7 exercises to free the diaphragm and breathe better

The forces that affect the respiratory gesture

To perform its function, the diaphragm needs some freedom of movement. Its central and relatively flexible position means that each organic or postural change can influence its state and, consequently, since it is the protagonist of breathing, in this and in the quality of life. Its optimal functionality depends on several factors:

psycho-emotional state: the vital attitude affects the body posture, which directly influences the respiratory volume.Postural hygiene: the way in which the body is used when standing, sitting or doing any other daily activity affects muscular balance and the position of the joints in relation to the axis of gravity and, therefore, the respiratory capacity. Many of us spend hours in front of the computer with the spine semi-flexed and the shoulders forward. This entrapment of the ribcage does not allow the diaphragm to descend freely with inhalation, and to compensate for the limited oxygen intake, we increase the breaths per minute, often leading to a moderate but chronic type of hyperventilated breathing.Myofascial elasticity: it is the one that affects the inspiratory and expiratory muscles, and their fascias, the tissues that surround them and connect with other structures. The freedom of the diaphragm depends on many muscle groups, some powerful and major and others smaller. Some are part of muscular chains that are often overused due to poor postural hygiene.The airways: nose, trachea and larynx must allow air to pass through them. Allergies, flu or asthma affect the mucus and, therefore, its opening.

​Apart from these factors, there are others that are not always considered relevant but are just as important. Toxic habitssuch as smoking obviously, or even environmental pollution, affect the mucus in the airways.

He insomnia it reduces the energy level in the body and can harm postural hygiene. This in turn leads to the establishment of respiratory reflex patterns in the nervous system that make any change difficult.

Tight clothing can restrict breathingbut also high heels. These misalign the body in front of the axis of gravity, which causes a constant contraction of the entire posterior muscular chain and misaligns an essential muscle of the body: the iliopsoas. The diaphragm becomes intertwined with the iliopsoas muscle fibers and can therefore lose its positional balance.

Finally, the emotions that contract us – anger, sadness, dissatisfaction or jealousy –, which tend to become chronic when one does not take care of oneself psycho-emotionally, also affect respiratory quality. If they become chronic, they become physically limiting and painful attitudes.

The act of breathing is, therefore, a complex activity. If breathing depends on so many factors, what is our role when it comes to proper breathing? Or better reflected: is there adequate breathing?

what is free breathing

As a therapeutic yoga teacher, I often get students who tell me in an intimate tone: “I breathe very badly”; a candid and courageous observation. When I ask them to describe how they do it, they give me a common answer: “I only breathe into my chest, I breathe little, fast and superficially”.

Without having any pathological respiratory involvement, many people have the feeling that they are not breathing properly. But what is proper breathing?

It occurs when breathing in daily life is consistent with the demands imposed on the body, from taking a walk in the park to climbing stairs with the purchase or do aerobic activities like dancing and swimming.

That is to say, that breathing is consistent with what the body requires to function optimally at any time of the day. It is true that free breathing has some features.

It is multidirectional (the entire thoracic and abdominal cage oscillates anteriorly and posteriorly), it complies with the law of least effort and is regular and rhythmic. But there is no single proper way to breathe. Everything depends, as we have seen, on many factors.

Seeing breathing as a phenomenon that emerges, given by different conditions, can serve to appreciate breathing as a process, as an indication of the general state of the organism. If you feel like you are breathing shallowly, the solution is not to take a deeper breath.

The interesting thing would be to go to the origin: look for the answers in your psycho-emotional state and in your body alignment. Because when you regularly stretch your respiratory and postural muscles, and cultivate body, respiratory and psycho-emotional awareness, it is when breathing is freed from the factors that limit it.