Reverse breathing...What is it good for?

[Topic]

My TKD teacher tells us to practice breathing backwards...Instead of taking contracting ur stomach when u take a deep breath, and letting ur stomach go when breathgin out, hwe tells us to let the stomach go (fill up) when u take a deebp breath, and contract it when u let it out. He says this will help train the inside of your body, is this true? I mean u are reverse breathign so ur working diff muscles, but what else is it good for?

[White_Tiger]

I have never heard of this. Not discounting it, but in my years in martial arts, and other sports...I have never heard of it.

[koreantiger81]

could be a pilate technique. I really don't know. Did your master just make this up?

 

Are there any scientific studies done on this?

[Spookey]

Dear All,

 

It is not reverse breathing...it is breathing the way the body was ment to!

 

This type of breathing is used by singers! It allows for maximum acceptance of oxygen when you inhale, and forces out the maximum amount of carbon dioxide upon exhaling!

 

Basically, it is the most efficient way of breathing, allows the blood the highest oxygen saturation and the lowest carbon dioxide saturation, allowing you to have increased musclular endurance as well as increased resperatory stamina...YOU DONT GET TIRED AND WINDED AS QUICKLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Topic]

Thanks for clearign it up Spookey, so when you brreathe in through your nose and ur stomach loosens (not contracts like regularly) then your stuffing more oxygen in the lungs? Thants weird, but i definately beleife you, thanks.

[SBN Doug]

That is exactly correct.

 

As you breath in, and allow the stomach to pull down, it allows the diaphram to pull down and expand the lungs to capacity.

 

If you tighten your stomach, the diaphram is held in place, and your capacity is limited to whatever you can pull in before the lungs are pushing against the ribs and diaphram.

 

That's basically part of our ki breathing training.

[monkeygirl]

You'll probably find yourself doing a louder kiai when you breathe this way

 

To help you practice this, try laying on the floor on your back...you should be able to feel it a little better.

[Topic]

I dont get how u get more oxygen in though, it really doesnt seem like u do.

[SBN Doug]

Make sure no belts or restrictive clothing are keeping you navel from pushing out.

 

Tighten you stomach muscle and breath in at a slow steady rate, until you feel your ribcage expand. Remember how long it took.

 

Now, relax you stomach and breath in at the same rate, concentrating on only the area below your navel expanding first, then your navel, then your ribcage.

 

It takes me approximately 2-3 extra seconds (at a slow steady rate) to inhale all that I can by the second method over the first.

 

More air volume=more oxygen.

[tufrthanu]

The problem with extending your stomach to breath is when you get kicked you have no protection for your torso. I can almost guarantee if you extend your stomach as someone does a hard side kick into it you will get knocked out.