8 benefits of abdominal breathing! Combined with 2 muscle stretching techniques, reduce fat and slim abdomen

When it comes to "abdominal breathing", most people should be familiar with it! Why is abdominal breathing so popular? What are the benefits of doing it in moderation? And what should we do to bring out its real health-care effect? Experts say that correct abdominal breathing not only has eight major health benefits for the human body, such as activating internal organs and stabilizing blood pressure, but if it is appropriately combined with fascia stretching exercises, it can also help with fat loss and body sculpting.

What is the use of deep abdominal breathing? It turns out there are 8 major health benefits

In their co-authored book "Myofascial Relaxation and Stretch Method (Revised Edition)", Taiwanese myofascial acupressure masters Lin Wancheng and Zheng Hongde mentioned that the mechanism of action of deep abdominal breathing and its impact on human health can be mainly divided into the following two categories:

【Category 1 / Mitochondria】

1. Multiply vitality: Mitochondria are power plants. With sufficient oxygen supply, they burn through a series of respiratory chain oxidative phosphorylation to produce ATP energy, which supplies energy for body activities.

2. Delay aging: Reduce the leakage of harmful peroxide free radicals from mitochondria due to failure in decomposing organic matter.

3. Prolong life: Because mitochondria quickly divide and replicate a large amount of cell vitality from their own DNA, they induce the deep-seated longevity gene SIRTUIN to secrete the PGC-1 longevity protein molecule.

4. Activate internal organs:

• Strong heart: Mitochondria account for 40% of all cells in the heart.

• Strengthen muscles: Mitochondria account for 30% of all cells in the myofascial system.

• Liver protection: Mitochondria account for 20% of all cells in the liver.

• Nerves: Mitochondria account for 10% of all cells in the nervous system (including the brain and spinal cord).

【Category 2 / Systemic】

5. Eliminate excess fat: Promote and activate brown fat cells with specific fat-burning metabolism to secrete "thermogens" for fat burning (fat is divided into two categories: white fat and brown fat. The amount of brown fat only accounts for 5% of the body, but its metabolic function accounts for 80% of the important task of fat).

6. Stabilize blood pressure: 80% of the body's blood is stored in capillaries. The tiny inlet arteries that control the amount of blood flow are appropriately dilated, and blood circulation is smooth, removing dead ends and reaching the vessel walls to avoid blockage.

7. Improve self-healing ability: Just complete two sets of basic repair elements to activate the repair switch.

• Secreted growth factors: Various groups of growth factors located in the extracellular matrix are activated and interact with each other.

• DNA gene repair ability: When the cell nucleus is replicating, several incorrect base sequencing problems occur, which initiates the ability to regulate self-supervision and repair pairing disorder behavior.

8. Health care:

• It promotes the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain: such as endorphins, which are 10 times more potent than morphine, or other GABA, serotonin, dopamine, etc., which have parasympathetic chemical components that can nourish the mind and body, as well as regulate the balance to maintain a normal blood-brain oxygen/carbon dioxide ratio.

• Promote physical, mental and spiritual health: achieve emotional stability, relieve tension and stress, refresh the mind, relieve pain, and achieve a state of physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Generally speaking, you can practice abdominal breathing while standing or sitting. When standing, it is recommended to spread your feet shoulder-width apart; when sitting, you should keep your upper body upright.

Are you doing abdominal breathing correctly? Correct exhalation and inhalation tips

Generally speaking, you can practice abdominal breathing while standing or sitting. When standing, it is recommended to spread your feet shoulder-width apart; when sitting, you should keep your upper body upright.

Beginners can try placing one palm lightly on the chest and the other palm on top of the abdomen, raising their head and chest, and relaxing their whole body. And remember that your abdomen bulges when you inhale, and naturally sinks when you exhale. Focus your attention on your breathing. The appropriate number of breaths is about 5 times per minute (5 times inhalation and exhalation each), and one breathing takes about 10 to 15 seconds.

