Breath and Bandhas | How to Find Inner Strength in Your Yoga Practice

Bandhas often seem like a mysterious concept that only the most advanced practitioner can achieve, but really, that’s not the case. With clear guidance and examples, you can start to access this inner locking sensation and deepen your practice.
In this video, we share the importance of BANDHAS / ENERGETIC LOCKS in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition and how they work alongside proper breathing to help you access more grace and strength in your practice. You’ll learn about what the bandhas are and why they’re so impactful in the Ashtanga practice. You’ll also learn how to consciously engage them, with a guided exercise and suggestions to help you find this inner energetic lock. We explain how engaging the bandhas affects your asana practice and how bandhas and breath work together. You’ll also understand why we breathe the way we do in Ashtanga and how to do it, with guidelines for proper breathing techniques.
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Disclaimer: David & Jelena Yoga LLC strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercise. You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge

[@gypsy696]

Hello from India… I watched so many Indian yoga tutorials for the bandhas and hate to say it, a western guy/girl explained it so much better for a beginner. Thank you🙏 One thing missing is bandhas are to be done after a full inhale and exhale (empty lung).

[@AnitaBryant-e4n]

Love how you two work well together … David takes it to the edge 😅and Jelena keeps focussed .. love you two and the balance between you 🙏🏼

[@cassidyv6355]

totally not tmi!!! i wish more practitioners actually walked students through this as specifically!! thank you!

[@timothycliffe3061]

Wonderful!! The door which was until now, only slightly ajar is now fully opened ! 🙏

[@jacquelinesullivan1233]

Bandas and breathing are the core of the practice It takes awhile to understand this but when you do you understand that much of the work is internal Amazing really Thank you Great as always 😊

[@krisgi00710]

You guys give me peace. I watch your videos to clear my mind of negative things.

[@JennyKao-tq8zi]

The lake example is so spot on!

[@derholzblaeser]

Thank you very much for your contribution. That was exactly the question I asked myself in my Asana practice over the last few days. Kind regards from Bad Meinberg Germany

[@RAHHicecream]

I love this bc you guys are so trustworthy and knowledgeable and so good at what you do. But you’re able to talk about this in a chill way and not weird and overly serious. Thanks for this video lol

[@vcb7237]

Very challenging area for a home practitioner like me. Such good work guys! Thank you very much for this 🙏🙏🙏

[@mebsmommy]

Certainly not TMI - thank you for being so transparent and willing to ‘go there’ for us for the benefit of learning ❤

[@annelachaux1165]

This is so clear, so well detailed that it seems I never heard this before. Thank you both 🙏❤️

[@shymaid5680]

Thank you for explaining the bandhas in such an upfront way. It's difficult to it properly and be understood if you shy away from the anatomy of the area, so I don't consider it a TMI topic at all. It's definitely an area I struggle with, so thank you also for pointing out that it takes time to engage them consistently. In certain asanas and transitions, there's so many things to keep in mind at the same time that I keep losing the engagement in different parts. It is getting easier as I focus on it more consistently, though, so one day I'll manage it! So far I've found Downward facing Dog a good place to practice keeping the bandhas over time when we hold for 5 breaths.

[@alli_bartlett]

Love that pup! And seeing you as a couple teaching together. My husband and I both love following along

[@MyriamDiJi]

AWESOME the explanation about how to work on parts of our body that we can't see, only feel.

[@jannytang2536]

Thank you for the clear explanation of Bandhas, the intangible but very important element in Ashtanga Vinyasa practice.

[@evgeniaefimova7233]

Thank you! I was so confused with weird explanations from different resources, now I know the way. Hope one day I will be your student.

[@carlamariabernardino]

Another Amazing tutorial Jelena and David and puppy even if he's sleeping😃❤️

[@ArunSharma-um5qh]

Great learning. Cobra pose is a typical example of mool bandha, without mool bandha cobra pose can't be performed. Thank you for ur great teachings

[@gunjan10]

You both are incredible ❤ so grateful to have your teachings. Thank you so much!

[@marionsnowdon6070]

I’d really like to bring more conscious breathing into my practice. This is great for me! I’ll be going through your videos to discover more. Thanks !

[@pudd1ncat]

🤣🥰 i love your videos so much here in the US, I had no idea about the bandhas, what it meant, what to focus on..... love that you bring honesty , realness and humor to what is a practice that should bring joy and happiness. thank you so much. I have watched every single one of your tutorial videos. I will never forget the `finger gesture` either. 🙂

[@jennifermonroy9127]

I wish your channel to continue to grow ❤ your work is a treasure

[@milapopovich6819]

Amazing explanations: Breathe and movement and bandas! Simple and clear! Thanks 🤩

[@cathyburnett7828]

Best explanation of bandhas and breath. Thank you!

