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Yoga Breath: Kapalabhati

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:00:00 PDT

In yoga, breath is just as important as the postures. Linking your breath with your movement creates complete awareness. These breathing exercises are called Pranayama, which means breath control.

A while back I wrote about two different types of Pranayama. Ujayii (Ocean Breath) is used in Ashtanga Yoga throughout the entire 90 minute practice to keep your movements and your mind calm, steady and strong. The other, Sitali (Tongue Hissing), is a cooling breath used when feeling overheated or stressed.

Kapalabhati (Ka-pa-la-ba-ti) is another kind of pranayama, called the Cleansing Breath. It's a great breath to do if you are feeling foggy in the head, or if you have mucus in your lungs or nose. Kapalabhati gets rid of stagnant air in the body and awakens the senses.

Check out this video to see how it's done.

Want to know how to do it, then

I like to do this breath right before or after lying down in Savasana (Corpse pose). Begin in a comfortable seated position.
Breathe normally through your nose for a few breaths, keeping your mouth closed. Then take a normal breath in and begin taking short, rapid exhalations out of your nose (as if you were blowing your nose). This will pump out the breath and your inhales will happen automatically. You'll feel your belly pulling in with each exhalation (you can watch yourself in a mirror to see). Continue pumping out these quick and fast exhalations for as long as you want. I usually do it for 30 seconds or so.
End by exhaling all the air out and then go back to regular calm breathing through your nose. You can repeat this Kapalabhati Pranayama again if you like, but each time you finish a round, make sure to follow it with regular breathing.

Fit's Tips: You can take the exhalations at any speed you want. If you do it too fast, you might get dizzy. If this happens, just slow down the Kapalabhati or go back to regular breathing.

Cool Yourself With Yoga Breath

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 03:30:00 PDT

We are all looking for ways to keep ourselves cool this summer, especially when we are working out in the hot sun.

I learned a type of Pranayama (yogic breath) that has cooling effects on the body called Sitali (tongue hissing). You've probably done this without even knowing it, when you eat something really hot to cool off your mouth. Here's what you do:

If you can't make a tube with your tongue, just bring your lips together like they're sucking through an imaginary straw. Breathe in through your mouth and exhale out your nose.

You can do Sitali whenever you are getting overheated. It's also great to do if you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed - it slows down your breathing and helps you focus on being calm.

Yoga and Asthma

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Several studies have shown Yoga to be a powerful therapy in reducing the frequency and intensity of asthma attacks. I also found that when I'm practicing Yoga regularly, I can decrease my prescription meds.

Yoga is all about pranayama (breathing), which is great for meditation, but it's also good for your lungs. It increases the lung’s airflow, air capacity, stamina, and efficiency.

You can practice different pranayama techniques, they all have great names. One of my favorites is Breath of Fire, where you do quick exhalations out your nose, which pumps your abdominal muscles, and releases stagnant air from the body.

You can also practice inhaling deeply, and holding the breath in for a few seconds (or as long as you can), and then exhaling and holding your body empty for a few seconds (or more). Do this a few times and make sure you're not holding the breath too long - you shouldn't feel stressed or uncomfortable.

Certain poses can be beneficial if you suffer from asthma too. Want to see which ones? Then

read more Back bending postures open the chest, improving both lung and heart functioning. If your trouble during an asthma attack is exhaling, practice upper back bends and chest opening postures like Wheel and Camel regularly. Practice forward bends and lower back bending poses if it is more difficult to inhale during an attack. Don't do these during an attack though, just add them into your daily exercise routine (you exercise regularly, right?) Inverted postures like headstands and Downward Facing Dog pose can also help drain excess mucus from the lungs and balance the immune system. Relaxation poses like Savasana (lying on your back) can also help to regulate the breath and reduce anxiety, to help prevent an attack, or help you stay calm during an attack. Fit's Tips: If you want to learn more about how Yoga can help asthma, check out this book called Yoga Beats Asthma ($14.71 through Amazon).

Ashtanga for Type A Personalities

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:00:00 PST

If you are a Type A person, someone who can't sit still, or if you are slightly (or completely) ADD, you've got to try Ashtanga Yoga. It's fast paced and follows the same sequence every class, no joke, so you always know what's coming next.

The room is heated (not as brutally hot as Bikram), so your body feels more open and motivated to move. The mats are set up in neat little rows, kind of like your first grade class. The instructor walks around, talks you through each pose, counts the breaths, and assists. Everyone is pretty much moving and breathing at the same time. The energy of the group is really motivating, which is why I prefer going to class instead of practicing on my cold floor solo style.

