Breath-holding exercises for weight loss. Breathing exercises for losing weight on the abdomen and sides

Despite the abundance of existing diets and complexes that promote weight loss, excess weight stubbornly does not want to leave its owners. Why? Let's leave aside the cases of lazy people who try to outwit themselves (for example, after six you should never eat, and after seven, sneakily - please), such people can only blame themselves. Let's talk about those poor souls (who knows, maybe you're just one of them) who, despite all their efforts and efforts, cannot get rid of extra pounds.

Probably the reason for the unsuccessful fight against excess weight lies in the lack of oxygen. Most people use shallow chest breathing, which cannot saturate the body with it. It is considered correct that this is how a newborn baby breathes; this is the way of breathing that is most useful. During diaphragmatic breathing, the muscular septum separating the thoracic and abdominal sections is actively used. As you inhale, the diaphragm tenses, straightens and pushes the ribs apart, while the abdominal muscles tense and protrude like a beach ball. This increases the volume of the lungs, allowing a person to inhale more oxygen. As you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and arches, while the abdominal muscles tense and “hide” under the ribs, the volume of the lungs decreases sharply, due to which the lungs are freed from carbon dioxide.

When breathing in this way, the body, in particular, works at full capacity, which means that the process of losing weight will not take long.

for weight loss?

When oxygen enters the body in limited quantities, energy cannot be released in large quantities, which means that the part of it that was not involved in the oxidation of glucose and its reserves (fats) will be transformed into fat. Therefore, to lose weight, you need to provide the body with as much oxygen as possible.

How to do it? By performing anaerobic exercise. True, during active physical activity, fat oxidation will begin to occur only after 30 minutes from the start of the workout, and until then, energy will be used by glucose reserves from the liver.

Therefore, it is better to master the technique of diaphragmatic breathing, which will saturate the body with oxygen. Many therapeutic techniques and health systems are based on diaphragmatic breathing. For example, it is diaphragmatic breathing that underlies such widespread practice today. integrated system to improve the health of the body and saturate it with oxygen, like bodyflex.

According to the rules of bodyflex, in order to get the maximum effect from performing exercises (i.e., get rid of excess weight and make the body flexible), you need to master the five-stage breathing technique.

1. Exhale through the mouth.

2. Inhale quickly through the nose.

3. Powerful, full exhalation through the mouth.

4. Holding your breath.

5. Relaxation and calm breathing.

Initially, breathing exercises began to be practiced by yogis. Nowadays, this is a serious addition to the loads during aerobics. Methods of proper breathing may vary somewhat depending on the specific system (bodyflex, yoga, oxysize, etc.), but all of them aim at maximum oxygen saturation, due to which the fat burning process occurs.

for weight loss. We study key points

When playing sports, exhale with effort, and inhale with relaxation.

Under no circumstances should you forcefully hold your breath.

When performing exercises, you do not need to make yourself dizzy; at the first symptoms of malaise, you need to stop the load and analyze your mistakes.

Study breathing exercises To lose weight you need to eat on an empty stomach.

To begin with, the simplest exercises are used, the transition to complex exercises is carried out gradually.

For example, the technique of repeated and cleansing breathing is considered the simplest. It consists of performing the following exercises:

three times a day, 10 cycles of repeated breathing are performed (deep inhalation for four counts + breath holding for four counts + calm exhalation for four counts). Prerequisite: the exercise is performed in the fresh air;
Cleansing breathing is performed three times a day. It is identical to the previous one, with the exception of exhalation: with effort, the air is exhaled through tightly compressed lips in small portions.

Correct breathing for weight loss. Eliminate side effects

Hypertensive patients, pregnant women, those who suffer from urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, and those who have problems with the spine should not practice breathing exercises. It is also not used when working with young children and the elderly, unless there is medical advice.

Proper breathing for weight loss. We train easily

The following exercises are quite effective; performing them correctly will prepare you for more complex exercises included in the cycle of one or another healing technique (say, yoga or bodyflex). In the meantime, we are mastering proper breathing, which is the first step towards a slim figure and a healthy body.

So, lying on your back, place a not very heavy book on your stomach. Take a shallow breath, and as you exhale, try to clear the air from your lungs as much as possible, for which you also use your abdominal muscles: pull in your stomach and feel how it sticks to your spine. In this case, the book seems to fall into the stomach. Inhaling sharply through your nose, fill your lungs as much as possible with air and inflate your stomach. The book will rise upward. Exhale sharply and draw in your stomach. Repeat this exercise five to six times. You may feel slightly (!) dizzy, this is normal: the body is saturated with oxygen; The desire to cough is also considered normal: mucus that has stagnated in the lungs comes out.

On the way to work, while in transport, you can perform a square breathing exercise. For every four counts, take a deep breath - hold your breath - exhale - hold your breath. The exercise should be performed for at least three minutes. It is very effective for stress and nervous tension.

Another important question For a person losing weight, it is a matter of proper nutrition. Moreover, the essence of this process lies not so much in the use of only healthy products, how much is in the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In general, it is ideal to develop a menu (with the help of a doctor) and follow it day after day. Take into account recipes for proper nutrition for weight loss (this is the topic of a separate article, so we will mention this in passing); dishes prepared according to such recipes take into account the needs of a losing weight, and therefore are the element that speeds up the process of acquiring the desired slimness.

