A Simple Breath

[tonka97]

To breathe deeply, expand you lungs and contract your diaphragm (pushing your abdomen out)

Right?

There is a better alternative.

Blow air out of your lungs, by using your abdominals and intercostal muscles.

Make sure you expel as much of the CO2 rich gas from your lungs as possible.

Then simply relax and allow your lungs to reflexively refill, ensuring that diaphragm is utilized.

You have minimized CO2 (the gas that stimulates faster breathing), and maximized O2 concentration from the gas breathed.

You will also feel more relaxed and energized and will likely consume less overall gas.

I use this technique in my patient treatments and while diving. It is effective and counter-intuitive therefore requiring conscious practice, wet and dry.

It also assists with better buoyancy control.

The new thought is:

"I will first expel all of the dead air in my lungs, then just relax and let oxygen rich air take its place"

When diving, concentration should be on blowing bubbles; inhalation should be relaxed and unforced.

This is the opposite mind set of many divers.

One can add visualization to this breathing technique...

Visualize exhaling negativity, darkness, stress, and toxins thereby eliminating them, then visualize inhaling relaxation, light, health, and positivity with each breath.

Ensure that the breathing pattern is at a slow deliberate pace to avoid hyperventilation, and possible hypocapnia.

Andrew Weil, physician and diver, presented this technique in his excellent book "Breathing"....

I highly recommend it!

 

[Hemlon]

Have you seen an improvement in your SAC rate by doing this?

 

[Hockeynut]

I read somewhere that this is how John Chatterton breathes also. Must be worth a try.

 

[123Scuba.com]

Interesting perspective... I like the visual images the concept creates.

 

[tonka97]

Have you seen an improvement in your SAC rate by doing this?

I haven't done this measurement comparison, but would expect a significant improvement.

 

[sberanek]

We use this type of breathing during martial arts too. It's amazing how much different you feel when you breath like this.

--Shannon

 

[tstormdiver]

I see where you're coming from, but I will also say, speaking from experience, once the cycle of hyperventilation starts, it is VERY difficult to break. Of 2 out of dozens of these types (both deep dives in very cold water) of dives very stressful dives I've had that led to hypercapnia , I was only able to get my breathing under control after ascending to about 50ft. I'm not saying there couldn't have been some Narcosis going on also, that was impairing my judgment to get my breathing back under control, but saying, once started, it is a very difficult cycle to break.

 

[PalatkaBoy]

I breathe this way and although I believe most of the improvement of my SAC has come from getting rid of all unecessary movement and trimming out my rig, my SAC runs anywhere from .35cfm diving in a spring to .4cfm diving offshore in slight current (current I can make headway in), down from .7 to .8cfm 20 dives ago. I am 6'1" and weigh 270 lbs.

 

[merxlin]

This is also how you are taught to breath in yoga. It is a very relaxed method, versus the chest up, shoulders back, fill the rib cage technique (which only fills the upper lung) we were all told was the proper way to take a deep breath.

 

[wedivebc]

Boy, I have been breathing in and out with no consious effort on my part for over 50 years. Now I have to think about it?