[@mikemoore5592]

❤you guys are excellent communicators....thank you!

[@geetanjaliohri7613]

Thanks for great content. Pls recommend the best reads for understanding and embodying ‘yoga sutras’🙏

[@A.P2]

You guys are the cutest 💚 thank you for sharing so much knowledge .

[@tamararomic9643]

I am very grateful for this video. Thank you 🧡💚💙

[@lauriesauth5186]

The most clearly articulated explanation of this important aspect of our practice that I have ever heard. Again, 🙏🏻❣️

[@laurenturnbaugh1377]

Thank you so much this is exactly what I was looking for

[@smarthalleck3233]

We’ve all heard the term: No coffee No Prana or something like that Q: Do you drink coffee? How much? When? Your thoughts Love, love, love your stuff Keep up the good work

[@martaberk9615]

Yes they drink coffee. They talk about it in their “what we eat” video.

[@ceciliaboldrini5134]

Dear David and Jelena thank you very much for this new video, so precious and useful for me and l think for everybody! You are so good and intelligent persons and l appreciate you so much. I hope to see one video about bandhas during jumping back and forwards .GOD BLESS YOU. Cecilia

[@rachnabagri1874]

Again...good explanation about the bandas.😊

[@ludmilafiore7305]

You're amazing! thank you so much 🙏💛

[@liks472]

Hvala vam ❤

[@xavierlefort8209]

Merci

[@kristendawson273]

Such a great lesson about the breath. Thank you! 🙏🙏

[@govindannairramachandran5890]

Sirs, very much useful. Thanks.

[@georgiasmythe2988]

YAY I requested this video! so helpful, thank you!!

[@lorenaanchia1038]

You are amazing! Thank you for sharing 🙏🏻

[@shivarezaei798]

Thanks for sharing! It's very helpful 🙏

[@MeghanMarshall-u3y]

I'm subscibed! I like! I love!

[@runeemrick]

Difficult subject to cover, I know. Great explanation, and tutorial. Thanks !

[@RanaYogaVibes]

Thank you so much for clarifying such a subtle subject in such simple terms and descriptions. Activating bandhas is really a Mindfulness practice as Jelena says and i feel lighter and less exhausted when i can diye into my bandhas.🎉

[@jenjen5822]

This is great thank you

[@synaptic84]

thank you!🙏

[@adalineproulx9773]

I did the last video inverted pike to sitting pike legs straight and apart!!

[@isazarim]

¡Muchas gracias por el conocimiento que comparten! Thanks💚

[@annetteseepe9518]

Thank you. This was new information for me and very helpful. My Yoga teacher would never talk about it. Definitely too intimate 😁

[@Sachindhoundiyal02]

I really love your way of expressing your knowledge ....

[@Krilsson68]

Thanks! I'tried to read up on Bandas this was so much easier to follow and understand

[@ShileiZ]

This was so helpful. Thank you!

[@bellelove3892]

Thank you so much for this informative video! Now I will be more aware of my breathing and bandhas during my practice. You are amazing!

[@CurlyEm]

You never fail with a complete lesson. I am so grateful I came across your courses online they are phenomenal. I know this is mundane perhaps but could you cover (maybe if you have time) the sliding of the feet when going from chattarunga to urdhva muka svanasana .... I personally have hesitation bc I feel I’m going to break my toes and I feel that the transition is not as fluid when I pause to flip my feet.. thanks again💛🌼

[@rigo.garcia]

Great explanation

[@saraswathyvenkatachalam5232]

Thank you , such a difficult topic so well explained. Request a Mari D tutorial please.

[@marinamajinski]

Best teachers in the world! 💙🙏

[@karenskelly7454]

Great tutorial…thanks for sharing! 🙏

[@andreanicholson-ru4dm]

Very helpful explanation thank you

[@shyamrajsampath]

When are guys coming to Mysore, I would love to come and say hi.

[@nhinhin]

Love you two ❤️ great lessons!

[@sarah-2633]

Thank you 🙏 I am not yet able to move through vinyasas and asana with the active bandhas, but the way I understand it after watching this makes it feel a little less stiff and adds some gentleness, so I will try it with more softness in my practice.