Proper breathing for weight loss is the key to success. However, do not forget about a balanced diet and active physical activity. This is the only way to get your figure in order and, no less important, to normalize the functioning of organs and systems in the body.

The toned and slender silhouette that everyone dreams of is hard work that requires a serious approach and great dedication. A well-planned diet and regular physical exercise will definitely bring their desired results, but in the modern rhythm of life it is not always possible to find time to visit fitness centers and follow a diet. In addition, to burn fat deposits in the most hard to reach places proper snacks and exercise are not enough.

Breathing exercises for losing weight in the abdomen and thighs will help solve the problem of extra centimeters. This technique does not require preparation, financial investments and suits absolutely everyone.

The essence of the methodology

It has been scientifically proven that getting rid of subcutaneous fat is impossible without supplying a sufficient amount of oxygen to problem areas. Breathing exercises for losing belly fat solve this problem. During normal breathing, we, as a rule, do not receive about 20 percent of oxygen, which is why tissues and organs suffer from hypoxia, and metabolism and energy release slow down. Proper breathing is possible only with intense tension of various muscle groups, which increases blood circulation and provides a rich flow of oxygen exactly where maximum muscle work occurs. All this adds up to a natural process of intense fat burning.

Types of breathing exercises

Breathing exercises for losing belly fat have 4 most popular types:

Breathing exercises for losing belly fat Bodyflex
Oxysize
Jianfei

Let's talk in more detail about each method.

A set of exercises using the Strelnikova method not only helps to get rid of extra pounds, but also strengthens the entire body as a whole and is an excellent prevention of colds.

Here are the main movements from the training series “Breathing exercises for losing belly fat by Strelnikova”:

We take a deep breath, while drawing in our stomach as much as possible. We squeeze our lips tightly and with sharp movements we gradually push out the air we have collected through our mouths. Repeat approximately 20 times.
Inhale slowly and deeply, hold your breath, count to 4 and exhale slowly. Repetition – at least 15 times.
We sit on a stool, straighten our back and strongly strain our abdominal muscles, and begin to breathe deeply exclusively through the diaphragm (For reference: the diaphragm is a large muscular partition that separates the organs of the thoracic and abdominal cavities). Repetition: ten times in the starting session, with further training we increase to forty repetitions.
We lie with our backs on a flat floor, put our right hand on our stomach, and the second on our chest. We take regular inhalations and exhalations, during which we take turns lightly pressing on the areas under our arms.

Along with breathing exercises for weight loss, you can use a buckwheat diet for weight loss.

To lose weight, gymnastics can be supplemented with the English diet for 21 days. What you need to know about this diet can be read in.

When using breathing exercises, you can also use - - proper nutrition for muscle growth.

Bodyflex gymnastics

Bodyflex combines breathing exercises and yoga exercises.

First, let's learn the basic Bodyflex pose, in which all breathing exercises are performed:

Stand up and place your feet so that the gap between them is approximately 35 cm.
We rest our palms on slightly bent legs, about 3 cm above the knees.
The chin should be parallel to the floor, gaze directed forward.

We round our lips and slowly exhale air.
We inhale forcefully, with a loud sound, through our nose, filling our lungs to capacity and holding our breath.
We exhale air with the diaphragm, while strongly straining the stomach.
We hold our breath for 24 beats, while drawing in our stomach to the maximum. Next – relax.
Inhale as deeply as possible.

To begin with, a couple of repetitions are enough, but gradually their number can be increased.

There is also a special complex - breathing exercises for losing belly fat - bodyflex:

Having pulled in your stomach, place your right elbow on your right knee.
We place our right foot to the side and strain our toes without lifting our foot off the floor.
We shift the weight to the left bent knee.
We raise our free hand up and stretch it as far as possible, feeling the stretching of the muscles from the waist to the armpit.
We hold this pose until the count of 8, relax and repeat for the opposite one.

In essence, oxysize is a simplified bodyflex. Some special exercises There are no different muscle groups; when performing all breathing actions, it is necessary to tense the abdominal muscles.

We inhale sharply through the nose, filling the diaphragm and inflating the stomach as much as possible.
We hold our breath and smile broadly.
Relax your abdominal muscles.
We inhale a little more air and strongly draw our stomach in.
Hold your breath again and begin swaying your hips left and right.
We strain our gluteal and pelvic muscles and take three small breaths through our nose.
Without ceasing to strain the muscles, we release all the accumulated air through the lips extended in a tube.
We finish the exercise with three short exhalations through the nose, not forgetting about the strong tension of all muscles.

Once you learn this basic breathing technique, you can use it at any time of the day, doing your usual activities, and unnecessary ones. body fat They will melt as if by themselves.

The system of health-improving breathing exercises originated in China in ancient times. Breathing is based on many oriental techniques for recovery. Their effectiveness has been verified by the results of healing people from many diseases. Breathing can support the body required quantity oxygen, and is deservedly considered the source of life. If you breathe correctly, you can lengthen your life. Breathing exercises can be mastered by people of any age. Any time and place is suitable for classes. It is better to start this technique for preventive purposes. More and more people are coming to targeted breathing exercises to lose belly fat. The lack of material costs is an additional attraction.

