Breathing tip for Core Strength Program

[Menachem79]

I would like some breathing tips for exercises in the plank position. I find that I tense up my abs and I can’t breathe in effectively. By the end of the set I’m catching my breath.

Day 14 was an eye opener for me. I had to cut the reps in half due to breathing.

 

[slamamom]

These are some tips that help me:

• Breathe from your belly, not your chest.
• Breathe slowly and evenly.
• Breathe out as you lower into the plank position.
• Breathe in as you raise yourself back up.
• If you feel lightheaded or short of breath, stop and rest.
• Practice diaphragmatic breathing regularly.
• Focus on your breathing during other exercises.
• Relax your body.
• Take breaks if needed.

With practice, you should be able to improve your breathing during planks and hold the position for longer periods of time

 

[Menachem79]

These are some tips that help me:

• Breathe from your belly, not your chest.
• Breathe slowly and evenly.
• Breathe out as you lower into the plank position.
• Breathe in as you raise yourself back up.
• If you feel lightheaded or short of breath, stop and rest.
• Practice diaphragmatic breathing regularly.
• Focus on your breathing during other exercises.
• Relax your body.
• Take breaks if needed.

With practice, you should be able to improve your breathing during planks and hold the position for longer periods of time

Breathing from my belly was the biggest problem. The abs were so tensed up that it didn’t want to expand to draw my breath in.

 

[kandy]

I used to have the same problem. Your abdominal muscle is not the one that you use to breathe. Therefore after practicing mind-muscle connection enough you will start to be able to separate the two. Then you will be able to tense your abs as you want while breathing.

Before you get good at that, just try to imagine the above mechanism. You don't have to tense all the way up where you can't breathe at all, but just a little bit. You can practice this while sitting, too. You have to force yourself to breathe while tensing, which would feel like the two are fighting against each other.

IMO, the best breathing practice is to utilize as much your torso as possible, not just the belly, but also the chest, or vice versa, then your lower back, which is behind your abdominal, and even your upperback, which is behind your chest. Have all four parts work together while breathing, kinda like blowing a balloon. It will also help stretching your spine.

 

[Menachem79]

I used to have the same problem. Your abdominal muscle is not the one that you use to breathe. Therefore after practicing mind-muscle connection enough you will start to be able to separate the two. Then you will be able to tense your abs as you want while breathing.

Before you get good at that, just try to imagine the above mechanism. You don't have to tense all the way up where you can't breathe at all, but just a little bit. You can practice this while sitting, too. You have to force yourself to breathe while tensing, which would feel like the two are fighting against each other.

IMO, the best breathing practice is to utilize as much your torso as possible, not just the belly, but also the chest, or vice versa, then your lower back, which is behind your abdominal, and even your upperback, which is behind your chest. Have all four parts work together while breathing, kinda like blowing a balloon. It will also help stretching your spine.

I’ll keep this mind.

Thank you

 

[Menachem79]

I used to have the same problem. Your abdominal muscle is not the one that you use to breathe. Therefore after practicing mind-muscle connection enough you will start to be able to separate the two. Then you will be able to tense your abs as you want while breathing.

Before you get good at that, just try to imagine the above mechanism. You don't have to tense all the way up where you can't breathe at all, but just a little bit. You can practice this while sitting, too. You have to force yourself to breathe while tensing, which would feel like the two are fighting against each other.

IMO, the best breathing practice is to utilize as much your torso as possible, not just the belly, but also the chest, or vice versa, then your lower back, which is behind your abdominal, and even your upperback, which is behind your chest. Have all four parts work together while breathing, kinda like blowing a balloon. It will also help stretching your spine.

I’m improving a little, but I still feel a little constricted. It’s going to take practice.

 

[Menachem79]

Update:

With some of the abs/core exercises I came to the realization that I just need to slow down so I can inhale and exhale properly.