What's Wrong with Belly Breathing?

Take a deep breath. Where does your air go?

A) If you just feel your upper chest move and your neck muscles bulging, then you're using a shallow respiratory pattern. (Bad!)

B) If you feel most of the movement occur at the abdomen, then you're more of a belly breather. (Still not great.)

C) If you feel your whole ribcage expand to the front, sides, and back, then you are doing a great job! (Way to go!)

Why does it matter which strategy we use? Shouldn't we automatically know how to breath??

If we want to experience the blessed benefits of better oxygen intake (less tension, more energy, & faster healing for starters!), then there is one strategy that works best. Unfortunately trauma, stress, and bad posture can change our function and we end up adopting faulty strategies.

OPTION A: THE SHALLOW BREATHER.

Our neck and upper chest muscles are "secondary" or accessory respiratory muscles (they should kick in to help us breath harder when we're being chased from a bear). Relying solely on these muscles for taking a breathe means we won't get optimal oxygen exchange.

If you're guilty of being such a "shallow circulator", I'll bet you find yourself holding your breath a lot! If we don't check our breathing patterns regularly, then most people will also develop a "knotty neck" and really tight upper traps and pec muscles. (Functional fact: when a muscle feels tight, it can be a sign that it is just tired!)

So how can we improve our breathing to offload tired muscles, maximize energy, and even manage stress? Try the "Umbrella Breathing" technique by letting your ribcage expand all the way around when taking a deep inhale.

How does this strategy differ than Option B: Belly Breathing? Imagine a broken umbrella that only expands to the front:

In this picture, it's easy to visualize the lack of back & side rib expansion.

Why does this matter?

If we don't allow the ribs to expand to the sides and back, then most of the air pressure will distend the front abdominal wall. This is bad news for anyone with a history of hernia or diastasis recti. The weakened abdominal muscles will have a difficult time healing if every breathe causes distension and bulging of these tissues. Basically, it'd be like cutting your knuckle and then continuing to bend the knuckle repeatedly.

Umbrella breathing allows our main respiratory muscle, the diaphragm, to work properly. When we breath in, our diaphragm needs to descend so the lungs can inflate. See how the diaphragm positions underneath the rib cage:

Since our ribs attaches to the front at the sternum and wrap around to the spine in the back, everything needs to move in order for optimal diaphragm function. Otherwise, it's common to develop "pressure problems" such as hernia, reflux, prolapse, or even neck, back & hip pain.

Personal case study: Remember how I said trauma, stress, and bad posture can change our function? I have a metal plate and 6 screws in my neck from an old pole vaulting injury in college. I figured I'd just live with a stiff neck, but I started noticing that my neck pain would flare up during periods of high stress (ever heard of the "fight, flight, or freeze" reaction? Our brains are hardwired with strategies to fend against threats, and some of the symptoms include rapid respiration and sometimes breathe holding which makes it easy for us to hold tension & stress in our neck and traps). Fast forward a decade, I developed diastasis recti during my first pregnancy (which is normal btw since the abs need to stretch and thin to accommodate for growing a baby!). It wasn't until I began to appreciate the importance of deep "umbrella breathing" and "letting go" of tension by expanding my ribcage out when I breath in, that I really experienced relief in my neck and upper back tension. As a bonus, I finally felt truly connected to my inner core (the diaphragm, deep abs, and pelvic floor muscles are all part of a team).

Now that you hopefully have a better understanding of how to take a deep breath in, stay tuned for a follow-up blog where I will discuss how to "restore the Core" by getting a good exhale out! XO!

(Can't wait and want to learn more? Check out Dr. Sarah Duvall's Core Exercise Solutions! If you're a physical therapist, chiropractor, or personal training, then I also highly recommend becoming a Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist -BEST training I've ever had personally & professionally!)