Fit's tip: Since the instructor isn't demonstrating, you'll have to play "Simon Says" and follow your expert neighbor. Or look for a Beginner class at your local studio or gym. After you've taken a few Ashtanga classes, you'll have it down (dog?)

3 Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:59:59 PST

After you've had a few yoga classes under your capris, it's easy to get so caught up in the actual postures that you forget about other important details that can deepen your practice. While the physical aspect of yoga is important, not being aware of the mistakes you're making on your mat may hold you back from the emotional and spiritual benefits. During your next yoga class, focus on these three aspects of your practice and see how it helps deepens your awareness and sense of relaxation.

Scan the Body For Tense Muscles
When you're in a pose that challenges your sense of balance like Tree, or postures that challenge your strength like Forearm Stand, you can be so focused on holding the pose that you tense up every muscle in your body. Not only does this make for a stressful yoga practice, you could also injure yourself by overworking muscles that should be relaxed. In your next class, be aware of tension you're holding in common areas like your shoulders, face, or toes. Constantly scan your body each time you move into a new posture to ensure you're holding the pose with as little muscular effort as needed.

Continue reading to find out other ways to deepen your yoga practice.

Yoga Terms Translated For Newbies

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:51:23 PDT

Your first yoga classes can be pretty overwhelming. There's a different vibe than other exercise regimens, and there's literally a whole new language talking you through the experience. While you're contorting your body into a new crazy pretzel, or trying to focus inward to calm your mind, the last thing you want to worry about is the definition of a word your teacher keeps on throwing out there. No need to fret - we've got you covered with a few of the key technical terms to help the flow, and early understanding, of your new practice.

Asana (pronounced ahs-ah-nah): Very simply put, the asanas are the physical part of yoga. The asanas refer to all the body positions or yoga poses we hold and move through during the course of a yoga class.
Bandhas (pronounced bahn-dah): Bandhas are body locks or places where energy tend to leak out. For now, I'm going to save you the hassle of stressing out about the bandhas. These energy locks are way more about the mind than the physical body and therefore should unfold naturally from a devoted practice. Forcefully holding your bandhas, or contracting random muscles where you think they live, can really mess up the natural flow of your life force and screw with the healthy benefits you're hoping to achieve with yoga. Remember when Yoda said, "There is no try?" That's kind of the deal here. Be open to this concept, but don't push it.

Keep reading for more yoga terms translated for beginners.

Breathing Too Loud in Yoga Class - Is There Such a Thing?

Michele Foley — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:06:39 PDT

I know that breathing is an essential part of yoga, but is there such a thing as too loud? During my last yoga class, I was next to someone who was breathing so loud that it distracted me from my own practice. I wondered initially if I was being overly sensitive, until I noticed students in the row ahead of me were also distracted while looking back at her during the seated twist pose. Adding to her very loud (and long) inhalations, she also had a tendency to moan loudly while in certain poses - especially Child's Pose. And while I always expect to hear a heightened state of breath in any yoga class, her breathing was aggressive sounding, like what you might expect from an Ashtanga class, where ujjayi pranayama is the norm.

I appreciate any student that loves the principles of yoga, but is keeping your breath at a reasonable level during a basic flow class an OK expectation to have?

Darth Vader and Yoga: A Connection Through Breath

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:05:52 PST

Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your movements.

It's called ujjayi pranayama (pronounced oo-jai pra-na-ya-ma). Some instructors call it "ocean breath," "victorious breath," or "Darth Vader breath." It is said that Yogis performing this breath alone can create enough heat to melt snow around them. If you walk into an Ashtanga yoga class, you will be overwhelmed with an amazing and powerful sound - it feels like the walls themselves are pulsing.

Basically you are turning your ordinary breath into an audible one. When you can hear your breath, it's easier to follow and concentrate on. You can focus on letting your inhalations and exhalations guide your movements - then it's kind of like a moving meditation.

Want to know how to have that audible breath? Then

Say out loud - "I love Yoga."
Now whisper the same words, "I love Yoga."
Keeping your mouth closed, slowly exhale out through your nose and whisper "I love Yoga," again. Now inhale and whisper the same phrase.
The breath is moving to the back of your throat and nose.
Now slowly inhale and whisper one syllable,"Love." Exhale and whisper out "Love."
When you're ready, practice breathing this way, through your nose, keeping the breath deep in the back of your throat.

This breath creates the rhythm you use to guide your yoga practice. Take long and deep breaths, and you'll feel its relaxing effects instantly.