How to remove belly fat with breathing

Excess belly fat not only indicates health problems - it changes a person's appearance and makes a person unattractive. Exhaustive diets and sports have a significant effect in getting rid of it. This path turns out to be difficult for many people - either there is not enough willpower, or material resources - to balanced diet, to pay for gyms. Breathing exercises in this case go beyond the competition and quickly show excellent results.

It’s quite simple - it’s time for a person to return to the breathing that nature awarded him. The baby, when born, remembers this, breathes deeply, uses the tummy and diaphragm. Inhalation completely fills the lungs with air, exhalation frees them. At some point, a person loses this ability, switching to chest breathing. In this case, the diaphragm has a very small load, the lungs stop working at full load, since when you exhale, some of the air remains in them.

Oxygen, entering the cells of the body, triggers the processes of accelerating metabolism and breaking down fat through oxidation. Toxins are eliminated and digestion improves. If breathing is performed correctly, the nervous system calms down and the production of the happiness hormone increases.

Any technique can teach you how to breathe correctly. There are many of them, they have different names and approaches, but they all lead to recovery.

Types and descriptions of breathing exercises

There are the following types of exercises: several types of gymnastics, yoga, methods with and without breathing simulators. Built on proper breathing martial arts Wushu.

Bodyflex

Aerobic breathing is the basis of breathing exercises. It is developed on the basis of ancient Eastern sciences with the aim of healing and rejuvenating human body. The principle of this gymnastics is to burn fats, lipids, increase lymph flow and optimize muscle mass. Breathing is carried out in combination with the use of isometric stretching exercises with the abdomen and diaphragm and promotes weight loss.

Having noticed how a single activity lifts the mood, improves overall well-being and gives an influx of vital energy, a person believes in the effectiveness of breathing exercises.

Bodyflex has three rules:

regularity;
exercise before meals;
Do not combine with strict diets.

20 minutes a day is enough for breathing exercises.

Diaphragmatic breathing begins from a “standing” position - your legs should be slightly bent at the knees, your hands should rest on your legs above the knees, your torso should be slightly tilted forward. The head is held vertically, the gaze is directed forward.

Step-by-step mastery of technology.

At the first stage, exhalation is mastered - it is done through the mouth, completely emptying the lungs of air. To squeeze out all the air, you need to round your lips and pull them forward a little, as if before whistling. Exhale every last drop of air. They do this calmly and close their lips when finished.
Inhalation of diaphragmatic breathing is done through the nose. It is performed sharply until the lungs are completely filled with air. A correctly taken breath will definitely be noisy. The saturation limit of the lungs will manifest itself in the inability to continue inhaling. At this time, the head is kept slightly raised, lips pursed.
The next stage is a sharp exhalation: the mouth is opened wide, the stomach and diaphragm are compressed, pushing all the air out of the lungs, the exhalation is accompanied by a noise similar to the sound of air being released from a punctured tire.
Holding your breath is the most difficult process: close their lips tightly, tilt their head a little, concentrate on the retracting stomach, count very slowly in their head to eight (a beginner may not be able to cope with such a pause the first time), gradually tighten their stomach more and more - it becomes flat. At this moment, the stomach and intestines go under the ribs. The abdomen becomes concave, almost “touching” the spine.
After finishing the counting, take another breath: relax all the muscles, allow the air to rush sharply and noisily into the lungs.

Having learned to pause with a count of up to eight, a person is considered to have mastered the bodyflex.

If desired, you can stabilize your metabolism and speed up weight loss by doing exercises while lying on a hard surface.

Mastering the technique requires three to four weeks of daily practice. While breathing, your hands lie on your stomach and, while inhaling, control its rise for 3-4 seconds. In the next three to four seconds of inhalation, the lower ribs are stretched. Hands move to the collarbones and continue inhaling to fill the lungs. Then they hold their breath. The optimal pause should be approximately four times the time spent inhaling. The next phase is 3-4 seconds of exhalation: hands on the stomach control relaxation and retraction (you can help squeeze out the air with your hands). The final phase (hands on the chest) comes down to closing the upper ribs and releasing the remaining air.

Qigong

The Eastern Qigong technique is accompanied by movement exercises, which, together with breathing, control and distribute a person’s internal bioenergy. The Chinese called this energy “qi.” They believe that the Qigong technique controls the energy of the body, improves well-being and gets rid of excess weight, which contains bad energy.

Breathing exercises can do beautiful figure, but it also requires a serious approach. Awareness and consistency are important here. Only daily exercise will give a positive result. The Qigong system has no restrictions on age or health, but in old age it is better to consult a doctor.

They are carried out in silence or with calm, quiet music:

take a deep breath through the nose
At the same time, the stomach is inflated, helping to open the diaphragm and completely let air into the lungs.
exhale through the mouth quickly, sharply.

Jerks, chest breathing, and shoulder lifting are excluded in Qigong gymnastics. The main thing is relaxation, calmness and an average pace.

Exercise "Wave":

lie on your back, knees at an angle of 90 degrees.
left hand placed in the center of the abdomen, the right one on the chest;
relax, take a full breath, suck in your stomach. the chest is straightened.
along with exhalation, the stomach expands and the chest retracts.

This series resembles a wave movement. It is performed 20 to 25 times daily.

