BREATHING FROM THE RIBS

We are now going to learn thoracic or costal breathing.

As its name implies, this is the action of expanding the thorax which leads to the inflation of the lungs by conducting air into them.

This time we work sitting in a chair or on the ground, it does not matter which.

Empty the lungs completely and keep the abdominal muscles contracted: in this way it becomes impossible to breathe through the stomach.

Throughout the inhalation you should keep the stomach contracted in order to prevent any breathing through the diaphragm. Needless to say those who used the belt to keep the ribs from moving, should remove it for learning thoracic breathing!

Place the hands on the sides a few inches away from the armpits, in such a way that the palms can feel the ribs. Point the fingers to the front. Breathe in, attempting at the same time to push out the hands as far as possible with the ribs, that is, not in front of you but towards the sides. After a few attempts, you will feel the exact position. You will notice clearly a greater resistance to the entrance of air than you did during the abdominal breathing, which allowed entry to the largest volume of air with a minimum of effort. Despite the resistance a fairly large quantity of air will enter during thoracic breathing. Breathe about twenty times from the ribs only.