Breathing

Something we all do, but not always the “right” way! Proper functional breathing is not as easy as we think it is - especially because just like poor posture and motor patterns, it’s something that can change and deteriorate over time. But there’s good news - we can retrain our core to breathe properly!

When we talk about our core muscles, most people think we are talking about the rectus abdominis - the muscles that create a “six pack.” But contrary to popular belief, your core is made of so much more than that! The core muscles actually consist of the diaphragm, pelvic floor, internal and external obliques, erector spinae, deep spinal stabilizers, and transversus abdominis! 

When we activate these muscles properly, we can increase our lung capacity. This allows us to send more oxygen to our brain so we can better regulate our neuronal pathways - which control every aspect of our lives! 

So how do we breathe correctly? Let’s start with the basics! 

First start by laying down flat, or sitting/standing up straight. Now place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Picture a water bottle being filled up - the water goes to the bottom first, then eventually makes its way to the top. That’s exactly how we want to pull air into our lungs! When you inhale, focus on contracting your diaphragm down to pull the air down into your belly, keeping your shoulders and neck relaxed. Your abdomen should expand in all directions, so you can switch your belly hand to feel the expansion in your low back as well! Now when you exhale, focus on slowly relaxing your diaphragm and releasing the air from the top all the way to the bottom of your lungs. Your exhale should be at least twice as long as your inhale!

Make sure to keep a neutral spine during this whole process! When you get really good at this, you can add in intentional movement of your pelvic floor in synchronized motion with your diaphragm. Together they should move up and down, just like a piston!