Figure 3a
When you pack your knapsack or suitcase most efficiently, you use up every little nook and cranny, shifting things around to maximize space. This is what you’re going to do with your lungs, which may result in your ability to access fuller lung capacity. The truth is that, even if you have Aquaman-size lungs, it matters little if your thoracic cavity (rib cage) and the muscular encasement that holds your lungs are rigid.
These muscles (see figure 3a), which include the ones between each and every rib, help you inhale and exhale to your full potential. This chapter and the next will help you utilize the maximum capacity of your lungs and ensure that the encasement (see figure 3b) of your lungs is as flexible as possible in order to help, not hinder, your breathing.
Just the attention that you are paying to your breathing, just the awareness you are bringing to it a few times a day, even sporadically, means you have started to change—to get better. You are taking in more air than yesterday, even if all you are doing is bringing attention to your breath from time to time.
Figure 3a
Figure 3b
The exercises in this chapter will set you on your path to better health and performance by helping you rethink your own respiration. And it’s as simple as transforming the most basic components of a breath: your inhalations and exhalations.
The exhale is the underdog—it’s really much more important than it gets credit for. It may seem counterintuitive, because when you think about breathing, your mind automatically goes to your inhale. In fact, most people barely exhale at all, let alone fully; yet mediocre exhalations are a major contributor to poor breathing and hence have negative repercussions on your overall health.
Between each breath, a small amount of carbon dioxide stays in your lungs, just settling there and getting stale (and if you are a really lazy exhaler, it may be even more). The result is that these organs can’t expand to their full capacity with fresh air on your next inhalation. In other words, your starting inhalations have to be less than optimal when you haven’t exhaled well. (Often the result is that you speed up the rate of your breathing in an effort to compensate, which ripples outward to cause an imbalance of pretty much everything in your body and nervous system.)
With the following exercises, I’m going to show you how to squeeze out as much of that stale air as possible on your exhales, so there will be plenty of room in your lungs for new, oxygen-rich air. Let’s work on making that better.
1. On your next exhale, put some attention into the emptying of air. Does working your abs at the same time count as multitasking? Absolutely. It’s not just the abdominal muscles that give you a six-pack; in effect, there are more important ones, deeper inside, that have to do with core and pelvic stability.
2. Take it up a notch: On your next exhale, squeeze the last bit of air out with your core and ab muscles. And don’t stop at a neutral (flat) stomach. Actually go one step further (to a bowl shape); you might even push your fingers into your stomach and around your rib cage to become completely aware of the mechanics of this. (Supine or lying on your back or leaning over works best when you are starting out because of gravity.) Finally, scrunch up your face and pretend you are blowing out of a small straw. Don’t worry if you cough a little. Notice how much air was left over from your normal lazy exhale, as compared to your more attentive one. Think of all the wasted space that you could fill with clean air.
3. Take five normal breaths, focusing intently on the exhale. On the next five breaths, concentrate on taking a really big inhale. Notice how your inhale is automatically a bigger, more efficient breath because you have emptied out beforehand. Compare this breath to the one before in terms of efficacy. Remember that stale air stays in your lungs unless you consciously exhale it. Just keep training yourself to blow out every last little bit.
Do This
Barely exhale, then go to your inhale. Continue for another five or six breaths like this, having your exhale be only a fraction of your inhale. Notice how it is possible to continue breathing in this way. Become aware that, given injuries, posture, and bad habits, it would be easy to fall into the trap of always breathing this way (on a much more subtle level, of course). Now think about the math; think about breathing this way for months, for years. Despite feeling as if you are taking a deep breath, your inhale is very shallow, and the actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is completely out of balance.
The next stage in maximizing your inhalations is to consider the flexibility of your thoracic cavity. If you sit at a desk at work or spend several hours a day in a car, then your thoracic cavity is probably pretty darn rigid—the size of your lungs doesn’t matter. Making the intercostal muscles (between your ribs, in your sides and back—see figure 3c) more flexible means they will expand more, allowing you to take a bigger breath.
Figure 3c
Sitting up straight, drape one arm over your head so that the bicep is covering your ear. Visualizing the little muscles in between each rib on your side, stretch in the opposite direction, keeping your elbow straight up. Watch yourself in the mirror and make sure the majority of the stretch is not coming at your armpit. You might hold your side with your opposite hand just to give yourself some tactical awareness of where you want to be stretching. Do not hold your breath. Inhale during the stretch and exhale when you relax a bit or straighten up. Then reverse sides.
