Stop Belly Breathing + Start Using Rib Kinematics to Improve Mobility

Yoga mobility and breathing guru Dana Santas, CSCS, E-RYT shows how leveraging rib kinematics in breathing can improve internal hip rotation.
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[@golfinspired2058]

I think there may be a misunderstanding here. My understanding of belly breathing is not that you only use the belly to breath, but use it for more capacity and along with the lungs and rib cage expansion

[@danielpetrovics5830]

Yes, agree. That's how i use to breath while meditating and slowing my brain waves down. I use all of it and i can ex and inhale for so long and i feel how the air fills up all of my lungs from belly to chest leaving no free spot

[@jamescrane7034]

@@danielpetrovics5830 Excellent ! And we can breath that way all of the time with practice because breathing is an unconscious mechanism. I am almost 75 and have an athletic heart rate. The point is to get away from shallow chest breathing associated with fight or flight. I do it this way and teach it this way and something I have done over the years is to slow down the movement to match this breath. Keep up the good work

[@Dmxravin]

Her point about tight lower back and hip flexors affect on breathing is very true. Ever since I have fixed most of my anterior pelvic tilt breathing has become so much easier.

[@JoudanJanaiHa]

How did you fix it?

[@Dmxravin]

@@JoudanJanaiHa training lower abs through leg raises. And perfectly executed deadlifts and squats with good form. Face pulls. Chins ups. There’s loads of info out there. There’s also a good stretching routine by these Jeremy body builder KZbinr.

[@killerkarol4999]

@@Dmxravin how much days did you followed his routine

[@Dmxravin]

@@killerkarol4999 it’s an on going battle because I work a desk job. But I’d say a consistent week of stretching and weight training gave me good results.

[@birdseyetarot]

not a good idea for many. that would just increase tension for some or cause lower back injury bc ppl can't always activate those areas. PRI is a better and more effective option

[@ivel17]

I think my mind was just blown off. I've been breathing through my belly for 3 years without using ribcage and thought why the hell it's so hard to get air, even though everyone says its better

[@skip3662]

That’s me, trying to correct it at the moment. I was fine before lockdown, then I think my posture went South badly due to a year on my backside, lost tonnes of muscle then next minute I have a belly that I am breathing out of, and it’s not working well !

[@jchowdaryjchowdary4125]

Yes bro your right it is very hard I am holding stomach 10 year the belly breathinh addicted

[@Phonetician_]

I think if one should stay relaxed and feel natural breathing. Where everything works in breathing together chest, ribcage and belly. Don't follow anyone blindly find out yourself. Coz people wants to go for quick solution there they end up learning something unnatural.

[@CS.319]

Learnt a lot through this video! Used to think exercising really hard will improve my left rib flare!

[@sHerlockHolmes09-h]

did u fixed?

[@lavatr8322]

Hey.... i have Left rib flare...how did you fix it?

[@chrismcclure5751]

Really helped with my knee pain from running

[@TheGoodfella2012]

Hear hear! There is a video on here of B.K.S Iyengar lamblasting abdominal breathers. Apparently there isn't single ancient Yogic text that mentions abdominal breathing. When breathing the rib cage flares out. Abdominal stays relatively flat & engaged.

[@vijayvijay4123]

When you're tired after a workout lay down on your back and just let your body breathe. You will automatically notice your belly raising and falling. I also saw the Iyengar and I don't agree with him

[@TheGoodfella2012]

@@vijayvijay4123 the belly raises and falls, yes, but only slightly. It's the bottom ribs that expand in a 360 degree fashion. I'd say B.K.S Iyengar knows what he was talking about lol

[@vijayvijay4123]

​@@TheGoodfella2012 Have you heard about Dan Tien breathing? Can you do horse stance?

[@TheGoodfella2012]

@@vijayvijay4123 I have not, and yes I can do the horse stance (at least i think I can, correctly). Why?

[@skip3662]

I’ve got the works ! Thanks for this invaluable video.

[@AjitKumar-qc4yv]

Very good video and such a thorough study on breathing is appreciated. congrats. Actually, ribs are not rotated, it can only slide or glide.

[@sHerlockHolmes09-h]

hello?

