I firmly believe breath is one of the most under-utilised tools to improve performance, mental clarity, reduce inflammation and to improve our quality of life. Great coaches proactively integrate & develop breathwork in client programs by design. Read on to learn a handful of ways that I teach and implement breath work into healing & movement training.
BREATH We can use it to down or up-regulate the body. It heavily influences our performance, vitality and longevity for the mind & body!
Here's a simple example of harnessing the breath to do 2 opposite things:
Box breathing: Focus is on creating awareness & regulating the breath on both inhalation & exhalation. 3 mins of this form of breathing and you actively switch your nervous system from the Sympathetic Nervous System (fight/flight) to the calmer, and healing Parasympathetic Nervous System. Goal - To turn off Cortisol so that Inflammation in the body has nothing to FEED ON.
Heart Focussed Breathing - Focus is on visualising your heart as your lungs and drawing the breath and focus into this space within your body. Even 60 seconds is enough to reduce feelings of overwhelm or stress and with longer periods of time, and combined with the desire to think of something you are grateful for, can slowly start to help you feel LOVE - more often and more readily. Goal - To reduce stress, to bring awareness to your emotional state and to begin to access the feeling of LOVE.
We must respect & embrace that people learn, adapt & respond to things differently. Having a few alternate ways to share & experience this concept of breath can be helpful. There are literally hundreds of breath techniques developed by the yogi's through the ages. Each with a unique intention. This blog is simply a reminder that the simple practices in life are often the BEST and the CHEAPEST. Start exploring, Playing and expanding your breath repertoire.
Feel free to share your favourite technique and why you love it in the comments below !
