Just Breath...
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Longevity Breathing Navigation
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Fundamental Basics
Abdominal Breathing *
Side Breathing *
Lower Back & Kidneys Breathing *
Lungs, Upper & Whole Back Breathing *
Finishing Summary & Final Audio *
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* password required
LUNGS & WHOLE BACK
overview
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We live in an age with increasing intellectual activity. People are having to process an incredible amount of information, which is causing the brain to have to work more.
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To this end, it is important to realize that the top part of your lungs, i.e. the last quarter of your lungs (i.e. the last quarter of your upper back), is responsible for getting the maximum amount of energy and oxygen into your brain. Whereas the lower part of your lungs has a lot more to do with the rest of your body.
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The top of the lungs go high up. They are just a little bit under your collar bone.
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If you take a deep breath while you push into this area with your fingers, you'll feel the lungs filling up and pushing against your fingers.
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Getting the breath to go into the top 25% of the lungs is more difficult so people don't do it.
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That is why we concentrate on not having the chest move in our exercises, because as soon as the chest moves, it reduces the pressure from above.
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Most people don't breath above the breast tissue - meaning that most people don't breath with a large chunk of their lungs. And there is a lot of air to be had from that...
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As a matter of fact, very often there is more air from that part, than a person is taking in normally.
INSTRUCTION
During your session, I will demonstrate these exercises to you. At home, a partner can place their hands on you, so you can focus on inhaling air into their hands. You and your partner can switch at any time, so that you too can feel the breath under your hands, which will help you understand the concept better.
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Note that the back of the lungs doesn't expand as much as the abdomen, so expansion and contraction is less noticeable.
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It is important to remember that when you breath into the back of your lungs, you do not want to move your shoulder blades.
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Exercise 1
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Have a partner place their hands over your back.
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Inhale... Exhale...
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Now notice something - are the shoulders going up? They shouldn't be.
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It is extremely important that you get your breath to the top of your lungs.
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It is also important to remember the breath at the top of your lungs is going to be very small.
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You can practice this breathing and focus on this amount of breath going right to the top of your lungs, either laying down on the floor, with your feet on the floor and your knees up, or on all fours, which will make it easer for you to notice if you're getting the air up there because the nature of where your arms are going to be, will make that easier to come into focus. Or you can do it with your back against the wall.
END GOAL
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Eventually you are going to want to get this breathing to go all the way down to your sacrum, right down to the bottom of your tail bone, moving all the muscles in the back, because this will prove immensely beneficial for your spine and lower back.
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Many people develop lower back problems for two very simple reasons:
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They have kidney problems. Kidney difficulties result in lower back discomfort.
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The lower part of the back doesn't have a lot of room to move and when this happens, it starts compressing the vertebrae until they get compressed more than the nerves can stand.
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Exercise 1 (a)
Exercise 1 (b)
AUDIO EXERCISE
After reading through the above overview, try the audio exercise below...
Visual Cues for the Audio
Exercise 1
Inhale
(arms move out)
Exhale
(bring arms in)
Exercise 2
