Core Breathing
- Seated in a chair
- In seated position, place your feet flat on the floor, have your thighs parallel and your knees hip width apart. Maintain the same alignment with your spine as you have in standing posture. Let your hands rest in your lap and allow your neck and shoulders to relax. Pull the navel in towards the spine, as if your are trying to imprint your spine with your navel.
- Inhale and exhale through your nose. Pull your navel towards your spine during inhale and exhale to maintain integrity in the core muscles. As you inhale, your ribcage expands and as you exhale your ribcage gets smaller. To make sure there is this movement in the ribcage, place your hands on your ribs as you breathe – you should feel your ribcage expanding during inhalation and getting smaller during exhalation. You should be able to breathe fully and deeply while maintaining your navel pulled towards yours spine throughout the breathing practice.
- Supine
- Lie down on your back. Maintain the natural and comfortable curve of your lower spine; keep the lower ribs in slightly to avoid arching the back beyond the natural curve. Pull the navel in towards the spine, as if your are trying to imprint your spine with your navel, but avoid pressing the low back down and removing the natural curve.
- Inhale and exhale through your nose, keeping your navel towards your spine and your spine in a natural and comfortable position. As you inhale with your navel pulled towards the spine, the ribcage will expand to accommodate the inflating lungs and you will feel the back ribs pressing gently into the floor as the ribcage expands. Continue breathing in and out through your nose, with your navel towards your spine. To check on your breathing, place your hands on your ribcage. As you inhale, your ribs will expand; as you exhale the rib cage narrows. Your head and neck remain relaxed, without any tension.
Group:
Active
Level:
Level 1
Position:
Supine
Seated
Exercise List Weight:
-42
