I was thinking of doing the writing. But am too lazy. And I realized, there is good information out there. Here is something. This was written by a guy who is a yoga teacher. But it is good and you should be able to see some of the problems of how information about breathing are often presented. Like, the idea that there is a right, or a wrong way to breath.
The following quote came from here:
http://www.yogaanatomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Anatomy-of-Breath2.pdf
Four Common Confusions about Breathing Last year, as part of my preparation for producing “The Future of Breathing”symposium at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, I wanted to review and evaluatetraditional breathing information objectively. With the support of Kripalu, and the skilledresearch of Danna Faulds, we conducted a review of the breathing-related source materialfor the major Yoga teaching traditions. This survey revealed a number of flawedassumptions and outright errors related to breathing and breath anatomy that haveremained both consistent and largely unchallenged through most of the history of Yogateaching in America. Most of this confusion can be classified into the following fourbroad categories:
Confusion #1: Context dropping
This common error most often appears as either an explicit or implicit suggestionthat there is a “right” or “proper” way to breathe without stating the context that givesrise to that breathing method. Context refers to the conditions unique to each individual’shistory, condition and goals. Context also refers to activity and body position – all ofwhich significantly affect breathing patterns.
Since individual intentions, body type, shape and orientation all create differentconditions for breathing, it’s clear that no one pattern could suffice to deal with all ofthem. In other words, there is no one right way to breathe that will work under allconditions, and implying that there is only encourages people to create breathing habits that make their systems less adaptable to change.
My simple, comprehensive definition of breathing as shape-change will help to
dispel this confusion, and clarify the context in which breathing patterns arise.
Confusion #2: False dichotomy between diaphragmatic, non-diaphragmaticbreathing
This error arises from the commonly stated bromide that “belly” breathing equalscorrect diaphragmatic breathing, and “chest” breathing equals incorrect non-diaphragmatic breathing. The idea that “correct” breathing involves the proper use of thediaphragm is true enough, but to equate diaphragmatic breathing exclusively withabdominal movement, and ribcage expansion with non-diaphragmatic (accessory)breathing is incorrect, because the diaphragm is capable of creating chest as well as bellymovement.
This error arises from the lack of recognition that the diaphragm can mobilize theribcage without the aid of the accessory muscles, and it leads to teachers making theseemingly helpful observation: “You’re not using your diaphragm.” Saying this to a non-paralyzed person is essentially the same as telling them they are dead – for it is therhythmic contraction of the diaphragm that is the tangible manifestation of Pranaexpressing itself through a human form.
A corollary result of this confusion is that many students’ breathing patterns areevaluated only by the location of shape change in the body, i.e.: belly breathing is good,chest breathing is bad. In reality, it is possible for breathing to manifest as tense,disordered belly movement, or relaxed, integrated chest movement. An excessive focuson the region of shape change as an indicator of “correct breathing” can blind us to manyother, more relevant qualities of the breath.
My analysis of the 3-dimensional action of the diaphragm’s muscle fibers, and mysubsequent metaphor comparing the diaphragm to the engine of a car will help to clarifythis confusion.
Confusion #3: Confusion between respiratory shape changes and regionalventilation
Here is a passage from a book on pranayama by one the world’s most respectedteachers, but it could have come from any yoga book:
Respiration may be classified into four types:
High or clavicular breathing, where the relevant muscles in the neck mainlyactivate the top parts of the lungs.
Intercostal or midbreathing, where only the central parts of the lungs areactivated.
Low or diaphragmatic breathing, where the lower portions of the lungs areactivated chiefly, while the top and central portions remain less active.
In total or pranayamic breathing, the entire lungs are used to their fullestcapacity.2
Here, the author speaks of “lung activation,” which could be interpreted correctly(which is rare) or incorrectly (which is far more common).
The correct interpretation refers to the way lung tissue follows the ribcage anddiaphragmatic breath movements (see “The Diaphragm’s Relations: OrganicConnections” later in this article).
