New FB Plus Video: Vinyasa Yoga Flow for Tuning Into Your Breath + Ujjayi Breath Tutorial
I’ve gotten some questions about what Ujjayi breath is, and which movements you inhale on versus which movements you exhale on. Let’s break down the answers to all of these questions in this vinyasa yoga flow!
Ujjayi breathing is pretty simple! Your lips are sealed, and you inhale/exhale fully through the nose with a slight constriction at the back of your throat; this breath will sound like the ocean — or if you’re a Star Wars fan, your breath might even sound like Darth Vader’s breathing! The benefits of Ujjayi breathing are vast, and include helping you to build internal heat as you practice, regulate your breath rate, as well as calm the nervous system. Ujjayi breathing also activates the Vagus nerve, which is more commonly known as the brain-gut axis, since it serves as the link between your Central Nervous System (CNS) and your Enteric Nervous System (ENS); not to dive too deep into this, but your ENS, in short, controls your digestive system/gastrointestinal tract.
So now that I’ve nerded out about how important (and AWESOME) Ujjayi breathing is, let’s talk about when to inhale and when to exhale. Ultimately, this is going to be up to your personal preference. Typically, you will hear instructors call for inhales when the front-body is expanded and the airway is lifted (like in Cow pose), creating more space in the body for air to enter; instructors will typically call for exhales when the front-body is contracted and pushing air out (like in Cat pose). However, not every pose is as clear-cut as cat/cow; for example, while some students like to exhale in their reverse warrior, other students prefer to inhale. For me personally, I switch between inhaling and exhaling in that pose depending on how I’m feeling in the practice. Your preferences will change from moment to moment as well, so I invite you to be in a constant exploration with your integrated breath and movement, and tune into what feels best in your body.
Hopefully this video answers your questions, and if you’re new to Ujjayi breathing, I promise it does get easier! For the first year of my practice, I’m pretty sure I held my breath 90% of the time (please don’t copy my mistake)! I was so stubborn because I didn’t understand the importance of my breath–I could do all the postures well, so what was the point? Then when I actually started breathing with my movements, it elevated my practice to another level in so many ways, and I felt I got so much more out of my flows.
I hope you discover something new and wonderful about your breath and practice, and that we can flow together again soon!
New FB Plus Video: Vinyasa Yoga Flow for Tuning Into Your Breath + Ujjayi Breath Tutorial
I’ve gotten some questions about what Ujjayi breath is, and which movements you inhale on versus which movements you exhale on. Let’s break down the answers to all of these questions in this vinyasa yoga flow!
Vinyasa Yoga Flow for Tuning Into Your Breath + Ujjayi Breath Tutorial
Ujjayi breathing is pretty simple! Your lips are sealed, and you inhale/exhale fully through the nose with a slight constriction at the back of your throat; this breath will sound like the ocean — or if you’re a Star Wars fan, your breath might even sound like Darth Vader’s breathing! The benefits of Ujjayi breathing are vast, and include helping you to build internal heat as you practice, regulate your breath rate, as well as calm the nervous system. Ujjayi breathing also activates the Vagus nerve, which is more commonly known as the brain-gut axis, since it serves as the link between your Central Nervous System (CNS) and your Enteric Nervous System (ENS); not to dive too deep into this, but your ENS, in short, controls your digestive system/gastrointestinal tract.
So now that I’ve nerded out about how important (and AWESOME) Ujjayi breathing is, let’s talk about when to inhale and when to exhale. Ultimately, this is going to be up to your personal preference. Typically, you will hear instructors call for inhales when the front-body is expanded and the airway is lifted (like in Cow pose), creating more space in the body for air to enter; instructors will typically call for exhales when the front-body is contracted and pushing air out (like in Cat pose). However, not every pose is as clear-cut as cat/cow; for example, while some students like to exhale in their reverse warrior, other students prefer to inhale. For me personally, I switch between inhaling and exhaling in that pose depending on how I’m feeling in the practice. Your preferences will change from moment to moment as well, so I invite you to be in a constant exploration with your integrated breath and movement, and tune into what feels best in your body.
Hopefully this video answers your questions, and if you’re new to Ujjayi breathing, I promise it does get easier! For the first year of my practice, I’m pretty sure I held my breath 90% of the time (please don’t copy my mistake)! I was so stubborn because I didn’t understand the importance of my breath–I could do all the postures well, so what was the point? Then when I actually started breathing with my movements, it elevated my practice to another level in so many ways, and I felt I got so much more out of my flows.
I hope you discover something new and wonderful about your breath and practice, and that we can flow together again soon!
Marina