[@alexgelinski3464]

PRI for the win!

[@Tracks777]

I look forward to more videos.Keep it up!

[@teesworld4433]

Can you do this exercise if you have diastasis recti? I had twins 27 years ago and experience torn stomach muscle. I never received physical therapy; I'm now learning how to techniques.

[@rebekah3698]

There are online exercise programs deeply informed by physical therapy specifically designed for moms with diastasis recti. Look up Brittany Postpartum Trainer, Laura Jawad, Every mother, Sarah Duvall, etc. Some are pricey, but some are as cheap as 15 bucks.

[@katherinecheng9360]

So how to do breathing properly? Others are saying that for gerd, it should be belly breathing 🤔

[@lavatr8322]

I actually have left rib flare... i think this plank would help me

[@ronilm7393]

You saved my life from a teacher said the only way is breathing down belly no ribs

[@raphaeltrevisan1733]

Is this type of breathing also beneficial for anxiety and sports? Crazy how i always read that belly breathing is the optimal way

[@hauraw1313]

This type of breathing is for fixing your ribs aside from this diaphragmatic breathing is the type of breath work you should be doing... This video's breath techniques are for healing the ribs

[@adamburling9551]

If you want to get rid of anxiety or stress. Next time. Lay flat on your back and don't try to breath at all. Don't try to inhale or exhale. Let go. And Just let your body breath. You'll see the brunt of the body's movement is going to be the belly. So really if you want to breath correctly, the most important thing to look for is posture, and let the body breath itself. You shouldn't be having to breath yourself or even think about it.

[@AM2K2]

Yes - hunched over chest breathing is fight or flight...increases cortisol and inflammation.

[@Work4Love3000]

Thank you. Finally!

[@MustAfaalik]

Dana's pretty close to power breathing as taught in internal martial arts for health and combat.

[@rizzwan-42069]

where can i find this

[@rizzwan-42069]

like qi gong and Chinese martial arts?

[@Suumac_]

I have rib flare mostly on the left, a kind of bad pelvic tilt, and a winged scapula. Is this all tied to breathing?

[@blue_cameron]

I fixed my anterior pelvic tilt by using the glutes and hamstrings when I walk, I've still to try this

[@Suumac_]

@@blue_cameron how do you do that? Squeeze them?

[@blue_cameron]

@@Suumac_ it's part of the gokhale method. I just figured it out on my own though

[@blue_cameron]

@@Suumac_ it's kind of like you use them on the leg that's on the floor and then keep the heel down a bit longer for a stretch

[@golfingmatt82]

Yes that can all be tied to the lack of control of your diaphragm on the L side as a breathing muscle. When you have a rib flare you are using the diaphragm as a postural stabilizer which is more common on the L due to the heart pushing down on the diaphragm. Best thing would be to tie home the L serratus anterior and L abdominal obliques to reduce all 3 of these postural issues. The side plank she shows work these two muscles.

[@netaverse7694]

That was perfect

[@joemarz1823]

Looks like this women understands PRI

[@danielsalvador8232]

fantastic

[@gopalpillai4242]

Great video - So whe n working out would you brace the abdominal region and the rib area to float freely to allow expansion and contraction ?

[@billbouzalas5720]

Nailed it!

[@SightlessSailor]

This is good information but at the same time misleading if interpreted improperly which is what I did. She is 100% right with how the diaphragm actually works and the importance of rib expansion etc... but dont interpret this improperly like i did and only focus on rib movement, the abdominal is still vital and important. I was focusing only on my ribs and letting my core/abdonimals be soft, not active and weak, thinking they have no function and its all about the ribs. If you dont pull your gut/core in sligthly that it will effect the quality of your exhale. They work together. The core/abs do help the mobility and function of the ribs, so does the back, SHOULDERS (Look into what a forward head posture can do to breathing) even the pelvis, even the legs because of how they can tilt your hips. Im not saying she was saying nothing else matters and its all rib and only rib, but the emphasis she put the diaphragm and rib, added with the fact i may not be the brightest and tend to never see the big picture in things led me to many many manyyy doctors appointsments and pulmanologist appointments. All to eventually come to the conclusion that its an entire system of muscles that help the 1 major function of breathing. Also, there have always been things like "breath of fire" and so on that emphasize all that belly movement and its pretty clear have good control and function of your core does assist your ribs, diaphargm and all other main and accessory muscles in breathing. So again, im not saying shes wrong. Just be careful how you perceive the information and feel things out for yourself as well and itll make more sense

[@peterk3028]

So how did you go about fixing it?

