BREATHING TRAINING FOR MARTIAL ARTISTSByAaron Hoopes(Founder and Chief Instructor of Zen Yoga)One of the most important aspects of martialarts trainingis proper breathing. However, for practitioners of hard styles, effective breathing methods are often left to the students to figure out on their own. The central principle of breathing is of internal cleansing, getting rid of that which is old, worn out, and stale, and exchanging it for what is new, fresh, andenergized. During inhalation we are bringing in fresh oxygen, nutrients, and vital energy. During exhalation we are expelling carbon dioxide and other toxins and poisons that we produce or collect in our daily lives.

There are a large number of breathing exercises. Some are simple and easy while others require years of practice. I will discuss the five I believe to be the most effective for the martial artists who are beginning to explore the potential of proper breathing. First, we will describe the two methods which arebest suitedfor becoming aware of the body: Attention Breathing andAbdominal Breathing. We will then go on to the more advanced exercises of ReverseAbdominal Breathingand Nose Panting. Finally we will introduce The Complete Breath which is more challenging and requires increased concentration and practice.

In practicing these breathing exercises it is important to concentrate on breathing through the nose, both during inhalation and exhalation. Of course when training in the martial arts, breathing strictly through the nose is unrealistic. In fact it is physically impossible since the body's demand for oxygen increases too fast for the nose to handle the flow. However, while doing these specific exercises it is important. Think of it as aclosed circuitwithin the body, breathing in through the nose and out through the nose. If you open your mouth, you break the circuit and the energy dissipates.Attention Breathing

It is important to realize that people breathe differently. Children tend to breathe with their abdomen, while middle-aged people breathe with their stomachs, and older people often breathe mainly with their upper chests. But the way people breathe is also affected by other factors, emotions, for instance, or ill health. Someone who is excited will breathe faster and shallower than someone who is sad. Someone who is calm will breathe slowly and deeply. Someone out of shape may be panting after a short walk or climbing some stairs.

Attention breathing, as its name implies, is about focusing your awareness on the natural rhythm of your breath, not to control it but simply to observe it as a bodily function. Your awareness is the instrument which enables you to shift from unconscious breathing to conscious, or dynamic, breathing. This shift is accomplished by concentrating on the feeling of the body as it breathes. Feel the air as it enters your nostrils. Follow it as it flows into the lungs and notice how deeply it reaches into them. Maintain your full attention and follow it back up as you exhale. Feel the used air as it is expelled from the body.

Gradually, as you become aware of the feeling of the breath it should become smoother and more relaxed. But don't try to change your breathing during Attention Breathing. Your aim is to observe your unconscious breathing habits so you will be able to feel the difference when you actually begin dynamic breathing. If you find your mind wandering, simply catch yourself and return to the breath. Try to perform Attention Breathing for five minutes each day at the same time of day, perhaps in the morning when you wake up or at night when you are about to go to bed. As you become used to it, see if you can focus on your breath at other times throughout the day. Eventually the awareness of the breath and your breathing should become an integral part of your life.

Abdominal Breathing

Once you become aware of your breathing, it is time to begin modifying your breathing habits. Abdominal breathing is by far the best breathing method for people beginning to study breathing exercises. Regular practice brings quick, tangible results. It is easy to learn and difficult to do incorrectly. In addition, Abdominal Breathing has the benefit of invigorating the abdominal muscles. Their constant movement massages the internal organs and increases blood circulation.

The basic idea is simple: fill the lungs from thebottom up.Abdominal Breathingis about filling the lungs completely. Most people breathe using only their chests or the top half of their lungs.Abdominal Breathingseeks to expand lung capacity by starting from the lowest part of the lungs. The focus, therefore, is on the abdomen, an area roughly three finger widths below the navel. Known as the hypogastrium in Western medical terminology, this area is called the dan tien in Chinese and hara in Japanese. This point is the focal point ofAbdominal Breathing.

Start in whichever stance or posture you feel most comfortable. Inhale through the nose. Expand the abdomen gradually by lightly pushing out and down as the oxygen fills the lower lung cavity. Focus the mind on expanding the abdominal area. Don't be overanxious and forcefully protrude theabdominal wall. Instead, try to achieve a gentle and smooth expansion in time with the inhalation. When the abdomen is full, exhale through the nose and pull the abdomen gently back into the body,compressingthe lungs from the bottom. With each inhalation the abdomen expands, with each exhalation the abdomen contracts. It is important to remember that you should not expand or contract your chest; instead, feel as if you are drawing the air deep into the lower part of your body. Repeat for ten cycles of inhalation and exhalation, filling to maximum capacity and emptying completely with each breath.

ReverseAbdominal Breathing

Reverse Abdominal Breathing is more difficult than Abdominal Breathing simply because it reverses the natural flow of the breath. Reverse Abdominal Breathing is a breathing methodbest suitedfor those who study the martial arts since itconcentratesfocus on the hara during exhalation. Regular practice strengthens the abdominal muscles and makes breathing naturally strong. Tryblowing upa balloon while keeping one hand on your abdomen. As you blow out, your abdomen naturally expands instead of contracting. The same is true if you are trying to push a car that has run out of gas. In order to express the power you are putting into the act, you exhale while pushing out. Reverse Abdominal Breathing is a breathing method which tends to infuse the breather with power.

Again, start in whichever stance or posture you feel most comfortable. Inhale through the nose. Slowly draw the abdomen in and up. The upper chest will naturally expand as oxygen fills your lungs. As you inhale, contract the muscles of your perineum. The perineum is the area between the anus and the lower edge of the pubis at the front of the pelvis. Thecentral pointof the perineum is called the huiyin in Chinese and is the focal point for ReverseAbdominal Breathing. By contracting and pulling up the huiyin you are able to concentrate on the abdominal area. Again, don't be overanxious and forcefully squeeze the abdomen. Instead, focus on keeping a smooth and relaxed motion. When the lungs are full, exhale through the nose, release the huiyin, and push the abdomen out and down. Repeat for ten cycles of inhalation and exhalation, filling the lungs to maximum capacity and emptying them out completely with each breath.

Nose Panting

Breathing through the nose is of the utmost importance when practicing breathing exercises. The nose has a number ofdefense mechanismsthat prevent impurities and extremely cold air from entering the body. First, a screen of nose hairs traps dust and other particles that could injure the lungs if we breathe through the mouth. Next, there is a long passage lined with mucus membranes, where excessively cool air is warmed and very fine dust particles that escaped the hair screen are caught. Finally, in the inner nose are glands which fight off any bacteria that may have slipped through the other defenses. The inner nose also contains the olfactory organ that gives us our sense of smell, which can detect poisonous fumes that could damage our health if we were to breathe them.

The Nose Pant is a great exercise for charging yourself up with energy if you feel sleepy or for releasing stress any time during the day. Imagine that you are blowing a piece of dust out of your nose by sharply puffing out through the nostrils. This is immediately followed by an equally sharp intake of air through the nose. This in-and-out ventilation should be repeated in rapid succession ten times. As you become comfortable with the exercise, increase the number of repetitions. When beginning, just concentrate on the nose and upper chest when breathing, but as you progress try to focus on the abdomen. Abdominal Nose Panting consists of contracting the abdomen as you puff out. Reverse Abdominal Nose Panting expands the abdomen on the puff out. After completing a session of Nose Panting, always follow with a couple of deep slow breaths to calm the body down.