“Frog” is done on a chair:

legs at the knees form angles of 90 degrees;
between the knees 20-30 cm;
the left hand is in a fist, and the right hand clasps it;
closing your eyes, relax;
inhale through the nose, holding the air in the abdominal area;
exhale slowly through the mouth (abdominal muscles are relaxed);
take in air again in the same way;
with a full, bloated belly, they freeze for 3-10 seconds;
inhale and exhale quickly, but not jerkily.

“Lotus” is performed by sitting in the “Buddha” pose, legs crossed (hands on knees). The back is straight, the head and shoulders are slightly lowered, the eyes are closed. Touching the palate with your tongue also helps to relax. Breathe deeply for several minutes. In the next 10 minutes, the position is not changed, but breathing is made free and comfortable. The absence of thoughts during this exercise improves the result.

Breathing exercises according to Strelnikova

This technique is of Russian origin. Professional singer A. Strelnikova discovered her own method, looking for ways to restore her voice. Subsequently, other beneficial effects of breathing exercises on the body were established. In addition to eliminating ailments associated with the heart and nervous system, it turned out that this method promotes weight loss.

Breathing exercises have a small list of contraindications: injuries, osteochondrosis, bleeding, high pressure and acute thrombophlebitis. Before starting classes, it is recommended to consult with your doctor.

The complex contains eleven exercises. Each subsequent one is added as the previous one is mastered. The first three are the main ones.

The difference between this technique and the previous two is that as you inhale, the chest contracts.

The exercise is performed standing. Palms up, elbows bent. They inhale rhythmically four times, at the same time clench their fists and lower their arms, rest for four seconds and exhale. Repeat 24 times.
The fists are pressed to the stomach and, together with the exhalation, the arms are pushed down (shoulders are tense). Then they are placed on the stomach again and, relaxing, exhale. Repeat 8 times.
Hands along the body. During inhalation, they are pulled towards the floor without touching it. Exhale while straightening up (but not completely). The exercise is done with intensity one hundred times per minute.

Only having mastered these three stages well can you move on to the next ones.

Oxysize

According to experts, the Oxysize system is not harmful even to pregnant women. And the benefits are not only in weight loss - it has been established that the technique lowers blood pressure, improves blood in diabetics, and relieves joint pain. Although there are opposing opinions on this matter, you still need to consult a doctor.

Oxygen entering the body during breathing exercises breaks down fats and removes them.

The technique was developed by the American D. Johnson. Physical exercise in the technique combined with diaphragmatic breathing. It involves holding your breath, there are no sharp inhalations or exhalations, but there are new concepts: “inhalation” and “exhalation.” They are done in threes: inhale and three “exhalations”, exhale and three “exhales”.

Daily twenty-minute sessions give good results.

Breathing exercises with Marina Korpan

Marina is a well-known Russian certified instructor specializing in weight loss using breathing exercises. Several thousand people have already lost weight with its help.

Breathing exercises for losing belly fat are as follows:

When exhaling, the stomach is pulled in;
Inhaling - inflate;
Exhale smoothly with an open mouth;

Finally, the head is tilted and the stomach is pulled in. Do it four to five times. Daily breathing exercises will give noticeable results after the first week of classes.

Other breathing exercises

Yoga. The technique is designed for 20 minutes a day.

Bandha. Do it every morning before breakfast in a sitting position with crossed legs. As you exhale, pull in your stomach and tighten it, hold your breath and exhale smoothly. Repeat five times.
Jauti. It is performed according to the previous scheme, but after fixing the inhalation, exhale sharply. Repeat fifty times in two steps.

Holotropic breathing helps to heal the body from many ailments and lose belly fat. Performed to music in groups simultaneously with two trainers.

Exercises

When performing exercises, you must monitor your well-being. They are performed in the morning after waking up and visiting the toilet.

The pose is taken at the moment of breathing stop (pause).

Do the side stretch while standing:

During the breathing pause, stretch either leg to the side, touching the floor with the toe.
The arm (of the same side) is pulled up, creating a line with the leg.
The elbow of the other hand is on your knee.
The back is straight.
The neck is not strained.
Feel the side muscles stretch.
Exhale through your nose and relax.

Stretching is performed 4-5 times for each leg.

Scissors are performed in a flat lying position.

While breathing is paused, both legs are raised simultaneously to a distance of about ten centimeters (toes are pulled out with tension).
The legs are first spread apart, then crossed.
The neck is not strained.

After every 10 completed movements, inhale through your nose and relax. Repeat four to six times.

Cat – an exercise that is performed in the “cat” pose:

While holding your breath, your back is rounded;
The head is lowered;
The stomach is pulled in for a few seconds (at this moment maximum muscle tension is felt).
Exhale and relax, straighten your back.

Repeat five to seven times.

Vacuum is a unique exercise for tightening the abdomen and reducing breasts. It is performed exclusively on an empty stomach immediately after waking up.

Perform while lying on the floor;
Legs bent
Arms straight.
The stomach is pulled in with maximum effort for 10-15 seconds or more.

At the end of this time, inhale and relax. Repeat at least eight times.

Finish the exercises with water procedures.

Working with breathing is one of the basic elements of proper weight loss. Today, there are both time-tested and generations-tested ancient practices from yoga, qigong and martial arts, and those developed by specialists modern technology.

