Better to breathe with belly or chest?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

i hear some people say its better to inhale and let your belly get big, then exhale

but i hear that can lead to a fat belly

then i hear some people say its better to breathe with ur upper body and lift your shoulders and puff out your chest.

which do you prefer, and why?

which is better to relieve anxiety?

#2

depends on what you are doing

#3

Things have purpose. It is not, in Yoga, a simple matter of “this is better than that” or “this is best”, though sometimes that is in fact a bottom line.

Breath typically remains in the lungs which are contained between the diaphragm and the collar bones. For a new student, for a person asking about daily breath, for a beginner approaching pranayama this is the foundational breathing concept.

gordon

#4

Your type of breathing…diaphragmatic breathing is healthier, because your getting more oxygen into your body.People tend to breathe from their chest are more tense or stressed & cause us to breathe more shallowly.

#5

[QUOTE=Sinus;77952]Your type of breathing…diaphragmatic breathing is healthier, because your getting more oxygen into your body.People tend to breathe from their chest are more tense or stressed & cause us to breathe more shallowly.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for actually answering my question.

#6

[QUOTE=zentost;77980]Thanks for actually answering my question.[/QUOTE]

You’re welcome ^^

#7

Diaphragm breathing works slightly differently and has certain distinct features. When upper abdomen is pushed out, diaphragm is sucked down to force the lungs in the cavity to expand and inhale. Chest breathing requires the muscles around the lungs to initiate inhalation that fills the lungs forcing the diaphragm extend downwards. (Just expanding chest won’t necessarily force inhalation.)

Hence, diaphragm breathing compels fuller inhalation and deep breathing.

Diaphragm breathing also helps massage Manipura chakra which is a storehouse of debris from negative and stressful emotions. Sedentary lifestyle, fatty food, lack of exercise makes muscles around the daphragm tight and inelastic. Efforts to do diaphragm breathing exercises these muscles.