The Complete Breath

The Complete Breath is a dynamic breathing exercise that is both simple and complex. Regular practice expands lung capacity, which, in turn, slows down unconscious breathing and makes it smoother and more regular. In addition, The Complete Breath maximizes oxygen intake and enables oxygen-rich blood to flow to the extremities. It also cleans and invigorates the lungs.

In the beginning it is best if The Complete Breath is practiced from a lying-down posture so maximum concentration can be placed on the exercise itself, which consists of four separate aspects: inhalation, retention, exhalation, and suspension.

InhalationInhale through the nose. Expand the lower abdomen, pushing out and down, just as if you were starting Abdominal Breathing. Once the abdomen is full, continue inhaling and expand the chest, filling the upper lungs. Raise the collarbone and shoulders as you continue inhaling. Fill the throat and the nose. Stop.

RetentionHold the breath in. Bring your attention to the fullness of the body. Feel the expansion circulating the oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Continue to hold the breath in for a count of ten.

ExhalationExhale through the nose. Contract the lower abdomen pushing in and up. Continue to exhale by squeezing the air from the lungs and chest. Lower the collarbone and shoulders. Blow the air from your throat and nose. Empty it all out. Stop.

SuspensionHold the breath out. Bring your attention to the emptiness of the body. Feel your body like an empty balloon waiting to be filled. Continue to suspend breathing for a count of ten.

RepeatOn the next inhalation don't gasp for air. Calmly and smoothly inhale just as before. Feel the air reaching far beyond your abdomen, filling every corner of your body like an expanding balloon. Notice the sensation of your body as the new oxygen is brought in.

Do the complete set five or ten times each day.

The purpose of breathing exercises is to enable you to bring awareness to your breathing. When you are aware of your breathing you can use it to maximum effectiveness. The change from unconscious to conscious breathing is accomplished by thinking about your breathing and becoming aware of your own body. Most of our behavior is unconscious. We walk around in our bodies, rarely noticing how they feel unless there is pain. Seldom do we consciously think of the body as feeling good. Feeling good shouldn't be an absence of pain. It should be an invigorated, energetic state where you are comfortable and happy in your body. Becoming aware of your breath is a way to reach that feeling. Expanding your breathing ability is a way of extending that feeling.

Try to become more aware of your breathing during training and at other times. Take deeper breaths. Do regular Abdominal Breathing. If you feel yourself getting tense or angry, do some Attention Breathing and notice how your feelings change. If you are bored or sleepy, do some Nose Panting to reenergize yourself. No matter what you are doing, breathe. Make conscious dynamic breathing a regular part of your life and you will find it naturally benefits your martial arts training.