The incorrect interpretation of “lung activation” is to equate it with local airmovements in the upper, middle and lower portions of the lungs (regional ventilation).Simply stated, this error results from confusion between the concept of “breath” and theconcept of “air.”
Air moves into and out of the lungs via the pathway of the bronchial tree. Thispathway is not affected by the sequence of shape change in the cavities of the chest andabdomen. These differing breathing patterns refer to some of the ways in which wemanipulate the accessory breathing muscles in order to produce specific respiratory shapechanges, but that is not the same thing as isolating the ventilation in the correspondingregions of the lungs.
In other words, contrary to what most teaching language implies, “bellybreathing” does not fill the base of the lungs, “intercostal breathing” does not fill themiddle of the lungs, and “clavicular breathing” does not fill the tops of the lungs.
Understanding that the accessory muscles “steer” the direction of the breath helps to clarify this confusion.
2 Light on Pranayama, by B.K.S. Iyengar, (New York: Crossroad, 1981) p. 21
Confusion #4: Deep Breathing and More Oxygen is always a good thing
To read many yoga and breathing books, one could get the impression that deepbreathing and oxygenation are the holy grails of health, well-being and enlightenment.The assumption is that the more carbon dioxide you get rid of and the deeper you breathe,the more oxygen you get in, and the healthier you’ll be. The fact is, not enough carbondioxide is dangerous, deep breathing is only occasionally appropriate, and too muchoxygen is toxic.
Breathing patterns should always be linked to your body’s metabolic needs.3 Ifyour level of activity requires a larger than usual supply of oxygen, deeper or more rapidbreathing is perfectly appropriate. Those same patterns of breath, however, if applied to aresting state of metabolic activity would produce blood alkalosis (hyperventilation).
Your body has homeostatic mechanisms that prevent a toxic excess of oxygenfrom building up in the tissues.4 The idea that one can improve health by increasing O2concentrations in the blood is physiologically incorrect, and shouldn’t be confused withthe immense relief that accompanies a deep, freeing breath pattern. In fact, freeing thebreath allows respiratory activity to more closely match body metabolism by releasingexcessive, oxygen-hungry tension from the breathing musculature.
Your body is many times more sensitive to changes in blood levels of carbondioxide than it is to oxygen. Carbon dioxide plays a critical role in helping hemoglobintransport oxygen from your blood to your body’s tissues. If you don’t have enough CO2in your blood, the O2 gets held too tightly by the hemoglobin and not enough oxygen willbe released into your tissues. The idea that one can improve health by ridding oneself ofexcess CO2 is physiologically incorrect, and shouldn’t be confused with the simple act ofexhaling more effectively (which is a prerequisite for a deep inhale).
Understanding that healthy breathing is linked to metabolic activity and normalCO2 levels will help to clarify some of these issues.
3 The Psychology and Physiology of Breathing by Robert Fried Ph.D. (New York
lenum Press 1993) p. 34
4 ibid: Fried p. 29
Leslie is a friend of mine and I have known him for a long time. If you are interested in understanding breathing better, I would do a search for "Leslie Kaminoff on Breathing". Even though he is a yoga teacher, he presents information on how breathing actually works and a context for how different body postures and different activities require different kinds of breathing.
Apply this to TT, a FH loop requires slightly different breathing than a BH loop. A FH loop requires very different breathing from a push.
If your arms are raised like this:
Trying to do what gets called "belly breathing" would actually cause you problems for your neck, shoulders and upper back and lower back. And it would make you very tense. Whereas, what the TT article called "chest breathing" would actually work well, because the process of using your abdominal to hold the lower back stable would also let the breath help expand the chest which helps that position.
Whereas, if you were sitting or lying comfortably, "belly breathing" is more relaxed.
And in TT the inhale would not be so deep that it should distend your abdomen.
But regardless of any of that, anyone thinking about it knows that the air goes into your lungs, and the lungs are in your thoracic cavity, ABOVE NIPPLE LEVEL, inside the chest. So even when the belly changes shape in a breath, the air you inhale STILL GOES INTO THE LUNGS, and therefore into the chest.
