Beginners should carefully monitor their sensations while performing breathing techniques. If you feel dizzy or experience any other discomfort, you should stop the practice, lie down and relax.

It is better to start with a small number of breathing repetitions, and with regular practice you can gradually increase the duration of the breathing exercises.

Basic Breathing Exercises

1. Kapalabhati – Fiery or Purifying Breath

The name of the technique "Kapalbhati" includes two Sanskrit words - Kapala- this is a “skull”, and Bhati- means “to make sparkling, to clean.” Literally, this name can be translated as “cleaning the skull.” In fact, it is implied that Kapalbhati breathing clears the mind and clears the pranic channels ( prana- this is life energy).

Execution Technique
Usually Kapalbhati is performed in a comfortable sitting position, and it is very important to keep your back straight. Many practitioners perform Kapalbhati in Siddhasana (sitting cross-legged), Vajrasana (sitting on the heels) or Padmasana (sitting in a lotus). You can close your eyes. The facial muscles are as relaxed as possible.

In a sitting position, you should close the index and thumb of each hand in a ring, the remaining fingers are slightly extended, the palms are open with the inside facing up. This position of the fingers is called Jnana Mudra. The hands are lowered with the wrists onto the knees.

Breathing is done through the nose. First you need to concentrate on deep, even breathing, tracking each air flow. At the end of the next exhalation, we strongly and quickly squeeze our abdominal muscles, sharply exhaling all the air through our nose, as if we want to blow our nose. In this case, the stomach moves inward towards the spine. The exhalation should be short and powerful, while being as complete as possible.

A powerful exhalation is immediately followed by a short, passive inhalation. To inhale correctly, we release the abdominal muscles, returning the abdominal wall to its relaxed state.

What to Pay Attention to

When performing Kapalbhati, only the stomach moves, and the abdominal muscles should not be strongly strained.

The facial muscles should be relaxed. The chest remains motionless.

It is very important to maintain emphasis on abdominal exhalation. To do this, you need to learn to quickly and completely relax your abdominal muscles during a short inhalation, and squeeze your abdominal muscles as much as possible while exhaling.

The diaphragm remains soft both during inhalation and exhalation.

Beginners should concentrate on the correct execution of Kapalbhati - the force of exhalation and the smoothness of inhalation. Those who have mastered the technique well concentrate their attention on the area below the navel, both while performing the technique and while resting. You can also concentrate your attention in the area between the eyebrows.

The technique of performing Kapalbhati can be briefly described as follows:– sharp exhalation through the nose, passive inhalation. As you exhale, the stomach retracts, pushing out all the air; as you inhale, it relaxes, drawing in air. Thus, you get short and sharp bursts of air through both nostrils.

Number of Approaches
Beginners should perform Kapalbhati in 3 sets, 10 breaths each. After each approach, you need to rest for half a minute, maintaining deep, even breathing.

Gradually the number of breaths is increased to 108 times in one approach. It is recommended to perform 3 approaches. The best time to perform Kapalbhati is in the morning. For best results, this exercise should be performed every day.

Positive Effects of Kapalbhati

tonic effect on the body as a whole, cleansing the energy channels of the body, cleansing of toxins;

strengthening the nervous system;

beneficial effect on brain function

strengthening the abdominal muscles, eliminating excess fat deposits in the abdominal area, improving tissue structure;

tonic effect on the abdominal organs due to internal massage;

activation of the digestion process, improvement of food absorption;

improvement of intestinal motility.

Contraindications
Kapalbhati should not be performed by people suffering from the following diseases:

pulmonary diseases

cardiovascular diseases

hernias in the abdominal cavity

2. Bhastrika - Breath of the Bellows

Bhastrika is a breathing technique that fans the practitioner's inner fire, warming up his physical and subtle body. In Sanskrit the word "Bhastrika" means "blacksmith's bellows".

Execution Technique
The body position when performing Bhastrika is the same as when performing Kapalbhati - a comfortable, stable position, sitting with a straight back, eyes closed, fingers joined in Jnana Mudra.

First, take a slow, deep breath. Then you need to quickly and forcefully exhale air through your nose, and then immediately after that inhale with the same force, resulting in a series of rhythmic inhalations and exhalations, equal in strength and speed of execution. As you exhale, the stomach retracts and the diaphragm contracts. As you inhale, the diaphragm relaxes and the stomach protrudes forward.

After completing the first cycle, you should relax, keep your eyes closed, and focus on normal, smooth breathing.

More experienced students, after completing each cycle of Bhastrika, take a slow, deep breath through the nose and hold their breath as they inhale. While holding your breath, a throat lock is performed - Jalandhara Bandha- and lower lock - Mula Bandha. To perform a throat lock correctly, you should press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth and lower your chin. Then, you need to squeeze the muscles of the perineum to create a lower lock.

The throat and lower locks are held throughout the entire breath hold. Then, the lower and upper locks are released and the air is smoothly exhaled.

Number of Approaches
Like Kapalbhati, for beginners, the Bhastrika cycle should include 10 inhalations and exhalations. This cycle can be repeated three to five times. Gradually, the speed of performing Bhastrika should be increased, while maintaining the rhythm of breathing. Experienced practitioners perform 108 breaths in one cycle.

What to Pay Attention to

Inhale and exhale air with little effort.

Inhalation and exhalation must remain equal and are obtained correctly with systematic and equal movements of the lungs.