The Importance of Breathwork

The fact that free breathing is important for maintaining healthy functioning of the body is as clear as two. There is no doubt about it. A person can live without food for more than a month, without water for several days, and without breathing for only a few minutes.

Being able to control your breathing means being able to control your emotions. It’s not for nothing that during outbursts of anger they recommend counting to ten while breathing deeply.

How it works

General principle all breathing exercises for weight loss - increased oxidation of fat cells. More oxygen enters the body, which leads to an acceleration of fat burning processes.

Deep breathing is also the key to providing your body with the substances it needs. Oxygen-saturated blood better nourishes cells and more actively flushes out decay products from them. If so, we can say that your body does not receive the amount of energy it is supposed to.

Mastering the principles of smooth deep breathing or any breathing exercises for losing weight in the abdomen is mandatory, because by connecting the abdominal wall to breathing, you thereby provide a constant massage of the internal organs. You activate your intestines. Even if you don’t want to fully engage in gymnastics in the future, the ability to breathe deeply will create conditions for the optimal functioning of the rest of the body’s systems.

There are also opponents of breathing exercises for weight loss. Reviews from these people claim that achieving a good figure is impossible without monitoring nutrition and proper exercise. Indeed, breathing exercises cannot replace everything for you at once. A slender silhouette and overall body tone are the result of your lifestyle, which combines your daily routine, nutrition and training.

Exercise either in a well-ventilated area or outdoors, such as a park. During exercise, active hyperventilation occurs. Imagine what will happen to your lungs and body in general if you start doing breathing exercises for fast weight loss and cleaning in a dusty room or near a highway.

Consult your doctor first. Perhaps you have some contraindications to breathing experiments.

Be sure to do the exercises on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning, when the time elapsed after eating is longest. In the evening you can exercise no earlier than four hours after eating. By breaking this rule, you risk harming your health.

Breathing exercises for weight loss for beginners must be done under the guidance of a trainer in order to correctly master the technique of inhalation and exhalation. You should also not train holding your breath without the supervision of a teacher.

If you feel dizzy or feel unwell during exercise, it means you've overdone it a little. You should not practice with sports zeal and the desire to achieve complete exhaustion - breathing techniques require a more subtle approach. You should exercise with caution, stopping the exercise at the first sign of discomfort.

Training principles

Most breathing techniques always involve inhaling through the nose. Exhalation can also be done through the nose, as most often occurs in yoga practices. In other breathing exercises for weight loss, exhalation through the mouth is required. In any case, inhalation through the mouth is almost never carried out.

Regularity is the key to the benefits of losing weight. To lose weight quickly, it is recommended to do these practices every day for 20-30 minutes. Less noticeable, but tangible results will come from exercising two to three times a week. But if your training is sporadic and happens from time to time, quick results do not wait.

Increase the load gradually. Even if the manual recommends a different pace of mastering and adding new exercises, be guided solely by your own feelings.

It also happens (especially when losing weight quickly) that, having stopped doing breathing exercises to lose weight, you gain weight again. However, this effect is possible if you suddenly stop any sports activities, especially if you are not used to denying yourself food (you will still burn out during training). Therefore, if you stop breathing exercises for weight loss, bodyflex or yoga, then replace them with some other loads.

Yogic breathing

In yoga there is separate direction, consisting only of breathing exercises called pranayama. Prana is Vital energy, which envelops and permeates all life on Earth. By controlling the breath, we learn to control prana.

It is customary to distinguish several types of breathing:

Superficial - upper thoracic or clavicular, in which only the upper part works chest.
Middle - intercostal, when the chest is fully connected.
The lower one is abdominal or diaphragmatic, when the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the lungs from the digestive organs, is also connected to breathing.

Yogis consider the lower to be optimal, otherwise calling it the full. The abdominal wall is also connected to the muscles that control the process. Your yoga practice turns into breathing exercises for losing belly fat.

Among the yoga exercises, there is a whole series aimed at mastering the ability to consciously control the diaphragm. You can start with this simple exercise:

place both hands on your stomach;
take a breath and feel how the abdominal wall protrudes forward;
As you exhale, feel your stomach deflate under your hands and your navel pull toward your spine.

The exhalation must be longer than the inhalation. When performing a sequence of yoga exercises - asanas - holding the breath is allowed only while fixing the asana. The very flow from asana to asana must be performed continuously. Holding your breath will create additional stress on your body. Learning to pause correctly is only possible under the guidance of an experienced practitioner.

A separate exercise is alternate breathing through one or the other nostril. This technique is believed to clear the airways and energy channels, bring the mind into a state of balance and calm it down. nervous system. Due to its overall positive effect on the body, this exercise can be included in a breathing exercises program for weight loss. The photo below shows how you can position your fingers comfortably.

One cycle of such breathing looks like this:

inhale through the left nostril, close the right nostril with your thumb;
change the position of the fingers - close the left nostril with the side of the ring finger and exhale through it;
inhale through the right nostril and, changing the position of the fingers to the original one, exhale through the left.

Similar cycles can be done from four to twenty. After alternating breathing becomes familiar to you, you can add a short delay after inhaling and exhaling.

Also in yoga, breathing through each nostril separately is practiced. It is believed that the right nostril is a channel of male yang energy, and the left nostril is a channel of female yin energy. If you need to cheer up or warm up, then close your left nostril with your finger and take several cycles of full breathing through the right. If, on the contrary, you need to relax and drive away excess heat, pranayama masters recommend breathing through the left nostril. The main thing is not to practice this for too long. After all, it is natural for our body to breathe through both nostrils.

