Why are Breathing Exercises so important?

Breathing exercises have started through the teachings of Ancient Chinese Medicine. People back then already realized how important proper breathing techniques were to their health. Too often we catch ourselves practice shallow breathing, especially when we are under stress. Supplying our body with the sufficient amount of oxygen will revitalize it, filling it with energy, strengthening organs, muscles, improving the digestive system and circulation.

If you are looking for ways to improve your health, include these breathing exercises into your work-out routine.

For additional help with body balancing stretching exercises, visit the stretching guide.

If you are suffering from stress, these breathing exercises will be a nice companion. If you do need additional suggestions or alternative ways to fighting the unpleasant side effects of stress, please visit Stress Management.

Upholding heaven with the two hands

Stand with your feet comfortably apart and your arms at your sides. Keep your eyes open during the exercise. Inhale, raising your arms out to the sides and up above your head. With your palms facing down, interlock your fingers. Rotate your hands so that your palms face the sky. Look up at the back of your hands. Inhale more, stretching upward as if you are upholding heaven. Exhale and let your arms float down to your sides. Repeat five or six times.

BENEFIT: This longevity breathing exercise strengthens the body as a whole. It harmonizes the three major segments of the trunk. The upper segment controls the respiratory system, the middle houses the digestive system, and the lower segment governs the excretory and sexual functions. This exercise unifies the relationships between the internal organs, improves circulation, and releases shoulder tension. 

Opening the bow

Stand with your feet comfortably apart. Cross your arms in front of you at the level of your heart and clench your fists firmly.

Imagine you are holding a large bow. Turn your head to the left, the direction you are going to visualize shooting the arrow. Use your imagination to aim very far, as if shooting the arrow toward an eagle. Inhale deeply as you open the bow and bring your left arm straight to the left as if pulling the bow forward.

Simultaneously, bend your right arm and pull your fist toward your right as if pulling the bow string back. Exhale as you gently release the bow, crossing your arms in front of your chest once again. Repeat this exercise on the right side. Three times on each side, breathing with the movement.

BENEFIT: The capacity and resilience of the lungs are increased. It also strengthens the shoulder and arm muscles. 

Raising the arms, one at a time

Stand with your feet comfortable apart and your arms crossed in front of your solar plexus. Inhale and raise your left hand straight above your head with the palm facing the sky, fingers turned inward. The right hand is simultaneously lowered to the thigh with your right palm facing the ground, fingers turned inward. Bring your head back during exhalation. Exhale and return your arms and head to starting position. Switch sides. Practice about six times.

BENEFIT: This is one of the breathing exercises that harmonizes the spleen and stomach. The small and large intestine meridians are regulated. This breathing exercise stimulates a balancing digestive system. 

Looking Behind

Stand with your arms crossed in front of your upper chest. Keep the chin tucked into the hollow of the throat, stretching the back of the neck.

Inhale deeply, open your arms to a 45 degree angle from the sides of your body, and turn your head toward the left looking as far behind you as possible. Pull your arms back, arching the chest up and out. You will feel the stretch in your arms, wrists, neck and also in your eyes as you look behind.

Exhale, returning your head and arms forward.

Repeat the same movement turning to the right side. Alternate sides, 6 times all together.

BENEFIT: This is one of the breathing exercises that rejuvenates the five yin organs: Heart, Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys and Liver. The movement also expands the capacity of the lungs. If practiced twice daily, this simple breathing exercise can help prevent stiff necks. 

Swaying the Head
Wagging the Tail

Stand with the legs spread apart. Bend your knees into a "horse-riding" position with your feet flat on the ground, your knees directly above your toes, and your weight balanced.

Place your hands on the side of your hip, with your fingers towards the front, thumb in the back.

Inhale and arch your spine, bringing your head back and your chest up and out.

Exhale, bending forward so that you are looking between your legs.

Inhale, returning to the starting position, with your spine straight. Exhale and bend your whole torso to the left side keeping your spine, neck, and head in a straight line.

Inhale up to the starting position again. Exhale and bend to the right side, tilting your shoulders, head, neck to the right.

Repeat these steps for each side twice.

Rotate the hips and trunk of the body several times in one direction and then in the other direction. Rotate the head slowly in one direction and then the other.

BENEFIT: This exercise strengthens and balances the digestive organs, the lower back, and helps to reduce fat around the hips and waist. The Ancient Chinese also practiced this exercise to improve the circulation and condition of the heart. This exercise eliminates the excess fire (tension) that tends to accumulate in the heart. Too much fire in the heart can lead to headaches, hypertension, excessive anger and frustration. According to Ancient Chinese Medicine, most high blood pressure patients can help themselves tremendously by avoiding red meat and salt, and by practicing this exercise three times daily. 

Clenching the Fists with Attentive Eyes

Stand with the feet apart and the knees bent slightly.

make fists with your palms facing up by your waist.

Inhale, open your eyes wide, firmly clench your molars together, and smile.

Slowly, exhale as you firmly punch your fist diagonally in front, turning the fist over so it faces downward when fully extended.

Inhale as you slowly clench the arm inward back to the waist.

Repeat this exercise on the other side, alternating four times.

BENEFIT: This exercise releases tension in the arms and the chest. It strengthens the vital organs and especially benefits the liver. 

Stretching Backward

Place your palms over your lower back with your fingers positioned downward.

Inhale, arching your back with your eyes also looking backward. Bend your knees in this position to increase the bend.

Gently bend backward seven times as you exhale.

Inhale up to an erect standing position.

Exhale as you gently drop your head and upper portion of your body forward. Grasp hold of all of your toes. Allow your neck to relax in this position.

Slowly return to a standing position as you inhale. Repeat this exercise seven times.

BENEFIT: This exercise further rejuvenates all of the internal organs, especially the kidneys. 

Swing Hands

This is one of the very ancient breathing exercises with many wonderful benefits. Stand erect with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart.

Grasp the earth with your toes by firmly curling them. If you wear shoes, your toes will grip the soles of the shoes.

Tighten your bottock muscles and contract your anus. This raises the rectum which strengthens the reproductive and eliminatory systems.

Relax your upper body including your chest, back, shoulders, arms, neck, head, fac and jaw.

Let your eyes look straight ahead or close them if you prefer.

Swing your hands back and forth. As your arms come forward, they are parallel to the ground with the palms facing down. Vigorously swing them back to the limit of the arms range of motion. This force leads directly to the easy forward swing as action leads to reaction.

Count how many times you swing your hands. Start slowly with one hundred swings and gradually build up. The feeling to cultivate is that of the upper body light and relaxed and the lower portion of the body fully grounded and substantial. Let the back be straight and easy and the head straight, as if being pulled up by a string. This will elongate the neck. The shoulders, arms, hands, wrists and elbows should be loose, moving easily. The chest should feel relaxed and open, allowing the breath to deepen naturally with the movement. The head, face and jaw should be calm and relaxed.

BENEFIT:Swing Hands is one of the ancient breathing exercises that has been handed down from generation to generation. It enables the body to accumulate vital energy through the breath. It improves circulation shich energizes, awakens, and balances the body's contributing to a person's experience of health and well-being.

The Chinese have documented numerous cases demonstrating that Swing Hands can aid conditions such as insomnia, poor appetite, high blood pressure and heart trouble, eye problems, hemorrhoids, neurasthenia and problems related to the liver, stomach, kidneys, and other internal organs. 

All these breathing exercises are very simple to follow and are a wonderful addition to any self-help program in maintaining and improving your health.