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Aaron Hoopes has over twenty years experience in the martial arts and yoga. He has lived and trained in Japan and Australia and is the founder of Zen Yoga. He is the author of two books; Perfecting Ourselves: Coordinating Body, Mind and Spirit and Breathe Smart: The Secret to Happiness, Health and Long Life. He has taught the Art of Breathing, Stretching and Relaxing to his students around the world, From children to seniors, his teachings are accessible to all. www.artofzenyoga.com.Developmental Breathing Exercises: A Breath of Fresh EnergyDECEMBER 6BYSHIFU AHLESCOMMENTS0There are only two ways to make moreQi(pronounced, chee) or life force energy in the body: by breathing and eating. There is so much confusion with this simple concept that even students who are training for a few years still sometimes get confused.Exercise doesnt make energy, it spends energy. Qi Gong, which is more refined and meditative, will likely spend less than more physical cardiovascular types of activities, but it is still a form of exercise (therefore it spends energy). The energizing effect one feels is from the circulation produced by exercise. It is not new energy. It is utilizing what is available from food and air.Which is more important? Well, people have gone weeks, even over a month, without food. Just try to go more than four or fiveminuteswithout air!If there is a deficit, and we are spending more energy than we are taking in, then there is a third, less desirable source of energy known as our Essence, Original Qi, orJing.I will save the subject of Jing for a future article, as my focus here is to teach our fundamental and developmental breathing exercises as taught through the Chiang Shan Pa Kua Chang Association.Our lungs are divided into five sections, or lobes, three on the right and two on the left. Although we should use all of this, most people use only the top two lobes of their lungs and have a very shallow breathing pattern.X-rays of older people have been known to show great amounts of atrophy in the lower portions of the lungs due simply to non-use.Use it or lose itis a literal term for the body.If any joint or muscle in your body is neglected, the brain will stop sending energy there and it will shrink, stiffen up, and atrophy. Your body figures it isnt needed and so sends its energy elsewhere. It is quite good at conserving energy.The inner surface of the lungs is filled with millions of finger-like sacs called alveoli where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. Here is where oxygen (and other components of Qi) enters the bloodstream through inhalation and carbon dioxide and other waste materials leave the body through exhalation.Picture your open hand with the fingers spread compared to if your fingers were kept together. The difference in surface area exposed to this oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange is dramatic. The surface area inside the lungs is no different: if you dont breathe to open up and reach throughout the surface of all five lobes, it will become less and less available for use as time goes on.With over 400 million alveoli within this surface area, doesnt it make sense to want to use as much as possible? Do you think there may be a reason for having so many?The five lobes of the lungs can be compared to bowls filled with food. If you had to feed a hungry group of people it would be much easier and efficient with five bowls rather than just two. You could reach up to 2 1/2 times the number of people at a time. Thing is, most people only use the top two lobes of their lungs for respiration. Not very efficient.Getting StartedDuring breathing and/or meditation practice, you can choose from a few comfortable positions, based on your preference and experience.Standing is doable, while placing both hands over the lower Dan Tian (just below the navel), but not optimal because there is effort involved in standing. It is not as relaxed as sitting.Lying down is doable, also with the hands on the lower Dan Tian or placed over the heart (if you want to bring energy there), however the lungs arent able to expand towards the back due to the pressure there. Also, most people will fall asleep in this position.Various sitting postures are best as you can be very comfortable, upright, and not fall asleep. Use of a proper cushion for your body is essential for comfort and to allow circulation into the legs. As a martial artist, the legs are considered that much more and so you do not want to constrict the circulation there. A kneeling posture or some form of crossed-leg posture will work well with the right size cushion for your body.Probably the most common position used in our style and also usually most comfortable for Americans is in a chair or bench that allows you to sit with your legs at approximately a 90 degree angle.With the chair or bench, sit toward the front third, away from leaning back. Place both feet flat on the floor, directly below your knees, and comfortably apart about shoulder width. The back is straight with the head gently lifted and the nose directly over the navel. The spine is straight but not stiff and the hands rest comfortably with palms down on the knees.About the ExercisesThe following three breathing exercises are generally taught to all beginners of Chiang Shan Pa Kua Chang and are essential to increase the vital capacity and breath control for more advanced levels of training. It is imperative to remain relaxed and comfortable through these exercises. Nothing is forced and if any discomfort or dizziness occurs back off, go back to normal breathing, and then try again. If it continues, try again either later in the day or wait until the next day. It just might not be a good time.The best time to practice breathing exercises is a half hour before sunrise until about 9am or so. The air is cleanest and most full of oxygen at this time and the energy is considered most balanced through the transition of night to day (yin changing to yang). Sunset is also a good time as it too is a balanced day changing to night occurrence (yang changing to yin).Generally, avoid the extremes of midday or midnight. Midday, especially in the summer months, is too yang, or hot in temperature, and active (making it more difficult to relax and focus). Midnight is too yin, or colder, and can have negative results on health. These extremes make it more difficult to relax and actually can cause more tension in the body, right down to the organs.Do these exercise at least once per day, preferably in the morning but any convenient time is always better than not at all. If you can get in three times per day, then some time around midday is a good time to take a break from your day to recharge. As discussed, this is not an optimal time, but is okay for extra practice and torechargewhen necessary.The Cleansing Breath:Imagine a balloon filled with water but an air bubble remains. The water represents good Qi, good energy, or simply what you want. The air bubble represents the bad chemicals in the air, pollution, or simply what you dont want.If you try to force the air bubble out quickly, it will likely get all mixed up with the water and both water and air will come out of the opening. However, if you allow the water to settle, and the air bubble to rise to the top, then you could easily let the air out without losing any water. You would get rid of what you dont want and keep what you do. It is helpful to visualize something like this during the Cleansing Breath.Inhale through the nose, and allow your lungs to fill comfortably. It is natural for your body to move with this deep breathing. The chest, the back, even the top, bottom, and sides of the thoracic (chest) cavity will feel the expansion. Then smoothly exhale through the mouth, through a small part in the lips. The exhale is generally at least 50% longer than the inhale. If the inhale is 2 seconds, the exhale is about 3 seconds. If the inhale is 4 seconds, the exhale is about 6 seconds. This is a general guideline and comfort is always first. Nothing forced. The exhale should be as slow as is comfortable.Repeat 15x. (Note: You would want to do more of this exercise if you are exposed to excessive pollution or chemicals in the air based on your regular environment-i.e. metro areas and work related chemicals, etc.)The Filling Breath:Imagine you are preparing for a party, and you open a brand new package of balloons. When you first attempt to blow up the balloon, you will notice a certain amount of resistance against your breath. However, if you were to fill it to capacity, let the air out, and then proceeded to blow it up again, you would notice that it is now much easier to fill that same balloon. The balloon has been stretched and is now more accommodating.This visualization is useful for the Filling Breath. If you routinely practice deep and full breathing, your lungs will get used to this and using all five lobes will become the norm. In effect, you will increase your vital capacity and your efficiency of respiration. You will have more energy available.This exercise is done as follows: Inhale through the nose and focus on filling all the space available in your lung. Imagine every little nook and cranny being reached by this breath. Your whole torso will feel as though it is full with this breath. Feel the front, back, top, bottom, and sides opening up. But do not force. It should be a comfortable stretch. It is not that different than the Cleansing Breath except that your focus is more on the stretching than it was on the cleaning out, and you exhale through the nose here, not the mouth.The same ratios apply: the exhale is about 50% longer than the inhale. Repeat 10-15x.The Prescription Breath:The Prescription Breath is as it is named:by prescription. Just as its been said, One persons medicine is another persons poison, so it is with certain breathing exercises.A students Prescription Breath should change over time with practice. As the student develops, the breathing exercise should be changed. This is similar to further challenging a muscle with heavier weights. Always using the same weight will become too easy for the muscles and they will no longer respond. Higher levels of breath control and development is determined by making the right changes to breathing exercises once the student is ready.The main reason for so much precaution is the issue of forcing, or when a student who is not experienced enough to know when they are doing harm before it is too late. Always allow for natural development, which takes time, as opposed to being in a hurry for results and hurting yourself in the process. If you pull on a sapling to rush it into becoming a tree, you will kill it.In Korea, one student of my teacher, Master Park, experienced dizziness and double vision for at least ten years after taking it upon himself to practice an exercise he overheard being taught to another student and then was specifically told not to practice it.The most common breathing exercise taught as the third breathing exercise to most healthy students of Chiang Shan Pa Kua Chang is the Holding Breath.A person with high blood pressure, or even a person who angers easily and is under a lot of stress (ready to blow their top so to speak) does not want to hold their breath and create more pressure. This could be counterproductive. A person with these challenges needs to be very careful with breathing exercises. There should be no break or holding of the breath until a more relaxed state of mind and body can be achieved through simpler breathing exercises and meditation. Only an experienced teacher should be your guide for prescription breathing.That said, the Holding Breath is very similar to the Filling Breath. Think of it as an extension of it. The only difference is after the inhale, you hold for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. How long you hold is determined by how comfortable it is. If the exhale is not slow and easily controlled, you are holding too long.The SequenceIt is not always easy to just sit down and start practicing breathing exercises or meditation. You come in from a stressful experience at home or at work and then you expect to be able to just sit and turn it off. Maybe if you practice regularly you can get there much easier, however, it is really never easy.If you plan to get serious with breathing and meditation, ideally, you would at least go through your 13 Exercises warm-up, and some Dou Zhang (basic palm exercise) to get the blood moving and loosen up the body which would help change your state of mind. You might even go through a whole physical practice first. Then, you would settle down and transition into your breathing exercises. (Settling down after a more physical practice can be done with some easy Qi Gong such as Fan Zhang).Once settled, take your preferred posture (based on comfort and environment) and begin with the Cleansing Breath (about 15x or more), followed by the Filling Breath (10-15x), and then go to your personal Prescription Breath (15x or more). The Cleansing Breath and Filling Breath are also designed as a warm-up for your Prescription Breath practice, as this is the one designed for your personal development.The breathing exercises will help to relax your mind further so after you complete these exercises is a good time to meditate.Breathing makes more energy and meditation further calms the mind and stores (or saves) the energy so now is a good time to do more Qi Gong to circulate that energy.This sequence is ideal and does require a longer block of time to complete. Doing what you canconsistentlyis what gets results.Originally published April, 2004 under the title A Breath of Fresh EnergyGenerating Ki Through Breathing

(Shotokan Karate Magazine Issue 73)

By Aaron Hoopes

Whenever I teach a Breathing in the Martial Arts seminar I always have the students breathe in and out through the nose. This often brings quizzical looks and invariably, at the end of the session, the first question asked is; Why are we breathing in and out through the nose? This is a valid question and Id like to address it here. Before I do that, I need to explain a little bit about Ki energy and how it relates to breathing.

