This Twist Helps You Breathe Deeper
I’ve well documented how much I love 3 dimensional breathing and twisting.
If you’re experiencing back tightness and shallow breathing- which can make you feel stressed and achey- you need to master 3d breathing.
What Is 3D Breathing
Three dimensional breathing is when you distribute breath evenly through the abdominal canister (belly breathing), the sides of the ribs (lateral breathing) and the upper back (posterior breathing). Too often pilates instructors and trainers cue belly breathing and leave out the rest. Belly breathing is important- and it helps you locate your transverse or deepest abdominals, but when we restrict our breathing to the sides and backs of the ribs, we create tons of tension that stiffens the upper back and pushes pressure down through the pelvic floor, ultimately weakening the core over time.
To take a proper 3D breath, as you inhale, imagine equally widening the sides of the ribs, filling the “balloon” of your low belly, and spreading the back ribs apart (I like to visualize someone pulling my heart out through the back of my shirt for this). When you breathe like this, you get the contraction on the exhale, but also a more even release on the inhale- making the breath more functional!
How To Supine Spinal Twist
1) Laying supine (on your back) hug the right knee into your chest.
2) Take your right hand to your side making half of a “T” and take the right knee into your left hand.
3) Without disconnecting your right shoulder from the floor (we need it for stability) pull the right knee across the right side of your body without forcing it down to the ground.
4) Keeping that right shoulder on the floor for traction, inhale and imagine filling up the back right ribs area like a balloon, and allow your right knee to reach closer to the floor with each exhale. Repeat 5-10 breaths, until you feel a loosening in the side/back body.
Conclusion
I made a video demo here and photo demo here for your to further investigate! Breath centric, athletic and creative exercise is kinda my jam. For more feel good stretches and workouts that will help you maintain a pain free life- check out Helen Phelan Studio- which is absolutely free for your first 10 days!