We caught up with ex-pharmacist turned holistic health expert and founder of international
school of breathwork Niraj Naik, to cover everything you need to know about breathing techniques and the benefits of breathwork for beginners.
Breathwork Techniques & Breathing Exercises For Beginners
We are always looking for the best way to take care of ourselves, body and mind. We eat nutritious foods, keep our bodies moving, and try to get a good night’s sleep. But what if there was something you do every second of the day that could be utilised as a major secret weapon in your well-being?
Breath holds the power to take our health to the next level. Who would have thought that something as simple as breathing could help improve our mental and physical health so significantly? Adding a regular breathwork regime to your life can help you achieve all your health and fitness goals.
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is the intentional manipulation of one’s breathing pattern to achieve a desired result. While breathwork stems from the ancient tradition of Pranayama, breathwork is its own practice. Utilising many different breathing exercises and constantly evolving, breathwork is taking the wellness world by storm. While the concept is not new, people are just now learning and living with the benefits that intentional breathing can do!
Breathwork consists of many breathing exercises like deep breathing, breathwork with holding the breath or breathing faster and forceful exhalations than inhalations. Well, these are a few of many breathwork exercises to name but in a nutshell, breathwork is a large umbrella under which you can do various breathing exercises to feel relaxed and regulate the central nervous system.
According to the National Library of Medicine, the Central Nervous System (CNS) is one of the two parts of the Nervous System, which includes brain function and spinal cord. The brain helps with cognitive functions like memory, learning, processing, sensation, and emotion while the spinal cord helps in sending motor commands from the peripheral body to the brain and vice versa. In addition, the spinal cord plays a crucial role in coordinating the reflexes that are involuntary reactions to protect the body from any harm.
Every time you intentionally manipulate the breath like in the case of deep breathing, the diaphragm expands and contracts, which stimulates the vagus nerve of the nervous system resulting in regulating relaxation response, heart rate, and other bodily functions like digestion. With the help of a breathwork coach, you can learn a variety of breathing techniques and how each one of them affects the CNS or brain. This will allow you to practice as per your specific needs and notice how positively they impact your overall well-being.
What Are The Benefits of Breathwork?
Breathwork is a great addition to a health regime for stress relief and an abundance of other benefits. Guided breathwork sessions have been used to treat a variety of ailments in the medical and psychological realm. Sessions have led to somatic trauma release, lowered symptoms of PTSD, reduced feelings of anxiety, improved feelings of depression, lowered levels of cortisol in the body, and improved mood.
Physically, breathwork has been linked to lowering blood pressure, increased cardiovascular health, improved memory and cognitive function, higher quality sleep, improved symptoms of COPD, and lower symptoms of asthma.
Some breathwork techniques, like holotropic breathwork, are used in medical settings to help individuals who are struggling with addiction. This technique involves rapid breaths over a long
period of time and can induce a psychedelic-like effect without the drugs. This allows for a deeper level of healing to occur for the practitioner.
Breathwork and Physical Fitness
It is no secret that breathwork greatly improves the mood and life of those who practice regularly. But there are even more benefits for athletes or avid gym goers. A regular breathwork regime can help improve lung function, increase stamina, reduce recovery time, and reduce fatigue.
Physical fitness and breathwork are tied together in many ways. If an individual can control their breathing, they can control their body and mind much easier. Learning to breathe more effectively during a cardio session can allow us to run further and faster. Utilising our breath during strength training can help us level up quickly. Remaining calm and clear headed lets us move leaps and bounds over our competition, even if the competition is just ourselves.
What are the Five Best Breathing Techniques for Beginners?
Guided breathwork techniques offer an array of mental and physical health benefits. Breathwork stems from the ancient tradition of Pranayama. With so many different breathwork techniques out there, it can feel overwhelming to learn. The 5 best breathing exercises for beginners include: Diaphragmatic breathing, Bhramari Pranayama, box breathing, visualisation mantra breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing.
Diaphragmatic Breathing is the term given to deep belly breathing. This is the simplest breathwork technique, making it ideal for beginners. This is also one that needs to be mastered before moving on to more advanced breathing exercises. To perform diaphragmatic breathing, sit with a straight spine. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand to its fullest. Once you have reached the limit, begin to slowly exhale through your mouth. Practice control as you release all the air from your lungs. Pause for a moment before beginning again with an inhale. Repeat 3-5 times for full effect.
Bhramari Pranayama, also called bumblebee breath, is a great technique for reducing stress and invoking a feeling of calm for the practitioner. This exercise is more advanced than diaphragmatic breathing, but is still great for beginner learners. To begin, sit with a straight spine. Next, place the tip of your tongue between your upper and lower teeth, relaxing the jaw. Use your thumbs to close your ears and place your fingertips over your brow bone and in between your eyebrows. Inhale deeply through your nostrils filling your abdomen entirely. Bring your chin to your chest and exhale slowly, making a humming sound in the back of your throat like a bumblebee. Repeat 3-5 times for full effect.