When inhaling or exhaling, you should keep it gentle and unobstructed, without force. The correct breathing speed should be that exhalation is slower than inhalation (the ratio is that exhalation takes about 1 times as long as inhalation). When inhaling, breathe in through your nose, and the deeper and longer the better. The main purpose of abdominal breathing is to increase lung capacity and promote smooth circulatory system. You can practice breathing at any time and anywhere, as long as you persist in it to benefit your physical, mental and spiritual health.

[Key points of inhalation and exhalation]

1. Inhale:

When inhaling, slowly inhale fresh air through the nose, from the nasal cavity, through the chest cavity to the abdominal cavity, causing the chest cavity to expand and the abdomen to bulge, and the diaphragm to descend. At this time, the lungs and abdominal cavity are filled with oxygen, completing the inhalation action.

2. Exhale:

When exhaling, open your mouth slightly and exhale slowly. It should be long and slow without interruption. Exhale the spent air from the chest, lungs, and abdomen to allow the lungs and diaphragm to rebound, so as to facilitate the inhalation of fresh oxygen again.

Do 2 supine fascia stretching exercises at home to reduce fat and slim abdomen

Teachers Lin Wancheng and Zheng Hongde also shared two supine fascia stretching exercises that people can easily perform at home, providing them to everyone as a reference for daily maintenance. Moderately combined with abdominal breathing, it is beneficial to reduce fat, exercise the abdominal muscles, and strengthen the urinary tract system:

★Abdominal muscle contraction fat reduction method

Stretches: Neck and limb muscles.

Effect: It can strengthen the urinary system, abdominal muscles and reduce fat.

practice:

Preparation position: Lie on your back with your feet together, soles of your feet dorsiflexed, toes pointing up. Extend your arms out to your body at 90 degrees, with your palms facing up. (Photo provided by Yuanshui Culture Publishing House)

1. Preparatory posture: Lie on your back with your feet together, soles of your feet dorsiflexed, and toes pointing up. Extend your arms out to your body at 90 degrees, with your palms facing up.

When inhaling, press down with both hands to assist, and instantly lift both feet to more than 90 degrees, keeping both feet straight and soles of feet dorsiflexed, and maintain for more than 10 seconds. (Photo provided by Yuanshui Culture Publishing House)

2. When inhaling, press down with both hands to assist, and instantly lift both feet to more than 90 degrees, keeping both feet straight and soles of feet dorsiflexed, and maintain for more than 10 seconds.

★ Leg lift and abdominal fat reduction method

Stretch: Hamstrings.

Function: Contraction of abdominal muscles to achieve the effect of reducing fat in the lower abdomen and buttocks.

practice:

Preparation posture: Lie on your back, place your hands on both sides of your body, palms facing down, legs together, feet dorsiflexed, toes facing up. (Photo provided by Yuanshui Culture Publishing House)

1. Preparatory posture: Lie on your back, place your hands on both sides of your body with your palms facing down, keep your legs together, dorsiflex your feet, and point your toes facing up.

When inhaling, press down with both hands to assist, and instantly lift both feet to more than 90 degrees, keeping both feet straight and soles of feet dorsiflexed, and maintain for more than 10 seconds. (Photo provided by Yuanshui Culture Publishing House)

2. When inhaling, press down with both hands to assist, and instantly lift both feet to more than 90 degrees, keeping both feet straight and soles of feet dorsiflexed, and maintain for more than 10 seconds.

The abdominal muscles are contracted and flattened, and while exhaling, they are slowly lowered back to the ready position at a speed of 15 seconds. Repeat this more than 10 times. (Photo provided by Yuanshui Culture Publishing House)

3. The abdominal muscles are retracted and flattened, and while exhaling, they slowly descend to the ready position at a speed of 15 seconds. Repeat this more than 10 times.

Tips: Raise your feet 60 degrees, use your abdominal force and contract your anus to achieve the best oxygen consumption and fat burning effect.