Most martial arts practitioners have some idea about the concept of Ki energy. Ki refers to the natural energy of the Universe, which permeates everything. All matter, from the smallest atoms and molecules to the largest planets and stars, is made up of this energy. It is the vital force of life. It is the source of every existing thing. Ki has many manifestations. Different philosophies and cultures call it by different names. Metaphysical science calls it vital force. Friedrich Mesmer called it animal magnetism. The Indian and Hindu yogis call it Prana. To the Kung Fu and Tai Chi practitioners of China it is known as Chi. Western science defines it as biorhythm, and New Age thinkers simply call it cosmic energy. Naturally, in each manifestation the Ki is viewed and defined differently, but basically it is the same thing. It is the power which enables us to think, move, breathe, and live the power that makes gravity act like gravity. It is what makes electricity electric. It is the link between our perception of the inner and outer worlds. It is our connection to the very flow of the universe and the prime moving force within the human body. Ki is not breath, it is the power that makes it possible for us to breathe. Ki is not simply energy, it is what gives energy the power to be energy. Ki is the power behind movement and thoughtand it is everywhere. It is in the oxygen we breathe and the blood that flows through us.

It is difficult to define Ki concretely. It cannot be seen or measured, it cannot be touched or captured. It is everywhere yet we have no way to touch it, make it tangible, or even prove its existence. Therefore Ki is a difficult concept to accept. The Western mind likes the tangible, the concrete and the specific. It likes a scientific explanation which defines, dissects, and categorizes. Ki transcends this kind of explanation. It doesnt fit easily into a strict biomedical framework. It is simply indefinable in those terms.

Ki within the body is like power in a rechargeable battery. Occasionally it needs to be replenished. The Ki of the universe is inexhaustible, yet the body needs fresh Ki to maintain its vitality. When you are exchanging the Ki within you with the Ki of the universe, you feel healthy and vigorous. By energizing the body with Ki it is revitalized naturally, enabling it to fight off illness and maintain good health. The true secret to replenishing Ki resides in our breathing.

Breathing in and out through the nose is the only method that enables the body to process Ki energy effectively. Most people understand the importance of breathing in through the nose. The nose has a series of defense mechanisms that prevent impurities and extremely cold air from entering the body. These were detailed in my previous article Breathing Training for Martial Artists (SKM Issue 72). Breathing out through the nose requires a deeper understanding of the nature of Ki energy. Practitioners of martial arts, especially karate, need to absorb and process the Ki that they are breathing in order to generate the power and force for the techniques they practice. They also need to be able to retain the Ki within the body until the moment it is needed. Basically, when we inhale we are bringing fresh oxygen and Ki into our body. When we exhale through the mouth we are expelling carbon dioxide which contains all the toxins and poisons that have built up within the lungs. We are also expelling Ki from the body. But if we are continuously expelling the Ki we never give it a chance build up into the rich source of energy needed to complete our techniques to their maximum effectiveness. By exhaling through the mouth the Ki energy is simply dissipated back into the world. Breathing out through the nose, however, completes a closed circuit. By exhaling through the nose, the Ki energy, instead of being expelled with the carbon dioxide, is transferred to the dan tien or hara, located about three finger widths below the umbilicus. With each breath in, more Ki enters the body and circles down to the dan tien growing stronger and stronger. During this breathing process, the tongue is up, touching the top palate of the mouth just behind the front teeth and the air is expelled from the nose with a slightly audible hiss. There is also a feeling of the abdominal walls contracting down with the exhalation.

Once sufficient Ki has been generated this way the practitioner is able to expel the Ki with tremendous force. This is known as the Kiai where the breath is expelled through the mouth. This is the reason that there are usually only two techniques within each Kata where we Kiai. An important factor of Kata training is that it teaches us to build up sufficient Ki energy and then expel it in one strong technique. If we try to Kiai with every technique, we quickly become fatigued since we are expelling Ki with every breath.