Bodyflex breathing technique

Bodyflex breathing exercises for weight loss were created by the American Greer Childers. Like most similar techniques, gymnastics is based on alternating inhalations and exhalations, holding the exhalation and tightening the diaphragm.

The progenitor of bodyflex can be called the yoga exercise Uddiyana Bandha. In it, after a full inhalation, a full exhalation is made, pulling the diaphragm under the ribs, and in this position the breath is held.

In bodyflex, this hold is performed in different body positions, thereby connecting all your muscles in a comprehensive manner. But first of all, you will feel the effect of this breathing exercise for losing belly fat. Bodyflex “puts things in order” from the inside, together with the muscles, tightening and placing your internal organs in the correct position.

The breathing cycle in bodyflex looks like this:

pre-exhalation;
full breath;
loud, full exhalation - the resulting sound is similar to “ha” or “groin”. The exhalation should be maximum, so that the abdominal wall is pulled inward. If you feel like coughing or clearing your throat, this is a completely normal reaction of the body to exercise. Clear your throat and start again by exhaling and inhaling.
holding the breath, during which the diaphragm is pulled under the ribs;
full breath.

To perform bodyflex exercises you will need considerable self-discipline. You will have to breathe in this mode throughout the entire workout, that is, at least half an hour in a row. In addition to monitoring the breathing itself, you will also have to control the technique of performing the exercise, and at first this may be difficult. That is why it is better to start mastering bodyflex under the guidance of an experienced trainer who can point out your mistakes.

Oxysize breathing technique

Breathing exercises for weight loss Oxysize also came to us from America thanks to the American Jill Johnson. Its basic principle is similar to bodyflex. The exercises also involve diaphragmatic breathing. However, there are several differences:

exercises are performed without holding your breath;
there is no active pulling of the abdominal wall under the ribs.

The order of inhalations and exhalations also differs:

pre-exhalation;
deep breath;
three small breaths, while the stomach is slightly tightened, and the inhalation is carried out by stretching the ribs;
exhalation;
three small breaths.

Despite the fact that practicing the oxysize program is more comfortable due to the absence of delay, the exercises themselves are more energy-consuming than in bodyflex. Like its competing technique, oxysize is known as a breathing exercise for belly fat loss. Reviews from those who have trained claim that the waist is more clearly defined, and the abs become more toned after just a few classes.

Breathing exercises by Marina Korpan

Marina Korpan is known to the general public not only as the host of TV shows dedicated to health, but also as the first teacher of bodyflex and oxysize techniques in Russia, as well as the author of several books dedicated to acquiring a good figure with the help of breathing techniques. A weight loss center using breathing exercises operates under her leadership.

Marina not only teaches using foreign methods, but is also the creator of her own breathing exercises for losing weight and cleansing the body called “2/4”. In this technique, inhale in two counts, exhale in four counts, and the delay is present or absent depending on the level of training of the practitioner.

Numerous video courses of breathing exercises from Marina Korpan are popular among Internet users. Despite the difference in methods, many exercises in different complexes have something in common. Only the breathing technique is different.

One of basic exercises in the Marina complex is “Almaz”:

starting position - standing, feet shoulder-width apart, stomach tucked, tailbone tucked down;
bring your hands to your chest, clench your palms into fists and press them against each other, with your thumbs pointing up;
press your fists against each other, with your elbows looking to the sides - you should feel the arm muscles tense and engage in work.
your breathing will depend on the technique you choose - perform several cycles.

You can start training your legs with this exercise:

place a chair in front of you with its back facing you;
spread your legs wider and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. The knees should not extend beyond the level of the heels vertically;
at the extreme point of the squat, perform two or three breathing cycles;
You can do several approaches, while continuing to keep your pelvis tucked and pointing your tailbone down.

A full complex usually consists of eight to ten exercises. Initially, they can take 30-40 minutes; later, it will be enough to do these breathing exercises for weight loss for 15 minutes in the morning.

Gymnastics by Alexandra Strelnikova

The Soviet opera singer and teacher-vocalist is best known as the creator of Strelnikova’s unique breathing exercises for weight loss. Alexandra Nikolaevna began to lose her voice early, which is what happened key factor for the appearance of gymnastics. Together with his mother, who was also a singing teacher, the first set of breathing exercises was developed.

The main principle and feature of Strelnikova’s exercises is active inhalation and passive exhalation. This technique differs from other known ones, where the main emphasis is always on exhalation. Here, on the contrary, the inhalation will be noisy and puffing. Experts generally advise not to pay any attention to exhalation. It will turn out as natural as possible. Inhalation is done through the nose, while the nostrils narrow - the sound is as if you are sniffing to get rid of a runny nose.

Typically, inhalation is combined with the movement being performed. The number of executions of any of the exercises according to Strelnikova’s method should be divided by four - this makes it easier to count their number. After you get used to the execution technique, gradually increase the speed - it is believed that you can reach a level when each element performed will take no longer than a second. Pause between sets or different exercises should last from ten to thirty seconds at first, and at a high level of mastery of the technique - even up to three to five seconds.