[@sahasrayoga8264]

Wonderful session. Thanks

[@nathalielamirande4206]

The dog😍😍😍

[@pudd1ncat]

I know😍

[@huashuaishen7687]

The dog is so cute，just like your two teachers

[@nasim-g1h4d]

It was amazing, thanks for sharing🌹

[@SharoFlores85]

David! You have the best examples ever!! I don't have a junk, but I was able to imagine how I would do it if I have one haha Jelena, thanks for all the explanation of the exercises to feel and strengthen these muscles , to then activate them. I love this topic!! It's going to make a big difference in my practice! I look forward for the next video where you put together the bandhas and movement🙏🏻♥️

[@martina8736]

This was awesome guys, thanks! 🙏 If you ever want to do a follow-up with more in-depth info, it would be great!!!

[@dianaflorentinabutnaru6283]

You guys are so inspirational ❤

[@GodhumaWellness]

you two are so lovely! been watching your content in IG too and very informative and i learned a lot, it help my practice and my teaching! please keep teaching us worldwide David and Jelena, Namaste from Indonesia

[@coolduedrops9848]

Great teachers! Tnq so much for your service 🙏🙏 I do have a request and that is to come up with simple must do-es to achieve a particular posture or in other words, a routine or a sequence to achieve a particular posture, say for eg sirasasna, for beginners

[@yogaonyourtime]

Love y'all's videos! very inspiring.

[@MofolusadeSonaike]

I appreciate your videos. Thank you for taking time to break things down

[@YogaWithDenaMarie]

THANK YOU!! Could you do a video on Upekkha too 🙏🏽

[@kq6165]

I just want to hug the puppie 😅 gracias por la información.

[@PaulSmith-bl9zg]

Love these tutorials!! So helpful and informative…. Thankyou

[@marysuemcc]

i always learn so much from you both...thank you

[@nataliamontoya6707]

❤ thanks for sharing

[@RichadBernado]

Thank you!!! That was really helpful!! I have an issue with parsvottanasana and ardha baddha padmottanasana. I did hurt one of my shoulder badly lately, I'm going to practice now, slowly, trying to feel more where I'm wrong and what's happening. Do you think that one day maybe you could give some little tips about how to enter the pose properly to reduce the risk of hurting shoulders? Thanks a lot for all those videos!! It's a huge help! Anna.

[@MariaGala]

Trato de entenderles, ya que no hablo inglés 😢 sin embargo me gusta mucho sus clases, correcciones y la energía. Observó y observó como hacen las posturas, y aplicó las correcciones. No estoy avanzada en yoga, y ejecutó las posturas li mejor que puedo, sin embargo mi duda es....¿ Podré hacer la postura de maridhasana B? Mi rodilla no baja😢

[@mariola_love9194]

You guy both do awsome work ! I love all your tutorials it’s a big help thank you 😊❤

[@luisaperezgarbi8763]

Hola! Gracias, muy buena enseñanza❤, me encantan! Qué opinión tienen del libro "Pranayama. La dinámica del aliento", de André Van Lysebeth?

[@MindfulFrequency]

Lol I love the way you asked us to sub. New sub here. You two are great💖

[@socabadier8646]

I love your videos I

[@saysmol6282]

i love your videos thank you so much

[@zenashtangi]

Thanks🙏👌

[@anitamillonig5968]

Thank you! I have a question: do you do it continually while practicing? And press and release with your breath?

[@anniepepperyoga832]

Wow I thought we used Jalandhara bandha in some of the closing asanas like salamba Sarvangasana

[@thedogsbusiness4822]

Thankyou ..I just have a question ..when do you do band as ..throughout your practice ??

[@swarupamyoga1506]

Are we do ujjayi breath during practice?

[@Ευαγγελία-θ7σ]

🙏

[@blackplague-x3y]

I noticed that contraction of the bandhas you speak of relates with the breath control in asana practice- exhale release/inhale tighten. Is it proper to do that? I have just noticed it after this video, also I have never worked with bandhas.

[@teresatowle7165]

You 2 are so cute and your videos are great 🙏❤️

[@jacodelangevandyk]

hello

[@aegeantang4222]

I wonder if all poses need to use bandhas? Seems no poses I can stay relax except the finishing asana ... do we need to hold the bandhas in each pose?

[@jahanein]

For me the most insightful info was when you talked about breathing with the upper chest part, not the lower belly, pushing the breath up in Ashtanga Yoga

[@sk8andrea684]

🧘‍♂🙏

[@smarthalleck3233]

You just answered my question about coffee in this video 🤡

[@melissaa.8547]

The balancing sequence is a source of great disappointment and frustration for me…can you do a step by step of it?