Lesson 10 of 19
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Depth and Diaphragm

Depth & Diaphragm

You want the air to reach down to the lower part of the abdomen. The diaphragm is a parachute shaped muscle that lines the rib cage (attached to the lower ribs, sternum,  and the back of our spine at the tip of our navel) It should be responsible for 70 – 80% of our breathing. As you engage the diaphragm it lowers and creates a vacuum and allows for more air to enter your lungs and on relaxation easily and effortlessly allows you to exhale. This ensures we circulate stagnant air and also gets air into the deepest part of the lungs where there is more blood flow and more efficient oxygen exchange.

Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing:

Improved Gas Exchange

Organ Stimulation

Moves Lymphatic Fluid, (engages back and shoulders) – minimal effort for maximum return.

Depth also has to do with volume, we don’t want to confuse depth with big breaths, breathing should be quiet and volume reduced, slow and deep.

In the image above you can see the diaphragm. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and flattens and the chest cavity enlarges. This contraction creates a vacuum, which pulls air into the lungs. During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes and returns to its domelike shape, and air is forced out of the lungs.

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