Strelnikova’s basic gymnastics complex consists of twelve exercises. It is recommended to master them from the first three, gradually adding exercises and increasing the number of repetitions.

The first exercise is called “Palms”. It works like this:

stand up straight, bend your elbows towards yourself, point your palms forward;
With each breath we squeeze our palms;
repeat four times, gradually increase the number of repetitions to several quadruples;

The second exercise is “Epaulettes”:

starting position - standing straight, arms extended along the body;
slightly raise our arms to waist level and, while inhaling, push our palms down;
As you exhale, relaxed arms return to waist level.

Third exercise - “Pump” (bending):

starting position - standing, head relaxed and slightly lowered forward, back slightly bent, arms extended along the body;
as you inhale, smoothly bend forward, exhale, return to the starting position.

The initial goal of developing this gymnastics is to restore the voice and respiratory system. Bonuses in the form of weight loss, getting rid of diseases and strengthening the body were discovered later, after gymnastics became widespread. Most exercisers note weight loss, but there are exceptions to the rule.

Contraindications

Despite all the benefits, any breathing exercises for weight loss are not a panacea. People with the following diseases should be careful when inhaling and exhaling sharply:

high blood pressure;
hyperfunction of the thyroid gland;
glaucoma;
cholelithiasis.

Active work with the abdominal wall in bodyflex and oxysize can lead to unpleasant consequences in the following cases:

cysts and myomatous nodes;
hernias of the digestive system;
some kidney diseases.

Strengthened breathing exercises for rapid weight loss should be avoided during the period of exacerbation of any chronic diseases and postoperative recovery. At this time, you can limit yourself to calmly tracking your inhalations and exhalations, without forcing them. Let your breathing become a meditation for you, aimed at a speedy recovery. The same applies to pregnancy. During this period, hold off on active breathing practices. Even if you continue to exercise, use only natural meditative breathing.

Many consider tempting promises and annotations for various fitness videos “Remove your belly in just 15 minutes a day” as something unrealistic, because in their opinion, you can remove your belly and give it a seductive, beautiful shape only if you need to spend half the day in gym, exhausting yourself on the treadmill or doing thousands of weighted crunches.

But there is also some truth in this statement: you can tighten your stomach, get rid of extra centimeters on the sides and waist, increase the overall tone and immunity of the body, spending about a quarter of an hour on this daily. Correctly performed breathing techniques will come to your aid.

The benefits of breathing exercises for weight loss

Breathing is the basis of every person’s life. In ancient times, the breathing process was very closely associated with the soul, even the words “breath”, “breathe”, “soul” are similar in sound.

All breathing techniques are related to physical body human beings, they help to achieve complete harmony of body and soul. Proper breathing not only relieves various diseases and stress, but also helps fight excess fat in the abdomen and waist area.

What happens in the body when performing breathing exercises

improves the absorption of useful nutrients V gastrointestinal tract. This is due to the fact that oxygen activates the work of many small cellular villi located along the walls of the organs of the entire digestive system, thus increasing the level of basal metabolism;
oxygen ensures the creation of the necessary alkaline environment in the cells, thereby optimizing the work of ATP molecules, which contribute to the processing of fat cells into energy;
deep breathing helps remove harmful and dangerous toxins from the body that disrupt the endocrine system and contribute to the accumulation of a protective layer of visceral fat around the internal organs. A significant part of toxins turns into gases that can be removed from the body using special techniques of proper deep breathing;
oxygen affects fat cells, oxidizing them, thereby starting the process of their destruction;
breathing exercises help you relax, relieve tension, get rid of excitement and increased anxiety, and significantly reduce the level of stress hormone in the blood. Many admit that they begin to overeat precisely because of difficult experiences that they are unable to get rid of on their own. Breathing exercises will eliminate the need to eat an extra bun or candy to calm down; you will simply stop feeling the need to “eat on problems.”

Where and how to do breathing exercises to lose belly fat

Today there are many different theories and practices of healthy breathing. The ability to breathe correctly is the basis for all types of physical activity, ranging from yoga to weightlifting.

To practice breathing exercises, it is not at all necessary to go to the stadium or park at strictly certain hours. You can study at home, having previously ventilated the room.

For breathing exercises for weight loss morning time is best, on an empty stomach, after bowel movement. If you do not want to study in the morning, choose any other time convenient for you, but only 2-3 hours after the last snack– You can’t exercise with a full stomach.

Let's look at the most popular and useful breathing systems that will help you not only lose weight, trim your stomach and sides, but also become more peaceful and serene.

Effective breathing technique Bodyflex: fighting excess fat in the waist area

This technique was described by an American lady, mother of three children, Grieg Childers. Having tried a lot of ways to reset without success. overweight, she sought advice from a sports physiologist.

Having completed the proposed course of breathing exercises combined with various static poses, Grieg managed to put her shape in order and significantly improve her own well-being.

Grieg described her results (change in body size from 56 to 44 in just a few months) and the methodology for performing the Bodyflex complex in the book “Great figure in 15 minutes a day” . Practice this daily complex in the morning, before breakfast, for 15-30 minutes.