[@SightlessSailor]

@peterk3028 from what I gathered in all the "research" I've done on the topic of breathing, my own practice and interpretation and asking as many experts or knowledgeable people I could find that would converse with me over the topic, you should still be breathing into your belly/abdominals and expanding/continuing the breath once your belly is filling up into your diaphragm/ribs. It's a full expansion. Your diaphragm also has movement and function on your backside so dont hyper fixate all of the breath and engagement on your front torso. "Breathing in" to your mid back, shoulders, ribs, diaphragm, belly, all of it. People have described it as imagining your torso as a full cylinder and expanding the entire cylinder and compressing it on the exhale. Posture is so critical in breathing also because so many muscles engage and/or assist in breathing. The more obvious ones are things like the glutes, hip flexors, psoas etc. The big ones that keep the pelvic floor aligned to help the diaphragm expand. But even muscles like the pecs, delts, rear shoulder region like rhomboids etc. The muscles that help keep your upper torso aligned so your ribs can expand properly and so your neck isn't protruding forward which will inhibit breathing

[@SightlessSailor]

@peterk3028 this approach can sometimes have people hyperfixate on rib expansion and breathing only with the ribs but there's so much more involved with breathing, you shouldn't isolate. That's why it takes practice to really feel it all out and grasp it. It seems overwhelming but I'd even say don't think about all that and overcomplicate it so much. Be conscious of it so you're aware if your posture is slipping and you're not breathing fully, but don't force every muscle into engagement and alignment to try and get it all perfectly. The same way you shouldnt sit down and force your breath into your ribs and try to force it to expand. She is right that often people do the opposite when they hear belly breathing, they isolate and fixate only on breathing into the belly ignoring a critical part of the process which are the ribs. I just felt at the time that this method did the same thing vice versa and move the fixation to another part of the breathing process instead of teaching the entire process that's necessary

[@peter-5354]

@@SightlessSailor Thanks. I agree with you about the cylinder metaphor. The diaphragm contracts and it should allow air to go everywhere, or for us to breathe "everywhere" , or to expand all around at once. It's strange to me that we breathe only in one spot and say that is healthy. So if one has bad posture, APT and forward head, how do we go about fixing it through breath?

[@SightlessSailor]

@peter-5354 anterior pelvic tilt and forward head posture unfortunately won't be fixed through breathwork. They also won't be fixed through mild non-resistance based training. Ive seen a lot of youtube/online coaches make videos for postural correction and doing dynamic + static stretch routines. If your postural imbalances aren't severe then maybe those light routines can correct it, but in my case and my experience it required resistance training. Having a very weak back progressed into bad forward had posture for me and if you have a weak core, hip flexors or even quads and hamstrings it can lead to APT or even PPT. Postural imbalances can come from tension but often stem from weakness somewhere, dynamic and static stretch routines won't strengthen a muscle enough for it to correct. If you want to correct postural imbalances I highly recommend some form of resistance training. You'd have to first figure out where the weakness lies. My forward head posture actually started from my TMJ and severe jaw issues but inevitably caused weakness in my entire upper shoulder region. So I saw an oral surgeon, developed a jaw routine that involved mostly muscle control and some stretching and then I used a pretty standard resistance based training routine for my shoulders and back. The basics, military press, shrugs etc etc. I don't get too convoluted with the regiment. You can find a billion different routines on the internet but I continously go to what works, not some experimental or new practice that's claiming to be the next best thing. I keep my hip muscles and pelvis stable through the basics also. Deadlifts, leg press, squats etc. If you have postural issues you start slow, light weight, focus on muscle control and contraction and go for time under tension over wait lifted. You will almost instantly feel the muscles firing better and after only a week or 2 they'll feel like they hold in place more. It's very difficult to practice breathwork if your posture is suffering, you'll never feel like you're taking a proper breath and itll negate the effects or utility of breathwork from the start. Breathwork youtubers obviously avoid mentioning this because it makes the path to practice longer, requires more effort and isn't conducive to keep people engaged with their content since it discourages people who might have postural issues but wanted to get right into all the unique benefits from breathwork that they talk about and promote. Breathwork will not work properly without healthy posture and healthy posture comes from a strong stable frame and a strong stable frame requires some amount of resistance based training because muscles only really gain strength through some sort of resistance. You can start super simple, push ups, body weight squats, pull ups, buy a kettlebell and hit some swings. There's no need to overcomplicate even though that's how most people direct you. Practice breathwork while you work on your posture and you'll feel the difference as you get your body more in alignment and stable. Breathing just feels easier and more in control. So try to find and really define where your muscle weaknesses begin that are causing the imbalance, develop a resistance training routine around those areas and touch up on the accessory areas that also get affected due to compensation, stabilize and strengthen those and start practicing breathwork utilizing the whole system and feeling what a genuine full proper breath is

