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Basic Breathing Methods
fter learning to breathe consciously, it is necessary to A learn to breathe completely, utilizing the full capacity of the lungs. There are three basic mechanisms of breathing: (i) abdominal or diaphragmatic, (ii) thoracic or chest and (iii) clavicular or shoulder breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing occurs when the action of the diaphragm increases and decreases the size of the thoracic cavity, whereas thoracic and clavicular breathing are produced through expansion and contraction of the ribcage. The normal breathing of an average person is a combination of thoracic and clavicular breathing. A combination of all three is known as full yogic breathing, which is a prerequisite of pranayama.
Diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing The diaphragm separates the lungs from the abdominal cavity. In normal breathing it hardly moves, but during deep breathing it extends downward into the abdomen on inhalation and upward on exhalation, promoting the most efficient type of breathing. Less effort is expended in diaphragmatic breathing to obtain the same quantity of air. Infants and small children use their diaphragms exclusively for breathing. Chest breathing occurs only later after the bony structure of the chest matures.
Diaphragmatic breathing should be cultivated during daily life until it becomes a spontaneous habit. Nowadays,
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