How to breathe correctly using the Bodyflex technique

Perform several deep and calm inhalation-exhalation cycles, focusing on the movement of the chest, visualizing the filling of air in the lungs;
Take the starting position: standing, bending slightly in the lumbar region, legs 35-40 cm wide, place your hands on the areas just above the knee. Keep your head straight, your neck not tense, your gaze directed straight;
Deep exhalation: you need to completely empty your lungs of air, to do this, form your lips in the letter “O” and forcefully squeeze out all the air through your mouth, close your lips;
Sharp inhalation: quickly, with great effort, draw in the maximum volume of air only through your nose, filling your lungs to capacity. Correct inhalation occurs with noise, the stomach inflates, the lips are in the same closed position;
Strong exhalation through the mouth: quickly exhale the entire contents of the lungs through the mouth, working as much as possible with the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, imagine that they are pushing out all the air. When exhaling correctly, a hissing sound will be heard;
Holding your breath and working your stomach: purse your lips tightly and block your breathing with your nose, pull your stomach inward, pulling it up, as if trying to reach your spine with your navel, while straining all your abdominal muscles. This position must be held for 10 - 15 seconds, depending on the capabilities of your respiratory system. It is at the stage of holding the breath and pulling the stomach to the ribs that all the poses of the complex are performed;
Slow inhalation: Relax your abdominal muscles, inhaling calmly and intensely through your nose, at this point you may feel slightly dizzy due to excess oxygen.

Bodyflex exercises for losing weight on the sides and abdomen

Having mastered the principles of breathing according to Bodyflex - and this is the most basic and primary thing in this technique, add exercises and poses that will have an additional tightening effect on the abdomen and will help draw the waist line.

Remember that these poses should be taken at the stage of stopping breathing, the duration of which is determined by you yourself, based on your well-being and level of respiratory training.

Side stretch

Performed from a standing position. While holding your breath, stretch your left leg to the side, resting your toe on the floor, hold your right knee with the opposite hand, raise your straight left arm up and stretch to the side for an imaginary object.

Keep your back straight, do not strain your neck, feel the stretch of all the side muscles. As you inhale through your nose, relax and return to the starting position. Side stretches should be performed 4-5 repetitions on each side.

Scissors

It is performed lying on your back, legs straight, arms relaxed and lying under the hips. When performing the exercise, make sure that there is no deflection in the lumbar area. Complete the entire cycle of breathing stages, and holding your breath, lift your straight legs 8-10 cm above the floor, spreading them wide and crossing them like scissors. The socks are stretched as tight as possible, the neck is relaxed.

After completing 9-10 swings, inhale through your nose and relax. This exercise must be repeated 4-6 times.

Abdominal Press

Remaining in the same position, lying on your back, bend your knees and place your heels on the floor. Raise your hands, fingertips should point straight up. Perform the “exhale-inhale-exhale” cycle; while holding your breath, lift your shoulders and chest with the strength of your abdominal muscles.

Do not strain your neck, keep your head relaxed, slightly tilted down. Reach your palms toward the floor throughout the entire breath-holding cycle. Inhale through your nose and lower yourself to the floor. Do this exercise 5-6 times.

Cat

Performed in a standing position on all fours. The gaze is directed forward, the back is straight. While holding your breath, round your back, lifting it up, lower the crown of your head down, and draw in your stomach as much as possible. The tension in the muscles of the entire core will be especially strong. After holding for a few seconds, inhale, relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the cat pose 5-7 times.

Pretzel

Sitting on the floor, cross your knees, placing your right knee over your left. The left leg is straight. Place the palm of your right hand on the floor behind your back, place the elbow of your left leg behind the knee of your right leg, your back is straight, your neck is not tense. Complete all the initial respiratory stages, while holding your breath, drawing in your stomach as much as possible, turn your body and head back to the right.

Feel a strong stretch in your side abdominal muscles and thighs. As you inhale, return from a twisted position to a straight one, and perform this exercise 5-6 times in each direction.

An effective and very useful exercise “Vacuum” for tummy tuck

The “Vacuum” exercise is recognized as one of the most effective for tightening the stomach and giving harmonious proportion to the whole body. Many bodybuilders regularly use it in their training practice.

Benefit this exercise It also consists in the fact that when the abdominal muscles are pulled inward, the internal organs are massaged, thereby reducing the layer of visceral fat around the organs, and congestion in the digestive tract disappears.

The “Vacuum” exercise, like the Bodyflex complex, should be performed in the morning, on an empty stomach, or in the evening a couple of hours before dinner.

How to properly perform the “Vacuum” exercise

The initial version of the exercise is to lie on your back, since gravity does not prevent the abdominal muscles from retracting.

Bend your knees, extend your arms along your body.
Take a smooth, calm breath in through your nose, and sharply exhale all the air through your mouth, completely emptying your lungs.
With great effort, pull your stomach inward, using the force of the rectus abdominis muscle, try to pull all the internal organs under the ribs, feel the strong tension of the entire muscle corset.
Hold this position for 10-15 seconds, but over time, increase this pause to 1 minute.
Inhale slowly, relax.

Take several short, even breaths in and out through your nose. Start doing this exercise with 8 repetitions, gradually increasing their number.

The next stage will be a variation of its execution on all fours, then use standing and sitting variations.

Start doing breathing exercises today, and after a few weeks you will see in the mirror how your waist has narrowed, your stomach has tightened and strengthened, and the volume of your sides has significantly decreased. Together with extra pounds You will breathe out worries, stress and worry.