Many people practice yoga to achieve lean and mean bodies. And they are doing it right! Holding specific poses engages the core and other muscles, strengthening and tonight them over time. Moving through a series of asanas can give you a mean workout, improve your balance and improve overall health.
Aside from poses, though, do you know that yoga also derives most of its benefits from yogic breathing, and that you can actually breathe fat away with the right breathing exercises exercises? Yes you can!
There are many types of breathing exercises that yogis practice, which are used depending on the type of yoga that you follow. Today, let’s talk about Kapalabhati and how it can work to help you achieve a flatter belly.
What is Kapalabhati?
Kapalabhati is more of a “cleansing” ritual, because it translates to “purifying your mind”. The benefits of Kapalabhati do not only involve the cleansing of the mind – it also provides several bodily benefits. It is a breathing exercise which involves the clearing and cleansing of your nasal passage, lungs, along with your whole respiratory system. The practice of
Kapalabhati results to stronger stomach muscles and sturdier lungs.
This begins through normal inhalations of air, and is closely followed by strong, vigorous exhalations. After you inhale in air, try to make your stomach muscles contract as soon as you exhale through your nose. It is recommended that you learn from a yoga instructor prior to testing this out by yourself.
What are its benefits?
In the fight against obesity, it has been discovered that Kapalabhati is effective in fighting the flab that forms around the waist. The main benefits of Kapalabhati are:
- Detoxification of the body, especially the toxins in the lungs.
- Purification of blood due to inhalations and forceful exhalations. It promotes better blood flow, thus oxygen is easily spread in the bloodstream, leading to faster cell repair.
- Increased oxygen levels in the bloodstream, allowing faster healing time for ailments felt in the body, especially in the respiratory system.
- Contraction of the stomach during forceful exhalations, which help strengthen the stomach muscles, thus leading to muscle growth in the general area. The growth of muscles in the area lessens the possibility of more fat cells developing in the stomach area; therefore there is less stomach flab.
- Strengthening of the body core and the other muscles, leading to weight loss.
How to do it
- To begin, try to find a place at home where you feel refreshed and relaxed. Be sure that this place isn’t prone to distractions. You will have difficulty in concentrating if there are a lot of people coming or going or if there are a lot of random background noises.
- Once you have found that spot, position yourself in the Gyan Mudra position – sit cross-legged and the tips of your thumb and index finger must be touching. Keep your neck, back and hips ramrod straight in order for the air to reach the stomach.
- Inhale the air slowly. Savor the freshness of it. Be sure that your inhalations are relaxed and moderate – it shouldn’t be too fast or too slow. After inhaling, thrust the air out of your nostrils forcefully in small puffs. Don’t do this exercise if you have a clogged or runny nose, since this requires you to breathe through your nose.
- While forcefully exhaling, be sure to contract your stomach muscles.
- Repeat this exercise at least ten times daily. You can gradually increase the number of times that you can repeat this exercise. You can do this exercise in ten minutes.
Some reminders
Kapalabhati is not recommended for those who have ailments in their hearts and blood pressures, but it is highly recommended for those who experience asthma or other respiratory diseases. This exercise should also be avoided by pregnant women, because it may initially limit the oxygen needs of the fetus.
You should also take note that the effects of these breathing exercises are not immediate. It comes after repeated practice, coupled with exercise and proper diet. Try to limit the duration during summertime, when the weather is hot and it may cause you to feel light-headed and dizzy.
What about you, have you tried yogic breathing before? If so, what exercises have you tried and how was your experience?
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