Breathing exercises, also known as pranayama in the yoga realm, help you attain health and longevity, says yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar. Specific breathing exercises might help reduce belly fat by strengthening the abdominal muscles and improving digestion. Pranayama is an art and should be practiced with caution. Consult your doctor before practicing alternative medicine.
Engage Your Diaphragm
Engaging your diaphragm while breathing will increase your lung capacity, making your breathing deeper and your abdominal muscles more flexible. To practice, start by lying on your back. Breathe normally and observe your chest and stomach rise and fall. Slowly make each inhalation and exhalation deeper and deeper. You can practice this style of breathing at any time. Over time, this breathing exercise can improve awareness in the stomach and rid the area of negative energy that could be causing weight retention.
Shining the Skull
Shining-the-skull breathing, or kapalabhati, exercises and strengthens the stomach muscles and also relieves respiratory ailments, eyestrain, allergies and colds. Get into a comfortable seated position and inhale fully. As you exhale, snap your stomach muscles in forcefully. Continue this breathing pattern for 30 seconds. Return to normal breathing for three breaths. Complete three rounds of this breathing. When finished, return to normal breathing for three minutes.
Flying Stomach Lock
The flying stomach lock, also known as uddiyana bandha, is an advanced breathing technique that should only be practiced by experienced students of pranayama. While in a seated position, on an exhale, pull your stomach in and up, creating a hollow abdominal cavity. Hold the exhale and the position and bring your chin toward your chest. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Return to normal breathing for several minutes. This breathing exercise improves digestion, which can aid in fat reduction in the stomach region.
Cautions
The practice of pranayama should be done under the guidance of an experienced teacher. Do not practice pranayama exercises described above on a full stomach or if you have a hiatal hernia, ulcers or a heart condition. Breathing exercises are most effective when practiced after some form of gentle exercise, such as yoga, tai chi or walking.
References
- "Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy"; Mukunda Stiles; 2007
- "Light on Pranayama"; B.K.S. Iyengar; 2006
- Yoga Journal: Forget Six-Pack Abs
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