Remember that Ki is a subtle, invisible force that requires much patience and long years of practice to understand. The ability to relax and breathe effectively will benefit your training in building Ki. When your mind and body are working together in a relaxed manner and you are breathing properly, a tremendous amount of energy is able to flow through your being. The key is not to force it, just slow down, relax and breathe through the nose.Embryonic Breathing For Martial ArtistsBy Dr. Yang, Jwing-MingEmbryonic Breathing is a technique that allows you to store the Qi (Chi) at the Real Dan Tian (elixir field), in the center of your abdomen and accumulate your body's energy to a higher capacity.The Lower Dan Tian is regarded today as the second brain, your body's "battery" which can store a bioelectric charge. Qi is the energy or lifeforce within every cell of our body. It cannot yet be clearly defined, but it consists largely of the bioelectricity produced by the body's metabolism. When the bioelectricity storage has reached a high level, the vital energy manifested by the physical body will be strong. Naturally, you will be healthy and have a long life.This training should be understood by anyone interested in martial arts, qigong, or meditation. There are more than 150 Daoist documents about Embryonic Breathing that have been revealed in recent years. This has provided a reliable guide of how to practice Embryonic Breathing correctly and safely.In Qigong practice, generally there are two main purposes. One is to build up the Qi to an abundant level, and the other is to improve the quality of the Qi manifestation. The purpose of practicing Muscle/Tendon Changing Qigong is to build up the Qi and then manifest it to the physical body for strength and longevity. This serves the purpose of increasing the quantity of Qi.The practicing of Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong is to purify the mind to a higher concentrated state so the usage of the Qi can reach its maximum efficiency. That means to improve the quality of the Qi manifestation by raising up the Spirit of Vitality. However, in order to raise up the spirit to a higher level, you must know how to store the Qi at the Real Dan Tian to an abundant level with Embryonic Breathing, and how to then lead it up the spinal cord (Chong Mai) to the brain. This activates the brain cells to a more energized state. From this, you can see that Embryonic Breathing is the key to raising your spirit and reaching enlightenment.The fundamental key of practicing Embryonic Breathing is keeping the Yi (wisdom mind) at the Real Dan Tian. When the Yi is held there in the center of your abdomen, the Qi will be stored and the usage of Qi will be regulated and used efficiently. If the Yi is away from the Real Dan Tian, then Qi will be led out from its residence and be consumed. When Qi is overused, then it will be exhausted, consequently the body will degenerate and the spirit will weaken and wither. Those who are learning the Dao must know this theory.The Dao is the 'natural way' or 'natural path'; the true nature of reality. In addition, practitioners must also know the Dao of producing the Qi and growing the elixir in the abdomen. If they do not know this, then the Qi will also be exhausted. From modern science, it is known that this part of the abdomen is constructed from six layers of muscles and fasciae, mutually sandwiched. The fasciae is also the storage place for fat when too much food is absorbed into the body. Fat is considered "post-heaven essence". From the abdominal exercises, the stored fat will be converted into energy, or Qi.All the revealed documents agree that in order to store the Qi at the Real Dan Tian to an abundant level, you must know two main keys. One is learning how to keep your mind at the Real Dan Tian so the Qi will not be led away from its residence. The other one is learning how to produce more Qi in the body.Whenever your mind generates an idea, EMF (electromotive force) is created. This will lead the Qi either to the brain or to the physical body for manifestation. That means you are consuming the Qi stored in the Real Dan Tian. Once you have learned how to keep your mind at the Real Dan Tian, the Qi will stay at its residence and not be led outward. Consequently, the Qi can be conserved and accumulated.In addition, you can produce Qi in the body at higher levels. Traditionally, you could use special herbs to increase the quantity of Qi. However, nearly all Daoist Qigong masters believed that the best way to produce the most pure Qi is to convert the essence stored in the body into Qi.As long as you use the abdominal area to control your breathing, the up and down abdominal exercises will convert the stored food essence (fat) into Qi . Fat is the food essence which has been filtered and purified through your bodys system. It has a high calorie content that can be efficiently converted into Qi through biochemical reaction.Breathing with up and down abdominal exercises is also called back to the childhood breathing (Fan Tong Hu Xi) since babies move their abdominal areas when they breathe. The abdominal area is called Elixir Field or Furnace (Dan Tian) by Daoists and Qi Ocean (Qihai) by Chinese medicine.Abdominal breathing is the key to producing Qi. You may use Normal Abdominal Breathing (Zheng Hu Xi) or Reverse Abdominal Breathing (Fan Hu Xi or Ni Hu Xi).Daoists call the front of the abdomen the False Dan Tian. It was named this because, although this place can generate Qi, once the Qi is produced, it immediately enters into the Conception and Governing Vessels Small Circulation. Consequently, it will be distributed to the twelve primary Qi channels and be used by the physical body. Thus, it is known that, though the Lower Dan Tian is an elixir furnace, it cannot store the elixir (Qi) efficiently. If the elixir cannot be stored to a higher abundant level, then the Daoist Gongfu (training) such as refine the Qi and sublimate it upward, or returning the essence to nourish the brain cannot be accomplished effectively.In order to store elixir, (you) must know how to use the method of Embryonic Breathing to lead the elixir produced from the elixir furnace to the Real Dan Tian and store it there. The location of the Real Dan Tian is where, on the top, it is not against the internal kidneys, and, on the bottom, it does not touch the external kidneys. It rests behind the navel and in front of the Mingmen cavity (i.e., behind the Life Door and in front of the Closed Door). This place is also called the second brain by science. In fact, this is the place where the large and small intestines are located. When an embryo is forming and growing into a baby, it must rely on abundant Qi and therefore, the embryo is formed in this Qi residence.If you know how to produce Qi at the abdominal area, but do not know how to lead it inward and store it at the Real Dan Tian, your practice will stay on the Muscle/Tendon Changing level. Though you can increase the quantity of Qi and manifest it into physical health, it will continue to be consumed and you will not be able to reach the goal of spiritual enlightenment. In order to do so, you must lead the Qi inward and store it in the Real Dan Tian.According to Chinese medicine and Qigong practice, the kidneys on the back are considered internal kidneys (Nei Shen) while the testicles or ovaries are considered external kidneys (Wai Shen). In Daoist society, the navel is considered the Life Door (Sheng Men) since it provides life before your birth, and the Mingmen (Gv-4) is considered the closed door (Mi Hu). It is an important acupuncture cavity that is normally closed in most people. Mingmen is a Chinese medical term meaning Life Door since it connects the governing vessel up the back to the life center, or Real Lower Dan Tian.Using Embryonic Breathing, you can lead the Qi to the Real Lower Dan Tian. The key to training is to keep the Yi at the Dan Tian and the secret of practice is to regulate the breathing.The method of regulating the breathing in Embryonic Breathing is: when you have reached the stage of regulating without regulating in your Reverse Abdominal Breathing training, then you add the Mingmen breathing. That means that when the abdomen is withdrawing and the Huiyin is holding upward, at the same time, the Mingmen is also withdrawing. When the abdomen is expanding and the Huiyin is gently pushing downward, the Mingmen is also expanding. In this case, due to the pressing and releasing massaging at the Mingmen area, the original essence can be smoothly produced from the adrenal glands.Original essence is what we call hormones today. Hormones are actually the catalysts which are needed for the bodys biochemical reactions. When the content of the bodys hormones is normal, then the bodys biochemical reaction can be completed smoothly. That means the metabolic process can be carried out efficiently within all of the 100 trillion cells our bodies are comprised of. The bodys Qi will be abundant, the vital lifeforce will be strong, and the bodys degeneration will be slowed down. This is the crucial key to reducing unnecessary aging and stimulating the optimal healthy function of the body.In order to store the Qi at the Real Dan Tian, you must keep your mind there so the Qi will not be led outward and be wasted. However, when you meditate it is not easy to keep your mind there for a long period of time. To reach this goal, you must first have regulated your body to an extremely relaxed state. Wherever your body is tensed, the Qi will be led there and consumed. Therefore, you must learn how to use your mind to control the muscles in the abdominal area efficiently through abdominal breathing. You must be able to regulate the abdominal breathing until conscious regulating is unnecessary. Then you can begin your Embryonic Breathing.From my personal experience, the trick to keeping your mind at your center of gravity (Dan Tian) is to begin the breathing training with the abdominal up and down movement in the front, while also keeping the Mingmen areas up and down movement on the back. When this happens, the movement of the front and back will balance each other and this will provide you with a centered feeling. That means the mind can be kept at the center. At the beginning of training, your mind is on the front and the back, however, after you have practiced for a long time and reached a level of regulating without regulating, your mind will move to the center easily. In my experience, using the Reverse Abdominal Breathing techniques with the Mingmen and Huiyins movements is easier than using them with the Normal Abdominal Breathing.Furthermore, due to the diaphragms up and down movements in the deep abdominal breathing, the adrenals (internal kidneys) will be pressed and massaged. Consequently, the original essence (hormones) will be produced. In addition, due to the Huiyins holding up and pushing down, the Qi will reach the testicles or ovaries (external kidneys) and consequently, the original essence (hormones) will also naturally be secreted. This is the process which the Daoists called to refine the essence and convert it into Qi.One of the primary benefits of this training is produced by the movements of the Mingmen and Huiyin areas. As these areas move, the adrenal glands and testicles are stimulated. Consequently, hormones (original essence -- Yuan Jing) can be produced. Through the movement of deep breathing exercises, the diaphragm will also massage the kidneys and stimulate the production of DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. When the hormone content in our blood stream is high, the bodys biochemical reaction will be smooth and metabolization will be carried out efficiently. Naturally, we will be healthier and live longer. Anyone who would like to obtain health and longevity should learn Embryonic Breathing.In order to reach the goal of keeping the Yi at the Real Dan Tian in Embryonic Breathing, at the beginning, the Yi is on the Life Door (navel), Closed Door (Mingmen), and the Huiyins up and down exercises. However, when you have reached a stage of regulating with no regulating, then the Yi will not be on the movement and will gradually shift inward to the Real Dan Tian and remain there. After long practice, the Xin is peaceful and the Yi is calm, the spirit is condensed inward, and is not bothered by outside disturbances. This is why Lao Zi said: Keep physical body and spiritual body in unity, can they not be separated? Specialize in training the Qi to reach its softest, can it be like a baby? This practice is also to reach the extreme emptiness and to keep the ultimate calmness sincerely, the great Dao of Embryonic Breathing.In Chapter 10 of Dao De Jing , Lao Zi emphasizes the unification of the physical body and the spiritual body. When the physical body and the spiritual body are united and in harmony with each other, we will be able to attain the human Dao and live long. In order to reach this goal, we must learn how to breathe naturally and softly like a baby.In addition, in Chapter 16, Lao Zi states that the way of returning to the origin of our lives involves keeping our minds in the state of extreme emptiness and calmness. That means to keep the mind in the Real Dan Tian. When you focus your attention on your center, your mind will be centered and your awareness will be raised.Embryonic Breathing can again be divided into Yin and Yang. Yang Embryonic Breathing means that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation, the internal Qi is expanding through the Girdle Vessel, and (consequently) the Guardian Qi is strengthened. This is what is called Skin Breathing (Fu Xi) or Body Breathing (Ti Xi) in the Daoists definition. This kind of breathing is suitable for practice in the fall and winter. The reason is when fall and winter are near, our Guardian Qi is getting weaker and our defense against illness is weakened, so it is easy for us to catch a cold. In the seasons of spring and summer, the Guardian Qi is already strong, so if you practice too much Body Breathing, the body will turn too Yang. Furthermore, the Qi stored in the body will be wasted. Yin Embryonic Breathing means that the inhalation is longer than the exhalation. The Yi is aiming for extreme calmness and is kept at the center. Consequently, the Qi can be condensed inward and stored in the Real Dan Tian and can also reach the bone marrow. This is what is called Marrow Breathing or Wuji Breathing. The practice of this kind of breathing is suitable for the spring and summer. This is because during spring and summer, the external Qi is getting strong, and the need for Guardian Qi is not as high as it is in the fall and winter. This is the time to lead the Qi inward and store it. This can also supply the Qi to the bone marrow, which is required for the production of blood cells.Once you have practiced Embryonic Breathing to a profound stage and can keep your mind at the Real Dan Tian easily, then you can use it to control the bodys Yin and Yang status easily. For example, in Embryonic Breathing practice, if your exhalation is longer than your inhalation, the Qi in the Girdle Vessel (Dai Mai) around the waist will be expanded. Consequently, the Guardian Qi can be expanded and enhanced. This kind of Embryonic Breathing is called Girdle Vessel Breathing (Dai Mai Xi), Body Breathing (Ti Xi ), or Skin Breathing (Fu Xi). When the Guardian Qi is strong, the immune system is strong. This kind of breathing, exhaling longer than inhaling, is more suitably practiced in the winter time.However, if your inhalation is longer than your exhalation, then you are leading Qi from the surface of the skin to the Real Dan Tian and also to the bone marrow. The Guardian Qi will be weakened and the storage of Qi at the Real Dan Tian can be enhanced and can reach a higher level. This kind of Embryonic Breathing is called Cavity Breathing (Xue Wei Hu Xi ), or also Marrow Breathing (Sui Xi ). It can also be called Wuji Breathing (Wuji Hu Xi ) since your mind is on the center of gravity, which is the Wuji state. This breathing is most suitably practiced in the summer time when the body has extra energy.I explore this subject in more detail and with step-by-step instruction in several publications available from YMAA.com. From the above, you can see that Embryonic Breathing is the required practice for those who wish to cultivate the Dao and train their Qi. It can and should be utilized by martial artists of all styles.Qi Breathing Exercise 1Extend your exhalation