Think of the intercostal stretch as a side belly breath. Your diaphragm can expand on the sides; this stretch is helping to activate that as well.
FAQ: Shouldn’t I be exhaling as I stretch, like I do with other stretches? No. You want to fill the space with air and then stretch, so that the muscles inside have to give a little more. It does feel counterintuitive in the beginning, but if you keep the image of these between-the-rib muscles in your mind’s eye, it will make sense to you.
FAQ: Will I be breathing more into one lung when I do this? Yes, and the reason is that your breathing might feel slightly restricted, as compared to a “front” belly breath.
The intercostal stretch can be done standing next to the wall as well, with one palm on the wall.
Inhale and “open” your side. Move your feet closer to or farther from the wall to find places at your side that feel tighter. The arm closest to the wall should stretch down toward your knee as you feel the stretch in your rib cage.
Now lie down on your side with one arm resting along the length of your body and do this exercise. Does it feel as if you’re pushing that arm up on the inhale? Even if it’s subtle, if this resonates with you, it means you’re really starting to breathe through the middle of your body, where the densest part of your lungs are, with your diaphragm, the way you’re meant to. Bravo!
If you have a high tolerance for pain, don’t do these exercises to the top of your pain threshold. Remember that these little muscles have been pretty still for a long time, so be gentle.
After you have done this exercise, take a deep breath, with awareness on the inside of your arms between your armpits and elbows. The parts that touch your sides. Notice how you can feel your sides expand. “Play” with this new sensation by doing the breathing exercises in different positions.
Then, do the Child’s Pose to bring awareness to your back. Remember, your chin should almost fit between your knees; keep your arms back with your shoulders “melting” down as you relax with each breath. If you have difficulty pointing your toes back, dropping your head low enough to get to the floor, or trouble with your lower back, try a supported Child’s Pose: put a rounded pillow or bolster vertically from your tummy to your head, or between your calves and butt to lessen the pressure if you are still too stiff or need the extra support. Inhale and puff up your back, exhale and flatten your body.
Round your back, extending your arms in front of you. Inhale. Clasp your hands together, palms facing out. Drop your head. Focus on increasing the gap between your hands and your chest, feeling your shoulders stretch across your back.
Become aware of Lateral Breathing—the expansion of your thoracic cavity from side to side that you will feel when you cross your arms in front of you, putting your hands on your sides or your hands in opposite armpits, as if keeping them warm—notice the expansion of your back and sides when you breathe, this exercise will change subtly.
FAQ: I feel like my ribs are moving a bit more now when I breathe. Is that okay? Yes. You’ll notice that subtly, you are moving from a belly breath to a real middle-of-your-body breath. This is good; it’s the goal. Your intercostals are very important; in fact, the beginner belly breath is really just the starting point for your feeling your entire middle moving without engaging your shoulders. External intercostals pull your ribs open for the inhale; internal intercostals close for the exhale.
FAQ: You talk about activating the diaphragm; when did it deactivate? It started when you started bracing your body, either as an emotional response or when sucking in your gut because you thought it was good for you. Little by little, your diaphragm got replaced by your neck and shoulder muscles, which would pull you up to breathe. Not to worry, though, because your understanding, stretching, and practicing the exercises now will get it back in gear, no matter how old you are.
While your body is neutral and relaxed, try sliding your fingers slightly under your ribs and tugging gently, pulling your ribs out (horizontally). Then exhale and lightly squeeze them together with the palms of your hands. This is “teaching” your body that breathing means there is movement in your whole body, especially in your middle, where the biggest, densest part of your lungs are. Eventually, you’ll develop control of the muscles here and be able to do this on your own, using your intercostals and diaphragm.
FAQ: I feel like I am pushing my belly out but my diaphragm isn’t expanding, is this possible? It’s unusual but yes. It probably means you’re tensing up too much in an attempt to get a bigger belly. Don’t push your belly out so hard; rather, think of your entire middle softening and expanding. You might even put a measuring tape slightly above your belly, right at your diaphragm (exactly where you measured Vital Lung Capacity) and use it as a tactile cue that points to the place where you should really be expanding. All these muscles and your diaphragm inside have been underutilized. You have to become aware of them and stretch and strengthen them. The good news is you’ll have small “aha!” moments along the way, where all of a sudden you feel as if you get it.
The belly breath really is just the beginner breath that helps break down the habit of keeping the middle of your body braced. It gets you physically used to the idea that there’s movement from your armpits to your pelvis when you breathe.