[@JimmyVu415]

I LOVE PRI!

[@derpferdeflusterer3460]

Someone explain the dislikes to me please? She really really know what she is talking about

[@matteorossi6747]

Someone can explain me if i had to inale in one side and exale in the other or if i had to do it in the same side (the down part of the rip cage from the point of view of the side plank) ?

[@JLPaper7]

Any tip for daily breathing? To improve all she talks about

[@DanaSantas]

Hey Jorge! I have my clients practice a breathing bridge exercise daily to create and maintain functional breathing biomechanics. It's basically a pelvic tilt/glute bridge at the wall with two sets of five breaths--focused on rib movement. It's a fundamental part of my 30-day Breathe Better to Move Better program that's on TrainHeroic: bit.ly/MobilityMaker30

[@jonathonbritten6153]

Jorge Lapuente s

[@adamburling9551]

Yes. Next time. Just straighten your posture and don't try to breath. Don't breath. And don't try not to breath. Just let your body do what it does. All these tips on how to breath are what's causing so much confusion and problems. Breathing should be as natrual as.

[@marial3231]

I can’t prop myself on my elbow like that for very long and I’m also straining my neck. My body is so messed up and it’s really depressing me. I let the docs perform an elective surgery on my neck 2.5 hrs ago and it was so painful and the spasms are slowly spreading down my trunk. I feel like I’m in costa to hyperarousal sympathetic state because my ribs are frozen. My left rib one day after doing my first yoga class since the surgery (I should’ve have done that) hurt and is now bloated like it doesn’t want to compress back, as if it was constantly full of air. My right rib is still flat (like when I put my hand around it it feels thinner like a wall). Gonna go buy some weed and buy some food so I don’t have to cook and spend the day working on my breath. Oh and when I do relax my left ribcage a bit like first time I did yesterday the pain on my upper ribs back scapula returns that I had previously for a few days before my left ribs “froze”. I think that’s a good thing though right ?

[@rizzwan-42069]

your pain worse than mine and i'm already depressed so i feel you bro don't give up btw it's a year is it better?

[@birdseyetarot]

try mark suski, conor harris, and chaplin performances channels. start with basic breathing, then go to mark's vid on intra abdominal pressure, then explore on your own and find what you need. it willt ake time but trust me, it will work if you work it

[@marial3231]

@@birdseyetarot thanks for the recommendations. I took a screenshot of your message will look into it 💜

[@marial3231]

@@rizzwan-42069 hey its better now that my body has compensated itself into a permanent frozen state, so no pain but I feel squashed and now my body can’t relax at all. I can’t stand up erect. My neck feels compressed and I don’t sleep well at all, never refreshed and I went to a sleep clinic and waiting for results. So no it’s not better, I would prefer having the pain and spasms when my body was still awake. Now it’s totally asleep and accustomed to being rigid and frozen. I don’t look the same and am generally angry about it which is another issue. Then every time I try to get better I get severe pain my neck bone dislocates which results in extreme pain until the chiro and put it back in. My X-rays for my neck are really bad now and I am exhausted. I moved back home after working so hard in Spain and got a great business job and then my brother and his wife tried to convince me I was crazy gaslighting me nonstop to the point I let them convince me I was this was when I was unemployed cause I needed to change the job k got burned out but instead they acted like I got let go?! And I can’t find any guys in my town and so I won’t have a family as time is passing by and in Spain I’d go on a date every weekend, go dancing, be active yet somehow even when I was interviewing for high level well paying jobs and GETTING interviews I was still “crazy”?! They never asked abrojt that. And so I’m angrier than ever which absorbs into my body and now with what’s happening in the world I’ve reached peak levels of hopelessness. I don’t even care much anymore