Of course, there must be an absolute balance between inhalation and exhalation. Otherwise breathing just would not work. Still, lots of people are most concerned about the former.We tend to focus on breathing in, to the extent that we completely neglect what happens when we breathe out - as if it were not that important. This discrepancy needs to be corrected, in order to create a flowing breath. One effect of giving priority to inhalation is that the lungs are almost completely filled with air all the time, as if they did not want to give it away. Therefore, breathing is only done on that marginal lung volume remaining. In that case, you are forced to breathe quickly in order to get enough fresh air. That rushes and stresses the body and mind. It also easily causes you to get almost painfully out of breath, so that you have trouble even with modest hardships. Only by emptying yourself of air can you fill yourself with it, and that is the only way of assuring that you get plenty of fresh air into your lungs. So, the first exercise is simply to breathe out properly, in order to fill the lungs anew - deeply.1. You can stand, sit, or lie down, just what you like. It does not matter. But try to have the good posture that you have learned from previous exercises, and avoid any clothing that sits tight on your body. Wear loose clothes, and as few as possible.2. Inhale normally, through your nose.3. Exhale through your mouth - as much as you can, without losing your good posture. Continue the exhalation as long as possible - and then some.4. Close your mouth and let the inhalation happen automatically. Do not let your conscious mind control your inhalation. You will observe that you breathe in as suddenly as if the air was pushed down your lungs, like a vacuum suddenly opening to the outside world. This way, the inhaled air feels particularly fresh and refreshing.5. When this sudden rush of air has entered your lungs, you should not consciously continue with the inhalation. Instead, you open your mouth and breathe out, at least as much as last time.6. Repeat as long as it feels good. Remember to keep your good posture. If you get dizzy by the increased oxygen intake this kind of breathing causes, slow down by prolonging your exhalations. You can also take short pauses between inhalation and exhalation, but do not try to change the speed of the former. You can do this exercise as much as you like. It is particularly useful when you feel tired or just a bit inert. This is also the way to catch your breath after an ordeal. When we get out of breath, we are so eager to get fresh air that we forget to exhale the old air. That makes it hard to ever get enough air. So, when you are out jogging or doing something else that makes you out of breath, try to concentrate on the exhalations. You will quickly get more stamina than usual. Strive to push the old air out of your lungs. You do not have to worry about the inhalations, because they take care of themselves. This kind of inhaling - suddenly and automatically, after a long exhalation - is invigorating. You will find it quite inspiring. When you face some task that demands the most of your abilities, this breathing is excellent preparation. It gives you lust, power, and the kind of spiritual inebriation that is the true mother of invention.

Qi Breathing ExercisesHere is a set of simple breathing exercises designed to increase your qi energy flow. I recommend that you do them in the given order, when you try them out. Once you've become familiar with them, you can do them in any order you please. Trust your instincts.Qi Breathing ExercisesUse your breath to stimulatge your qi flowQi is the Chinese word for life energy, also spelledchiorki. Here's how to exercise the qi energy by breathing techniques, in some very simple exercises.Breathing is sort of a sibling to qi. That is how close they are - almost like twins, but not identical ones. The air that flows through our lungs at each breath has got many similarities to the qi energy flow, but is still essentially different. That goes for oxygen as well, the substance that breathing transports to the blood, and the blood distributes to all of the body - just like qi energy. Still, they are different. Anyway, their similarities are enough for correct and concentrated breathing exercises to be the most effective way of getting your qi flow going. So, now it is time for exercises working on your breathing to make it even more similar to the qi flow. If we devote ourselves wholeheartedly to one of the twins, the other cannot stay away for long. Good breathing is a blessing in life, surpassed by few things. It gives a sense of delight, and is so stimulating that it must be compared to inspiration. That is indicated by the very word inspire, inspirare in Latin, which originally means breathing - more precisely breathing in. That says a lot. Breathing can inspire, especially breathing in. Take a deep breath and feel your soul soar. When you inhale you receive, and when you exhale you give. That is the rhythm of life. The one is impossible without the other. They are opposites that are forever linked, similar to the pair of yin and yang in classical Chinese cosmology. At first, inhalation and exhalation need to be treated as two evident opposites, but by time they should sort of blend, so that the change between them becomes less and less perceivable. Breathing shall become a constant life-giving flow through the body, a concrete mirroring of the hidden ether that is qi. When exploring breathing and its nature, we start by making a clear distinction between in and out.