Box Breathing is sometimes called 4-4-4-4 breathing. This technique is simple and effective, making it a great option for breathwork beginners. As always, ensure that you are seated with a straight spine. Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds and hold that breath for another 4 seconds before slowly exhaling through your mouth for 4 seconds. To complete the box, hold your empty lungs for 4 seconds before inhaling again and repeating the cycle. Continue box breathing for 3-5 repetitions to feel the full effect.
Visualisation Mantra Breathing is a broader topic than just a simple breathwork technique. Generally, these sessions are guided breathwork sessions that will also include having the practitioner visualize and focus on things in their minds as they are verbally guided through their sessions. Mantras are often used as a meditation tool during this practice. These exercises are great for beginners to meditation and manifestation. They can also help individuals who have a hard time shutting off their brains from outside stimuli.
4 7 8 Breathing is similar to box breathing, but a little easier to follow. Unlike Box Breathing where every inhale, hold, and exhale are done for the same amount of time, in 4 7 8 Breathing, each part has different timings. You will inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, and hold your breath for 7 seconds, before exhaling slowly and controlled for 8 seconds. This breathing technique focuses more on the release of the breath versus the intake. 4 7 8 breathing is great for reducing stress and calming the mind. It is used often for those who have trouble winding down for sleep and can be used immediately before dozing off to help ensure a great night of sleep.
Breathwork sessions are as varied as the individuals who practice. Depending on the goals of the session, a different approach can be taken. Finding and working with a breathwork facilitator that you trust can help ensure a long and fruitful journey with breathwork.
Where Do You Learn Breathwork?
In the fitness industry, we understand that not all resources are created equally. Similarly to how we have to be careful which “trainers” or “fitness influencers” we learn from, finding a knowledgeable and professional breathwork facilitator is vital on your breathwork journey.
Some breathwork coaches will work out of yoga studios or gyms. Others may have their own space and many offer online options. Whether you are hoping to have one-on-one sessions tailored to your unique needs or just want to unwind and feel the energy of a group session, there is a breathwork session right for your lifestyle.
Choosing a trained and certified breathwork coach is a personal decision. Spend time finding the right one for you. There are many options for professional breathwork companies and they are all a little different in approach. Just be sure to check their credentials and training program before committing.
Once you start a breathwork routine, you may feel a calling to become a breathwork coach yourself. Whether you are a fitness or yoga instructor looking for an additional wellness offering for you clients or if you decide to only teach breathwork, taking a certified breathwork facilitator training course can help you achieve your goals.
Conclusion
Breathwork has been a vital part of society for thousands of years. While it is just now becoming
popular in the Western World, it is impossible to ignore its numerous benefits. From reducing stress to improving cardiovascular fitness to increasing stamina for athletes, a regular breathwork session can improve anyone’s life.
Learning and utilising this amazing skill is best done under the supervision of a certified breathwork coach. They will be able to tailor your sessions to your goals and desires while ensuring that you are practising in a safe and sustainable way.
Breathing Technique For Beginners FAQs:
What is the Proper Breathwork Technique?
Proper technique is important when it comes to breathwork. Similar to workouts, alignment is important. In breathwork, we want to sit up straight and create a straight spine. This ensures that
the abdomen has ample space to expand and contract. Clothing has an importance in breathwork as well. The practitioner will want to wear loose-fitting clothing items that don’t restrict the abdomen.
Each breathwork exercise has its own technique which is why it is important to work with a trained breathwork coach to ensure the practitioner is performing well. Similar to those who seek out a personal trainer when learning a new skill in the gym, individuals get the most out of their breathwork regime when working with a trained professional.
What is the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique Used For?
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a great option for beginner breathwork students. It is simple to
remember and has many benefits. Generally, the 4 7 8 breathwork technique is used to help lower
anxiety and create feelings of relaxation. This technique is also great for sleep, helping induce a
higher quality and deeper sleep cycle.
When Should You Do Breathwork?
Like all workout or health regimes, there are some limitations to who can practice breathwork and when you should practice. It is always best to consult your doctor before beginning a breathwork regime to ensure you are healthy enough. Individuals who have experienced strokes or have had a major cardiovascular ailment should practice caution and only work with trained coaches who have experience with these issues.
For those who don’t have any major medical conditions, it is advisable to not perform a deep breathing session within 30 minutes of completing a meal. Allowing your body to digest properly is vital for health and wellness. Individuals who become light-headed during a session should begin to breathe normally and wait until the feeling passes before attempting to stand or move around. Having a drink of water within your reach during your practice may be beneficial as well.
Should I Exhale Through My Nose or Mouth?
Depending on the breathwork technique you are using in your practice, you may use your nose or mouth for the exhale. For practices like alternate nostril breathing, you will only breathe in and out through your nose. Other techniques, including lion’s breath and pursed lip breathing have you breathe in through your nose and exhale out your mouth. Working with an experienced breathwork coach will help ensure that you are practising the breathing techniques accurately to get the most out of your sessions
