The 411 on Abdominal Breathing Exercises

A lot of people do not really think much of how they breathe since it is a non-issue for them. They take in air by the mouth or nose then breathe out and it is as simple as that. However, it is a bit more complicated than that in the sense that there is a better way to breathe that brings a ton of benefits to the body and the mind. It is called the abdominal breathing exercise technique and learning how to do it will really change the way you look at, and go about, breathing.

What is abdominal breathing?

It might sound somewhat daunting and something that can be more than a little bit intimidating but it is actually very easy for most people. You see, abdominal breathing is breathing in such a way that that you contract the diaphragm, a muscle that is located horizontally between the stomach cavity and the chest cavity. When you breathe this way, the belly expands as air enters from the lungs.

Try to take a look at the way you are breathing now and it is most likely your chest that is expanding and not your belly. There is nothing wrong with that but you might want to try abdominal breathing since many consider it a healthier way of breathing and is even used in complementary and alternative treatments.

Try it out

There are many different techniques you can try to learn how to breathe this way and one way to do it is to sit back or lay down in an environment where you can relax. Place one hand on your belly just above the belt line and another hand on your chest. This way, you can feel which body parts and muscles move when you breathe. Breathe in through the nose and feel your chest and abdomen. You do not want to feel movement in your chest and you want to feel your belly expand as you do this. It will prove to be somewhat challenging at first but the more you do it the easier it will become and pretty soon you will be breathing like that even without conscious effort.

What are the benefits?

It is easy to think this is some sort of gimmick designed to make you work harder; but, fact of the matter is that abdominal breathing has some very real benefits for the body. For one, this type of breathing gives your insides a kind of gentle massage which proves to be very relaxing. In fact, it is so relaxing that this type of breathing is usually taught to people who suffer from anxiety attacks or those that work in highly stressful environments.

People who take up yoga or tai chi will find that this type of breathing is often taught and encouraged in their classes since it brings about the best benefits for the body. Try out some abdominal breathing exercise guides and see how they work out for you.