Qi Breathing ExercisesHere is a set of simple breathing exercises designed to increase your qi energy flow. I recommend that you do them in the given order, when you try them out. Once you've become familiar with them, you can do them in any order you please. Trust your instincts.Qi Breathing Exercise 2

Lower Your Breath

Extending the breath, like in the previous exercise, also makes it deeper - but not to the extent that this below exercise is able.A breath that is to stimulate the qi flow must take place deep in your body, what is usually called belly breathing or diaphragm breathing. Most people breathe exclusively with their chest, maybe as high up as the shoulders. This leads to short breaths and persistent tension around the shoulders. Such breathing also afflicts the mind with unrest and insecurity. That is as far from relaxation as one can get. The Eastern ideal is instead to breathe with the belly, actually as low as the bottom of the abdomen. Of course it is still the lungs that get the air, but you should feel very clearly that the shoulders relax while your abdomen moves with the breaths you take, as if the air goes all the way down there. Opera singers do the same kind of breathing. It carries their voices better, and gives them power to really sing out. If you have never tried belly breathing, it can be quite tricky to learn. Breathing is something the body does without the conscious mind being involved in it - around the clock, and year after year. Such habits are difficult to change. We continue with the same old habits, if we do not make the proper efforts to alter them. Your body has to learn a new way of doing what it has done in pretty much the same way all your life. Expect it to take time, maybe years, before you are belly breathing without having to think about it. No doubt, you have to practice it daily. First you must find that deep breathing, in the lower abdomen. This is the most effective method I know, to accomplish that. Still, count on quite some time before you get it right.

1. You can stand or sit in this exercise, but the best is probably if you lie down on your back, like in some of the previous exercises. When you have learned to find a deep belly breathing, it is not necessary anymore to do it lying down. By then you should be able to do it sitting, standing, or even walking. Loose clothing is helpful, and in the beginning probably quite necessary. Loosen what might be tight, especially around your belly. The less clothes the better. Even very loose garments have a tendency to slightly inhibit your breathing.2. Relax and take a few normal breaths, so that you calm down.3. Put the palm of one of your hands on your belly, between the navel and the crotch. There should be good contact, but do not press the hand on your belly. Observe that it is the palm of your hand that is important, and not the fingers. They should be passive. Otherwise they can confuse and disturb your breathing.4. Breathe in and then start a slow exhalation. Do not breathe out through your mouth, which tends to bring the breathing up toward your chest, but through your nose.5. Now, make a sudden and forceful exhalation, by which you try to push the hand on your belly. Make it bump, only by your sudden exhalation. Do not push with your body. The hips should not move at all. The push should come from within your stomach. In the beginning it is probably a kind of wave from your chest and downward, but by time you should be able to do the push with your stomach, and nothing else. It is tricky at first. Try again and again, until you succeed.6. Take a new breath and repeat the pushing of your hand with your exhalation. Remember to start the exhalation slowly, before you make the push. Otherwise the body tends to resist and get tense. You should repeat the exercise until you feel that you manage to push the palm of your hand from inside your stomach, without the rest of the body helping noticeably.

This exercise is intended to lower the breathing of a person who is not used to breathe with the belly. When you have learned this, it is no longer necessary to repeat the exercise. Later on, you may benefit from testing it now and then, although you know how to belly breathe, just to check that you really breathe as far down in your abdomen as you wish. Do not underestimate the depth of proper belly breathing. If you succeed when you hold your hand in the middle between the navel and your crotch, continue by moving it further down, closer to your crotch, and try again. If you can breathe down at the very bottom of your abdomen, then you have opened your breathing completely. It is advantageous, not to say necessary, to let this exercise be followed by the next one - especially if you are in the process of learning belly breathing, and trying to make it a habit.

Qi Breathing ExercisesHere is a set of simple breathing exercises designed to increase your qi energy flow. I recommend that you do them in the given order, when you try them out. Once you've become familiar with them, you can do them in any order you please. Trust your instincts.Qi Breathing Exercise 3

Belly Breathing

The previous exercise is an effective way of bringing down your breathing to the belly. Then you have to learn to breathe that way normally, making belly breathing something that comes naturally to you. That is what the below exercise is for, so try to do it right after the previous one.When you feel that you have no problem getting the breathing down to your lower abdomen, you can skip the previous exercise and go directly to this one. Actually, they do not differ that much.

1. You can walk, stand, or sit down, but in the beginning the easiest is to lie on your back. Your clothes should be loose, especially on the belly, and the less clothes you have on, the better.2. Put the palm of one of your hands on your belly, about midway between your navel and your crotch - or closer to the crotch if you can get your breathing that low. Remember to keep a good contact between your palm and belly, without pushing.3. Start a slow and deep inhalation through your nose, and try to do it in such a way that your belly pushes on the hand. This means that the belly expands when you breathe in.4. Continue with a long exhalation through your mouth - and this time, too, there should be a pressure from your belly onto your hand. That may seem odd, but both when you inhale and when you exhale the belly should expand, pressing on your hand. Thereby, the belly seems to be constantly growing, which is fine. Do not worry about your figure, since this is just how it feels.5. Go on with this breathing, your belly pressing on your hand. When you feel that you do it right without any particular effort, you can take away the hand - but continue with the same breathing for a while.6. If your breathing tends to move up toward your chest, and you notice that the chest starts moving at each breath, then put your hand back on the belly, and try again.7. Continue to breathe this way as long as you want. Take your time - it is supposed to become a new habit of yours. If you notice that you get very tense when trying to belly breathe, you should not do it for more than a few minutes. Instead, repeat the exercise at another time. Of course, the hand is on your belly to help you learn deep breathing, and to make you feel clearly when you do it right. But the hand is not only a passive tool for measuring the effects of your exercise. It is active, and sort of calls on your breathing. A kind of dialogue appears between the hand and your belly, an exchange that helps you along. It would not work nearly as well if you tried putting a dead object on your belly. A live one other than your hand, though, would work at least as well. You can try with the friendly hand of a loved one, or a cat curled up on your belly, peacefully purring. Cats know everything about qi. A good way of testing your breathing is to put one hand on your belly, and the other on your chest. Then you will notice to what extent you breathe with your chest or your belly - under what hand there is the most activity. The best is if just about nothing happens under the hand on your chest, and lots under the hand on your belly. That might take a while.

