Day 41- Breath for Energy

This exercise is a rib breath with the added awareness of the sympathetic nervous system.  This is the branch of the nervous system that is often dubbed the fight or flight nervous system.  It gives us our “get up and go.”

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.  As you inhale start counting and let the breath expand your ribs.  Count to six and then begin to exhale. Continue counting and then inhale when you have reached a count of seven.  Continue breathing in this way as long as you want. 

Things to think about

This exercise is intended to give you energy.  It helps to have energetic images in your head as you practice this enlivening breath. 

This is a great exercise for that time in the afternoon when it seems like five o’clock will never ever come.

Day 38- Rib Breath with Pelvis on Soft Ball

This exercise allows you to do the rib breath with your pelvis lifted away from the ground.  This places the body in a position that can facilitate increased breath capacity around the entire circumference of the ribcage.

To do this exercise you will need a soft ball and a mat.  Start by lying on your back with the soft ball under your sacrum, which elevates your pelvis away from the ground.  Your head and shoulders will be on the ground and your knees will be bent with your feet flat on the floor.  Begin the rib breath.  As you inhale ask the base of your ribcage to expand in all directions, and as you exhale ask your ribs to narrow towards your spine.

Things to think about

Expanding the ribcage in the back on the inhale can lengthen the tissues that are shortened in some standing postures.

Day 36-Single Lung Breathing Side Lying

This exercise adds the resistance of the floor to the single lung breath exercise of before.  Breathing into resistance whether it is the hands or the floor can increase the depth of the breath once the resistance is released.  It can also assist you in your exhale.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your side with your knees bent.  Begin breathing into your ribs.  As you inhale try to expand your ribs into the floor.  Exhale as your ribs narrow and move away from the floor. Inhale your ribs expand into the floor and exhale as they release. Repeat on the other side.

Things to think about

In between the two different sides of this exercise it will be fun for you to lay on your back and try a few rib breaths to notice the difference from side to side.  Ask yourself if your ribs have more mobility.  Can you take deeper breaths?

Day 35- Single Lung Breathing- Supine

This Exercise is intended to correct imbalances in the breath and musculature of the ribcage and spine. 

To do this exercise you will need a mat. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted in the ground.  Then place one hand on one side of your ribcage.  As you inhale try to spread the ribs underneath your hand without moving the ribs on the other side.  As you exhale feel the ribs move away from your hand.  Repeat 6-8 times on each side.

Things to think about

This is not an exact science.  It is tremendously difficult if not impossible to isolate the breath in just one lung, but the act of trying to isolate the breath can increase the stretch in the musculature of the ribs that are moving.

Day 32-Rib Breath (Bucket Handle)

Rib Breath (Bucket Handle)

This exercise benefits many parts of the body and is essential to many Pilates exercises.  When incorporated in the Pilates abdominal strengthening exercises this breath pattern can prevent neck strain and spine compression.  It will also invigorate and energize the body.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying supine (on your back) with your knees bent and your feet planted in the ground.  As you inhale, let the breath expand the base of your ribcage.  Exhale let all of the air out feel the base of your ribcage narrow towards your spine.  Inhale expand the ribs, and exhale narrow the ribs. Repeat for 8-10 breaths.

Things to think about:

This breath is often called the bucket handle breath, which is an image for the movement of the ribs.  If you imagine the each rib is the handle on a bucket, on the inhale the bucket handle lifts and on the exhale the bucket handle moves back towards the bucket.

This exercise is also a great way to encourage length in the lumbar spine.  As you exhale the diaphragm releases up into the ribcage like a hot air balloon.  The diaphragm is fascially connected to the muscles that run along the front of the lumbar spine, and when you concentrate on exhaling completely the diaphragm will encourage length in these muscles.