FAQ: My back is sore when I breathe, which has never happened before. Is that normal? It’s normal. Think about it—your diaphragm goes all around your body, including your back. When you exhale, all your middle-body muscles contract a bit, even your back muscles. Though the movement isn’t a big one, you’re moving muscles you haven’t used like this in decades.
FAQ: Every once in a while, I get a stitch when doing the breathing exercises—should I worry? No; it sounds as if you have a cramp in a muscle—a cramp you’d get in your calf or side when you run. Try relaxing your body and giving it a moment for the stitch to subside.
FAQ: When I exhale, am I trying to narrow my whole body, sides, and back, too, or just the abs in the front? Whereas the beginner exhale is only focusing on your abs, once this all becomes more natural, you can think about your whole body—from your armpits to your pelvis—contracting, much like a sponge.
FAQ: When I do the intercostal stretch exercise, I “lose” the belly breath. Is that okay? As long as you’re not using your shoulders to inhale, that’s fine. This is really about stretching these muscles so that when you’re upright, you’re taking a better breath. Think about it as a side belly breath. You actually have a lot of lung space on your side, so this may feel even more natural than a belly breath. Remember that the long-term goal is to be breathing all the way around your body in Lower-body Breaths, without using your shoulders.
FAQ: So if I’m not making a belly breath, am I still breathing with my diaphragm? Yes, if you’re breathing with a Lower-body Breath, not using your shoulders and feeling yourself expand on the inhale and contract/squeeze on the exhale, you’re starting to use your diaphragm from all sides. Remember, it’s a lot like an umbrella in your body that pushes your ribs open (wider) when you inhale, and then on the exhale, closes and encourages your body to contract and squeeze out.
Spinal twists are my favorite stretches—they’re the king of all stretches and they help keep your body and posture young and healthy. I’m going to show you how to do them on the ground, sitting, and standing. If you do one stretch during the day, make it your favorite one.
Twists can provide a great number of benefits to your spine, hips, and digestive system. There should be no pain when they’re performed.
1. Sit on a folded blanket, legs straight out in front of you.
2. Draw your knees up close to your chest with both feet on the floor.
3. Drop your right leg down and then lift your left leg and place it over your right leg, knee toward the ceiling, left ankle by the right knee. Repeat on the other side.
4. Draw your right leg toward the body.
5. Inhale a Lower-Body breath, feeling your belly expand, and then, on an exhale, bring your left elbow to the outside of your right knee as you twist toward your right.
6. Hold the pose for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
An easier variation is keeping one leg straight as pictured on the right.
1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. You can rest your head on a pillow or blanket for extra neck support. Let your arms rest at your sides.
2. On an exhalation, draw both knees to your chest and clasp your hands around them.
3. Extend your left leg along the floor, keeping your right knee drawn to your chest. Extend your right arm out along the floor at shoulder height.
4. Shift your hips slightly to the right. Then, place your left hand on the outside of your right knee. Exhaling, drop your right knee over the left side of your body. Keep your left hand resting gently on your right knee. Turn your head to the right.
• Rest your top knee and leg on a bolster or firm pillow.
• Place a folded blanket between your legs.
1. Cross your right knee over your left knee (crossing knee-to-knee). If you have the flexibility, also wrap your right foot around your left calf, coming into the Eagle Legs pose.
2. Shift your hips slightly to the right and drop your knees to the left.
3. Come back to center, then repeat on the opposite side.
Practicing Reclined Spinal Twist can be calming and comforting. Keep the following information in mind when practicing this pose:
• Bring your top knee over only as much as comfort will allow. If needed, rest your top knee on a bolster or pillow to decrease the range of motion.
• Keep your breath smooth; do not hold your breath.
• Rest the opposite hand on your top knee to gently add more weight.
• Relax your shoulders away from your ears. Try to keep both shoulder blades on the floor.
• Relax your abdominal muscles.
• Never force your knee to the floor. Be gentle with yourself!
• Be aware of how your back feels during the pose. If you feel any sharp, pinching, or jabbing pain, stop the pose and come out of it slowly. Never force the twist if you’re in pain.
Sit sideways on a chair. Twist to the left so your torso is facing the chair back and grasp it with your hands. If your neck will permit it, complete the full spinal twist by looking over your left shoulder. Swing around to the right and repeat. Remember: twist at the waistline; resist using the chair’s back to wrench your body around further into the twist.
Place a chair next to a wall. Bend the leg closest to the wall and place it on the chair. This time, when you twist, place your hands on the wall to hold yourself in a deeper position—but walk them back toward center if your back starts to protest. Repeat on the opposite side.
1. Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome31
2. Relieve thoracic or mid-back spinal tension
3. Strengthen your abdominal oblique muscles
4. Stretch your hip rotators and hips
5. Lengthen, relax, and realign the spine
6. Massage your abdominal organs and stimulate digestion
7. Benefit the soft tissues that surround the spine
8. Enhance the health of the discs and facet joints between the vertebrae
Once you’ve mastered these twists, integrate the breath. There are several reasons:
1. Usually, when put in a restrictive position, you’ll go up to an Upper-body Breath. Now you want to teach your body that, no matter what, your breathing stays low. Yes, it’s tough to inhale and expand your middle and exhale and contract when pretzeled up and stretching. Do it anyway.
2. As your body is twisting and stretching, so are your lungs and organs. Breathing low while in a stretch helps to massage your organs at a different angle as well as to detoxify (think of wringing out a wet washcloth).
3. Depending on which side you’re stretching, one lung is working harder than the other. This automatically will help expand your lung capacity to sections of your lungs you may not use much, or at all.
After having done these warm-up exercises and stretches, your Vital Lung Capacity will already have improved. This can be measured with a fabric measuring tape pre- and post-exercise.32 What was your original inhale number? What was your original exhale number? Right now, see if you’ve expanded at least ¼ inch for each, getting a bigger inhale and a smaller, more efficient exhale. Make sure you’re not using your shoulders anymore. Take the measurement several times, focusing on making that number bigger on the inhale and smaller on the exhale. Nudge and prompt yourself in either direction, sipping in air, “letting it settle,” seeing if straightening up or relaxing helps the air go down, then push the measuring tape to a slightly bigger number on the inhale.
Initially, the idea of doing the breathing throughout the day was overwhelming. So I started doing a few minutes in the morning, before lunch, before dinner, and in bed at night. That worked for me. I actually looked forward to these “pauses” that made me slow down and focus on me. Each time, I did have to switch over to the Horizontal Breath, but each time, it was easier and seemed more “natural.” I really maximized my inhale and exhale for these breaths—focusing on taking a few really big expansive breaths, and really squeezing all the way out on the exhale. Plus, I figured if each Lower-body Breath was worth six of the Vertical ones I was taking during the rest of the day, I was still doing myself a great service by taking almost a hundred bigger breaths in total and pushing the amount of oxygen I was giving my body and brain up a huge percent. —Ted, age 37
A friend who was concerned about his mental health had dragged Jason to the class. A massive man who had played football in college, Jason worked in senior management in construction. He was obviously reticent and skeptical, needling me with mild sarcasm about a “breathing class.” “I don’t have time to breathe,” was his first announcement. His wife had died six months earlier, and he’d been left with their two children and a stressful job. As he relaxed, he finally was able to admit that he had a feeling of tightness in his chest, and that it felt hard to take a deep breath. He often felt “fuzzy” and off center. Once he was able to open up a bit more, he confided that he was scared of crying in public. Jason reported a sense of relief when breathing horizontally. He relaxed as he found himself agreeing on the basic tenets and straightforward explanations presented in class.
1. While the VLC can give you concrete numbers, you want to “reach for” a more expansive inhale (bigger number) and a smaller exhale (smaller number). The main idea, then, is that you want your inhale to be wider and your exhale to be narrower. The more change you see between these two numbers, the better. Measuring yourself from time to time to see your progress will help you really integrate the idea that your middle moves when you breathe. Working on the flexibility of your rib cage and back will help this number get better as well.
2. As you work on making your middle more mobile, you’re going to focus on your shoulders staying relaxed. If they move, it should be minimal. The goal is a Lower-body Breath—a high VLC, without your shoulder muscles being the main ones involved.
3. Keep the measuring tape loose and put serious effort into having your belly “meet” it. If you’re advanced, you might go back and forth, seeing if you can add expansion from the sides and back. Air-pack and relax your middle, observing if that helps the expansion.
4. On the exhale, use the tape to squeeze you, to help your body “understand” that the exhale is almost a “wringing out” of air, where all the muscles from your armpits to your pelvis flatten out and narrow.
While this is obviously an exaggerated breath, as when learning anything new that’s mechanical, doing the exaggerated version in the beginning helps the learning process.
31 Marian S. Garfinkel et al., “Yoga-based Intervention for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Trial,” Journal of the American Medical Association 280, no. 18 (1998): 1601–03.
32 If you like math and measurements, you might want to check out http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/lungcapacity.html.