Do not start with this two-hands test when you try to learn belly breathing. Both hands might call on your breathing, so you will end up with breaths that are evenly divided between the belly and the chest. You want all the breathing in your belly, so wait with this test until you are well on your way. Count on needing to do this belly breathing exercise quite a lot, in order to establish this new breathing habit. I doubt that it can be done in a shorter time than a year, no matter how much you do it daily. You will learn to belly breathe quite quickly, but it will take time before that breathing becomes an automatic habit. It may even take significantly longer than a year, but you should notice that each time you do the exercise it comes easier and more freely. It gets increasingly natural to you. And your body will be delighted, because this is how it wants to breathe. Every infant knows this. Just watch them breathe. When you start to get the hang of it, you can exercise belly breathing in any position, whenever and wherever. You can do it on your work place, behind the wheels of your car, when you ride a bicycle, or when you run. Do it at any given opportunity during your everyday life, so that you really confirm to your body that this should be your new habit. The hand on your belly is a good help when you introduce yourself to belly breathing, but when you have gotten familiar with it, you will find that the hand is not necessary anymore. You just need to tell yourself to belly breathe, and you will. Then it is starting to become automatic. You just remind yourself, and you start belly breathing immediately - and it goes on, without you having to pay any attention to it. By time, you only need to remind yourself now and then, when for some reason your breathing jumped up to your chest, or maybe it just lost some of its grandeur. Then you only have to make one conscious deep breath to get it going again. Your breathing will become your foremost internal resource of power, confidence, and vitality. Whenever you need it, get it going by taking a big and deep breath. When you have established belly breathing as a habit, you just need to remind yourself of the fact that you actually do breathe correctly, in order to get on top of things - no matter how stressful or straining they are.

Qi Breathing Exercise 4Qi breathing exercises.Breathe in a Square

Breathing has more to give than what the previous exercises reveal at first - a lot more. When you have a good belly breathing going, it has a power and a depth that are vitalizing and cleansing, reminding of its closeness to qi.

Breathing can be an even more direct help to awake and increase your qi flow. The following breathing exercise has this purpose. Now it is time to breathe qi.

How that works is explained in the exercise description, but do not focus solely on this aspect. Do it like a pure breathing exercise. Otherwise there is a risk that your conscious mind takes over and brushes the bodily experience aside. That will not help your qi flow. So, settle for what a pleasant and calming way of breathing it is. Then qi can flow freely through your body, instead of being hindered by your conscious ambition to steer it.

InhalingInhalingExhalingExhaling

For this exercise you should assume a relaxed and peaceful position. Therefore you should avoid standing up, which would demand of you to keep your balance. That can cause some tension and disturbance. So, sit down with a good posture, or lie on your back. Loose clothing is fine, but not as important as with most of the previous exercises.Breathe normally through your nose for a while, so that you slow down and relax. Belly breathing is great, but actually not necessary. Already before you have learned a good belly breathing, you can get a lot from this exercise. But of course, the deeper you breathe, the more you get.Now, start a strictly regulated breathing: choose a fixed time for each phase of it. Do not make it too long. Later on, you will notice why. Settle for something like five seconds. That means you should make an inhalation, which lasts for five seconds, followed by a just as long exhalation. You do not have to time it with a clock. It needs not be that exact. It is enough that you count slowly to five. Do it silently, or it will interfere with your breathing.When this works smoothly, you should add the same length of time after the inhalation, where you hold your breath with a feeling of continued inhalation. Do not tighten your body to hold your breath, but sort of continue with the inhalation although you get no more air.After exhaling for the same length of time, add an equal period where you have a feeling of continued exhalation, although no more air leaves you. You will notice that it is harder to extend the period after an exhalation. The body is eager to get new air. That is why you should not choose a longer period of time than you manage comfortably.Now you are breathing in a square: Five seconds of inhaling, five seconds of a continued feeling of inhaling, five seconds of exhaling, and five seconds of a continued feeling of exhaling. Do it over and over. You can keep it up as long as you like, but only if you are able to feel like breathing in or out at the intervals when you actually hold your breath.That feeling of inhaling and exhaling is qi. It is not more odd than that. When you feel that you inhale something, or exhale something, and it is not air - then it is qi. The more clear this sense of breathing without air is to you, the stronger your qi flows. Yes, it is qi you sort of breathe, when there is no air flowing. You also breathe qi when air passes in or out, but then it is not as easy to distinguish. This exercise is an excellent way of getting familiar with qi and its nature, how qi feels and works. You will probably notice that the breathing without air is just as invigorating as regular breathing, although in a different way. The best way to describe it is that you breathe pure inspiration - or intention.

But whatever words we choose for it, they are bland when compared to the actual experience. So when you do the exercise, concentrate on the experience and do not bother to interpret it intellectually. That would only disturb it.

Of course, when you get more used to this exercise, you can skip the step where you breathe air only, in two phases. Go directly to the square, with four phases of breathing.

You should also practice your ability to recognize your qi breathing when you breathe normally. It is there, as well. That should be increasingly obvious to you. Also when you are breathing in a square, you do good to focus on your qi breathing in all the four phases.

The differences between breathing air and no air should dissolve by time, and lose their significance. The essence of your breathing should be its qi flow, and you can feel it all through.

It is also good to extend the length of time you choose, when you get better at this. You should never make the time so long that you feel frustrated during the fourth phase, before breathing in anew. That phase is the most difficult to extend, so it should be decisive when you choose the length of the intervals you try. It is not a competition of any kind, so you need only to find a time that is optimal for your experience of the exercise.

Qi Breathing ExercisesHere is a set of simple breathing exercises designed to increase your qi energy flow. I recommend that you do them in the given order, when you try them out. Once you've become familiar with them, you can do them in any order you please. Trust your instincts.THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF SYSTEMA BREATHINGMartial Arts Kicksby Emmanuel Manolakakis

1. Pathway:

Inhale through nose; exhale through mouth.

2. Leading:

Let breath slightly lead physical action in time.

3. Sufficiency:

Take as much breath as you need at the moment, for the action, not more not less.

4. Continuity:

Keep breathing, without interruption or holding, no matter what you are doing unless doing a special breath-hold training)

5. Pendulum:

Let every breath cycle complete itself and reverse naturally, as a pendulum swings and reverses naturally without interference. Allow, and experience, the reversal pause at the end of each cycle.

6. Independence:

No specific type of action is invariantly tied to any particular phase of breath cycle (i.e. you should be able to punch or roll as well on inhale as exhale).

7. No tension:

Keep your muscles and your body overall relaxed.

DID YOU KNOW...The muscles that move your eyeball are connected to those at the back of your neck.

Bow your head down and then look up so that you are seeing what is in front of you. Feel that stretch? That is the feeling that comes when you strain the muscles connecting your eyes to your neck. Strange feeling, huh?

Each piece of your body is intricately connected to other pieces in subtle, often unexpected ways. In order to be an effective martial artist, one capable of easily manipulating the bodies of others, it is necessary to understand those internal connections. In order to do this you must first understand such connections in your own body.

What muscles are activated when you do a simple squat? What wider effect does this tension have on your body? On your mind? Ask yourself question like these when you train. Then, if you're up to it, ask yourself about the tension that result from getting up from your desk or out of your vehicle. What muscles are you using regularly? Do you need all of them? How can you find relaxation in daily life?