Breathing

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi,

During my asanas in my yoga classes the instructor will call out the breath patterns. Sometimes I follow them and sometimes I don’t. Especially if it just doesn’t feel natural.
I would assume that breathing correctly before and after a pose would be a good thing.
So would it be a good thing to hold my breath or release it when it feels weird to be in sync with my instructor’s calls for transitioning breaths?
I believe that the breath is quite important to yogic practice therefore the reason for the question.
Thanks.:smiley:

#2

My yoga breath; 3 part; nose breathing only, completely fill the lungs completely empty the lungs, smooth it out. Layer on Ujjayi breath. Focus on the breath and nothing else. Don’t listen, just hear the cues. Inhale -lift, exhale - fold. Take the breath through the entire movement. At the end of the movement should be then end of the exhale.

I always follow my breath.

#3

I use Ujjayi breath in Ashtanga and Vinyasa (including Hot Yoga) yoga, and 3 part breath in Slow Burn Vinyasa. Breath is always through the nose. Don’t hold your breath. If you find yourself breathing through your mouth, take a break (e.g. in child’s pose), and then go back to your practice. The sound from the partially restricted throat on the exhale in the Unjjayi breath helps to keep the coordination of breath with movement.

#4

Generally speaking, yogic breathing in asana is to exhale on the exertion. Of course there are exceptions. For example Bhujangasana, Urdhva Dhanurasana, Ustrasana and other backbends are done on the inhalation and in the Tibetan Rites the yogic breath is completely opposite because of the desired effect on the chakras.

Assuming your instructor is well trained and knows what she/he is doing I’d be more likely to follow along. Additionally, in a group class, there is a harmony of doing that is “broken” when one part is not doing what the other parts are doing, much like a symphony.

Finally, breath for transitions from one posture to the next often are as they are in order to champion some semblance of safety - even though there’s an inverse relationship in asana between pace and safety. Point is transitions hold risk and I personally would not want to tinker around with breathing during transitions and I surely would not hold the breath at all in such a situation.

#5

You should never hold your breath in your asana’s. If you’re finding that your breath is stuck, it’s a sign you should ease yourself out of the pose, or pull back slightly until you are able to breathe in and out comfortably.

#6

So would it be a good thing to hold my breath or release it

Its better to be naturally than holding your breath. Holding should not be done in postures at any time.

In fact breathing should be synced consciously and naturally. It may be deliberate effort initially but with practice it becomes natural.

Moreover, You need to focus more on Pranayama to build good lungs capacity so that breathing comes in your control. Good lungs ensures regulation of breath especially when body is twisted in some postures and there is less space for lungs to move.

#7

Can I share my experience …
I cannot match my breathing to the calls of a teacher who is trying to synchronize everybody’s breathing! I used to try and stay in sync with the others in the class by holding my breath or taking 2 breaths where they took one but that’s not a good way to practice. Nor are those classes in general.

If I start breathing unevenly or gasping in that situation, or feeling my breathing is overstressed then I back out of the class and re-establish my equilibrium with full yogic breath or even by doing nothing and just breathing normally.
It may not please the teacher though!

I allow myself the luxury of not controlling my breath during self-practise (there are no yoga police in my house!) and just breathing naturally, through the mouth. In those instances the natural breathing cycle determines the rhythm and intensity of the practice. I try to avoid getting out of breath and maybe long experience has actually conditioned my breathing so that now I don’t have to consciously work at it.

Though I do make sure I AM breathing and not holding my breath (which would weaken me), and I keep my chest as open as possible, releasing any constrictions pressing on the chest.

I give myself a lot of latitude, I am not a machine, I am a feeling responding entity, nature is my guide and my breathing is how I reach for life.

#8

OK. For sure I got it. Do not hold my breath during asana. Next question. Sometimes it just feels better to breath through the mouth than the nose. But often I have been told to breath through the nose, unless it is the Lion’s breath.
Thoughts?

#9

When you feel you need to breath trough the mouth it is probably because you are exerted and your body needs to release more CO2 and take in more O2 then you can take trough the nose, breathing trough mouth you take in more air easily . So maybe you should take it a bit more easy , in yoga scriptures it is said not to exert yourself. Also you might want to train your resperatory system by doing loads of pranayama like khapalbhati and bastrika. Take your time and enjoy the journey :wink:

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