[@ebbb365]

⁠@@marial3231man this makes me sad. Know you’re not alone. I’ve gone through terrible breathing issues for about 10 years where basically my left ribs were constantly inhaled and my right was constantly exhaled. I had terrible neck lower back and shoulder pain. Wasn’t until a few years ago I realized the root issue was my breathing. I’ve done so much self research. It’s gotten better but not completely yet. I would recomend looking into pri and Neal hallinan. Also try planks but make sure you tuck your ribs and clinch your butt and deep breath while in this position It sucks man I’ve gone through horrible anxiety as a result but I’m hopeful that I’m on the back end and close to recovery. Don’t give up, it’ll take time but recover is possible. God bless

[@vijayvijay4123]

But what about when in resting position lying down or during asleep. ? Many peoples stomach raise and fall during rest and sleep

[@randompointlessness2766]

Should we breath to belly all the time ?

[@vijayvijay4123]

So Qigong Chi Gong Dan Tien is wrong

[@jeanmader2302]

I am trying to get my husband TO STOP shallow breathing. This method will not work for him...He is too impatient, and most likely, won't go through the long route. Belly breathing is fast, simple, and will get more air where it should go...to the bottom of the lungs first. Getting him to stop using his shoulders first.

[@jordanross8782]

would this help with a rib cage that is slightly rotated?

[@andreafreely9308]

Yessss!!!

[@tiagovazkez9356]

She's a smart one

[@beckaflynn1128]

Thats an interesting fact about the hemi-diaphragm aspect and the fact that you can inhale into side and exhale on the other side, I am guessing this is probably how we breathe while walking since we are pretty much asymetrical when walking. I did side plank technique by breathing into the right side and exhaling into the left and after a number of repetitions I felt my "core" shift over to the left side and I was really struggling to pull my left ribs in, back and down. What does this imply?

[@joemarz1823]

It implies that you were in the "left aic right bc pattern" and when you did that planking exercise you achieved "left Af Ir" and right chest wall expansion. Look up the Postural Restoration Institute. Theres ppl on youtube that explain this. - Neal Halinan - Zack Cupples - Lucy Hendricks - and look up dr.patdavidson on Instagram

[@rizzwan-42069]

@@joemarz1823 thanks for your knowledge i'll check them out

[@rist98]

Diaphragm runs down to the hip flexors?

[@nrikhy2793]

Both left and right domes of diaphragm are connected to the left and right psoas major respectively. Psoas which is a hip flexor muscle

[@breikyariastoribio2578]

This is great to be educated in schools program, maybe we are only a few step from noticing what we all do wrong specially y do we eat meat, life forms just as U n I, born and to die. Hopefully we can make a move soon on that frontier I consider unintelligent behaviour

[@gigabuyceps]

She good

[@isaacwinsor2571]

Sorry but you are wrong If you don't use your belly then you don't use the lower part of your lungs.

[@mouldenbodies4604]

nope and nope...that is not correct...you can easily fill full lung capacity without organ protrusion...

[@joshuaroberts6712]

@@mouldenbodies4604 The diaphragm is the only organ which only and all mammals have and without which no mammals can live.... so yeah the organ is pushing down on the abs...

[@austecon6818]

This sounds legit...

[@vijayvijay4123]

You have a fabulous physique 😍

[@ravrav6692]

Pretty lady

[@TheKdunn57]

Weird

[@JH-oq7cb]

Hmmm. Apparently I never learned to breath. Not making any sense to me and she’s impatient and moves too fast. Adios

[@TheKdunn57]

Some people need to be quiet