The shoulders and chest remain motionless, only the lungs, diaphragm and abdomen move.

Positive Effects of Bhastrika

prevention of colds, acute respiratory infections, chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, pleurisy and asthma (Bhastrika breathing effectively warms the nasal passages and sinuses, removes excess mucus and helps resist infections and viruses);

improved digestion and appetite;

improving metabolic rate;

stimulation of the heart and blood circulation;

strengthening the nervous system, relieving physical and mental stress, harmonizing the emotional state;

massage of internal organs;

increasing the vitality of the body;

clarity of mind.

Contraindications

Bhastrika is contraindicated for people with the following diseases:

high blood pressure

brain tumors

ulcers, stomach or intestinal disorders

3. Ujjayi – Calming Breathing

The name of the technique "Ujjayi" comes from the Sanskrit word uji, meaning “to conquer” or “to acquire by conquest.” This pranayama helps to bring into order the upward directed vital energy, which is called udana. Practitioners of Ujjayi breathing protect themselves from physical and psychological problems associated with the imbalance of this energy.

Execution Technique
Like the other techniques described above, Ujjayi breathing is performed in comfortable sitting position. The back is straight, the whole body is relaxed, the eyes are closed. This type of breathing can also be practiced lying on your back- especially before savasana(the so-called “corpse pose”, an asana that concludes a yoga class, in which practitioners strive for complete relaxation). Lying Ujjayi is also recommended to be performed before bed to get rid of insomnia and to have a more restful and sound sleep.

Focus on slow, deep, natural breathing. Then, you need to slightly compress the glottis of the larynx, while breathing will be accompanied by a low hissing and whistling sound coming from the larynx area (a whistling “sss” during inhalation and “xxx” during exhalation). You will also feel a slight tightening sensation in your abdominal area.

The sound coming from a slightly compressed larynx is caused by air passing through it. This sound is reminiscent of the soft, subtle sound we hear when a person sleeps. It is important that breathing through a covered glottis remains deep and stretched - for this, the abdomen expands, taking in air, during inhalation and retracts completely at the end of exhalation.

What to Pay Attention to

deep inhalations and exhalations should be approximately equal, with each inhalation flowing into the subsequent exhalation, and vice versa.

the movement of air along the compressed glottis creates a gentle vibration that has a calming effect on the nervous system and calms the mind

try not to squeeze the larynx - compression of the larynx should remain light throughout the entire respiratory cycle.

the facial muscles should be as relaxed as possible.

The sound produced by Ujjayi breathing helps you focus your attention on your breathing and go deeper into yourself. When performed at the beginning of a yoga class, this breathing helps practitioners focus on internal sensations during the asanas and become more aware of each form. Ujjayi is also recommended to be performed before meditation.

Ujjayi breathing should be practiced for three to five minutes and then resume normal breathing.

Ujjayi can be performed even while walking, while adjusting the length of the breath to the pace of movement. A small cycle of Ujjayi will quickly normalize your condition and increase concentration while waiting in line or in transport.

Positive Effects of Ujjayi

has a calming effect on the nervous system and mind, relieves insomnia;

normalizes high blood pressure;

helps cope with heart disease;

relieves tension during menstruation;

leads to a deeper understanding of asanas;

develops a sense of the subtle body;

increases mental sensitivity.

Contraindications
- not recommended for people with low blood pressure.

4. Full Yogic Breath

Full breathing is the deepest type of breathing. It involves all the respiratory muscles and uses the entire volume of the lungs. With full breathing, the entire body is filled with fresh oxygen and vital energy.

Execution Technique
It is recommended to begin mastering full breathing in a sitting position - the back is straight, the whole body is relaxed, the fingers are connected in Jnana Mudra or simply lying on the knees. The facial muscles are also relaxed.

A complete breath consists of three stages:

lower, diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing,

medium, chest breathing

upper, clavicular breathing.

These stages form one continuous whole.

Before you start take a full breath, you need to smoothly exhale all the air. Then a smooth inhalation is performed in the following order:

We start with lower breathing - the stomach moves forward, and the lower sections of the lungs are filled with air.

Breathing smoothly moves to the second stage - chest breathing. The chest expands with the help of the intercostal muscles, while the middle sections of the lungs are filled with air. The stomach tightens a little.

Chest breathing smoothly flows into clavicular breathing. The subclavian and neck muscles are engaged, and the upper ribs are raised. The shoulders straighten slightly, but do not rise. This ends the inhalation.

Full exhalation also begins in the lower parts of the lungs. The stomach is pulled up, the air is smoothly pushed out. Then the ribs drop and the chest contracts. At the last stage, the upper ribs and collarbones are lowered. At the end of the respiratory cycle, the relaxed stomach protrudes slightly forward.

What to Pay Attention to

When breathing fully, you should maintain a feeling of comfort; you should not overexert yourself while inhaling, overfilling the chest with air.

The transition from one stage of breathing to another is carried out continuously; stops and jerks should be avoided.

inhalation and exhalation are equal in duration.

There is another option for performing full breathing for more experienced yogis, when the practitioner strives to make the exhalation twice as long as the inhalation, while also holding the breath for several seconds while inhaling and exhaling.

Number of Approaches
For beginners, it is enough to perform three cycles of full breathing. Experienced practitioners can perform up to 14 cycles.

Positive Effects of Full Breathing