Understanding the Fundamentals of Breath Training

Introduction

Focusing on the breath is a fundamental tool for settling the mind and tuning into the body. Conscious breathing has positive effects on stress reduction and pain management. For beginners, a primary goal is to strengthen and expand their respiratory capacity while keeping everything safe and relaxed.

Unconscious Breathing

Most people breathe unconsciously at a rate of 12 to 16 breaths per minute. That means we breathe over 20,000 times a day. This unconscious pattern often leads to shallow breathing, which can contribute to feelings of anxiety and fatigue.

Conscious Breathing

By simply paying attention to the breath, students often reduce their breath rate to around 6 times per minute. Experienced yogis might decrease this further to 4 breaths or less. B.K.S. Iyengar noted that a conscious deep inhalation can take in six times more air than an average breath.

Expanding Respiratory Capacity

Practices designed for beginners focus on safely strengthening and expanding their respiratory capacity. Learning to take deeper, fuller breaths efficiently can bring significant benefits. Many people only use about 25 percent of their lung capacity. Increasing this efficiency can relieve vital organs that are often struggling for oxygen.

Basic Breath Training

Overview

According to Rolf Sovik of the Himalayan Institute, basic breath training includes:

• Awareness of the breath
• A relaxed sense of the mechanics of breathing
• Observing one’s own relaxed nervous system

The key instruction is simple: it is important to relax. When learning new practices, it might feel awkward. Overthinking can cause tension. Not judging yourself makes it easier to relax and experience the benefits of conscious breathing.

Tools

For those looking to deepen their practice, resources like Yoga Teacher Central offer online lessons and training videos.

Importance

Many students may not realize they breathe shallowly, which leads to anxiety or tiredness. Increased awareness can naturally change these patterns, contributing to a noticeable difference in their state from the start to the end of a class.

Simple Breath Awareness

Teachers often start classes by inviting students to check in with how they feel physically, mentally, and in their breath. This process increases self-awareness, enabling students to appreciate changes that occur during practice. Simple ways to teach awareness include:

• A brief centering exercise at the beginning of class
• Pauses throughout class to notice and feel the breath
• Connecting breath with movement

Practices

1. Notice your breath for several rounds of inhalation and exhalation.
2. If distracted, gently bring your focus back to your breath.
3. Stress can inhibit practice; remind students they can stop if they feel overwhelmed.
4. Invite students to return to observing their breath throughout class.

Sample Verbal Cueing

“Just breathe naturally, without trying to control it. Notice any changes as you become aware of your breath. If you find it stressful, you can stop at any time.”

Mental Inquiry

In addition to basic awareness, sometimes it helps to lead students through a more precise inquiry about their breathing. This could involve noticing various sensations during inhalation and exhalation, such as where they feel the breath or how it changes during practice.

Connecting Breath with Movement

Whether the asana practice is demanding or gentle, connecting breath with movement is essential. Instructing students to inhale or exhale as they move can help them synchronize their actions with their breath. Here are some breathing cues to support movement:

• Notice if you hold your breath.
• Allow your breath to flow freely.
• Inhale and exhale to specific counts.

Gently Deepening the Breath

Focusing on exhalation can often help deepen the breath. Inhalation naturally follows a complete exhalation. The exhalation helps calm and ground us. Simple practices to help students deepen their breath include:

Awareness

Encourage students to lengthen their exhalation, making it longer than their inhalation.

Deepening Exercise

Rolf Sovik recommends a practice where students focus on their breath in Crocodile Pose, initiating deeper inhalations by pressing the abdomen toward the spine at the end of exhalation.

Viloma Pranayama

This practice divides inhalations and exhalations into parts, which can make the breath feel longer and easier.

Strengthening the Diaphragm

Strengthening the diaphragm is crucial for efficient breathing. One way to do this is while lying on the back:

1. Wrap hands around the lower rib cage.
2. Press your hands firmly into the ribs.
3. Inhale and expand the breath into the ribs against your hands.
4. Breathe smoothly and evenly for several cycles.

By understanding the fundamentals of breath training, yoga practitioners can tap into a powerful tool. It connects the body and mind, enhances asana practice, and promotes overall well-being.