How to breathe correctly?

Perhaps someone was very surprised to see in one of the sections of our website this article dedicated to proper breathing. You ask: “What does the phrase mean: how to breathe correctly? - Can breathing also be incorrect? And what does it actually have to do with building an ideal figure and doing fitness and bodybuilding?”

Is our breath - a complex biological process that is vital for us, during which a continuous exchange of gases occurs between the body and the environment: the body consumes from the external environment oxygen, but returns carbon dioxide and water.

People cannot exist without oxygen, since it is actually involved in all metabolic processes. Oxygen plays a key role in metabolism. It stimulates:

1. circulation,
2. absorption of the nutrients we need,
3. digestion process,
4. removal of metabolic products and waste from the body.

By improving metabolism, oxygen thereby allows our blood not to be contaminated with metabolic products, but, on the contrary, helps the body recover and strengthen its immune system, that is, the body’s natural defense against negative external influences and factors. In addition, such a calming and at the same time stimulating effect has a positive effect on the human nervous system. Imagine: most people, in fact, do not know how to breathe correctly, and, as a result, their body is acutely lacking the proper amount of oxygen. Because of this shortage they suffer from:

1. a) headaches,
2. b) constipation,
3. c) indigestion,
4. d) muscle pain,
5. d) rheumatism,
6. e) caries and periodontal disease,
7. g) pain in the back and feet,
8. h) memory impairment,
9. i) decreased vision and hearing,
10. j) sore throats,
11. l) bronchitis,
12. m) asthma,
13. n) sinus infections and emphysema.

1. Oxygen starvation.
2. Proper breathing for weight loss.
3. Are we breathing correctly?
4. A simple test will show you whether your breathing is correct.

Oxygen starvation.

Almost 90% of the energy in our body is produced only only thanks to oxygen. Accordingly, the more and better we breathe, the more active and productive our body works. We should also not forget about the currently relevant environmental factor. The current ecological state of our planet differs significantly from the ecological situation... well, at least even the century before last. Literally two hundred years ago oxygen saturation, and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was approximately: 38% and 1%, respectively. Nowadays, these proportions have changed in a completely unfavorable direction for us - 19% of oxygen now accounts for as much as 25% of carbon dioxide. And, as you understand, the situation is not improving at all.

All of the above is directly related to the process of losing weight. What do we often do with garbage? We usually throw it away or burn it. What is needed to keep the fire going? Of course, oxygen. Without it, fire simply cannot burn. A similar principle is characteristic of our body. With a disturbed metabolism, our body turns into "garbage chute". Some of the debris is deposited directly on the walls of blood vessels and in the intestines, negatively affecting our health, and the lion's share remains in the form of fat reserves - and as a reserve for a “rainy day,” usually simply due to low energy expenditure. This is the main cause of excess weight, with the possible exception of serious genetic disorders.

Let's adopt proper breathing for weight loss.

To get rid of accumulated excess fat, the body urgently needs oxygen, which is considered the only source of fire, which is so necessary for us to burn lipids, or fats. Moreover, having gotten rid of unnecessary ballast, oxygen also begins to burn harmful formations on our intestinal walls and blood vessels, simply put - waste. And this, as you might guess, is a direct road to getting rid of a large number of acquired diseases. In addition, increasing the supply of oxygen to the body allows it to be used not only for the most necessary - maintaining life, but also allows us to strengthen life support in the most remote nooks of our body. Imagine: a small sawmill was built deep in the forest. She works very productively, gaining momentum every month. Production is slowly expanding, cargo traffic is increasing, and more and more labor is needed. A small island of land turns into a large settlement, and over time into a big city. Houses are growing, transport routes are expanding, the city is improving, gradually turning into a cultural and commercial center. It’s the same in our body: in order to use the additional oxygen supplied, additional arteries, veins and microcapillaries are formed. When lipids are burned, the remaining oxygen continues to interact with other components of the body, making our muscles healthier and stronger. Nerve fibers develop similarly, as do internal organs and skin. As a result of all this, muscle tone increases, we become stronger, more resilient and more energetic.

So, benefits of proper breathing undeniable and obvious. However, how to figure it out: Are we breathing correctly? Have you ever paid attention to how little children under three years old breathe? Their breathing is complete; in other words, all available parts of the lungs are involved in the inhalation and exhalation phases:

1. upper (upper region of the chest and collarbone),
2. middle (chest),
3. lower (abdominal area).

This is one of the main reasons for children's energy and at the same moment simultaneous relaxation. As life's stress and tension accumulate, the body becomes “strengthened” and some part of the lungs takes less part in breathing.

Moreover, in women under stress, tension accumulates mainly in the lower part of the body, the lower part of the lungs “strengthens”, the lung tissue here becomes more sluggish and the thoracic region is more actively involved in the work. That's why women Most health problems are often associated with the lower body. U men – it’s the other way around; in the process of breathing, the stomach is more involved than the thoracic region. Their tension is concentrated in their chest. Therefore, the male part of the population more often experiences heart attacks, problems with the respiratory tract, etc.

Let's study the breathing process purely from a physiological point of view, diaphragm, dividing the torso into two halves, is a disc-shaped tendon that passes into muscles. And they, in turn, are attached to the lower ribs and spine. In a calm, relaxed state, the diaphragm has the shape of a dome, and when muscles contract, it becomes flat. To a large extent, this is what happens inhale, that is, a vacuum is created in our chest cavity and air is sucked in. At the moment of relaxation, the diaphragm pushes air out of the lung reservoir. When lowered, it presses on the organs of our abdominal cavity, as a result of which the stomach inflates slightly in order to provide free space for the organs. And, if there is some tension in the lower part of the body and it does not work as desired (the stomach does not actually inflate during the inhalation phase), then even greater compression of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity occurs, and blood flow worsens. This is where most women's problems come from. But the main thing is that we can really control this process.

Breathing from the belly actually causes a gentle massage of all abdominal organs. The lower body is much more saturated oxygen. Intestinal motility increases, metabolism and waste elimination accelerate. Belly breathing is actually an excellent prevention for a large number of diseases of the abdominal organs. However, this does not mean that it is necessary to specifically inflate the stomach during inhalation. This can be done just a few times to feel the participation of the abdomen in breathing. As you perform the exercises, you yourself will notice that the stomach inflates slightly when you inhale and then returns back when you exhale without additional tension. It is worth noting that if the lower third of the lungs takes a passive part in the breathing process, then it becomes sluggish, gas exchange between the lungs and blood and, as a result, the supply of oxygen to the tissues and cells of the body decreases significantly.

A simple test will show you whether your breathing is correct.

To calculate which breathing type If you are predominant, you need to do a simple test: lie on your back and place your hand or book on the upper third of your abdomen. Now inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. If your hand or book doesn’t even move, this is a sign chest breathing. As we have already found out, such breathing is incorrect. You need to inhale in such a way that your stomach rises, while your chest remains motionless. This is called correct deep breathing. It is impossible to learn this in 5 minutes if before that you have been breathing incorrectly all your life. To achieve this result, you should regularly perform a whole a set of special breathing exercises, which we will definitely tell you about in the following articles of this thread. Don't switch...