Costal Breathing

Costal breathing

What is it?

Costal breathing is a breathing technique where the primary movement of the breath is focused on the rib cage and chest area. This technique emphasizes the expansion of the rib cage sideways and upwards during inhalation and the contraction or deflation of the rib cage during exhalation. It's often used to increase lung capacity, improve circulation, and enhance awareness of the breath. Costal breathing contrasts with diaphragmatic breathing, where the emphasis is on the movement of the diaphragm for deeper belly breathing.

How to practice:

1. Sitting in Vajrasana, place your palms on your side ribs and feel the breath expand and retract the ribs as they draw together and down.
2. On your inhalation, push the ribs into your hands while allowing each of your ribs to expand away from each other as the serratus anterior contracts, lifting your ribs and pulling them back together. Try to keep the movement just in the ribs. Keep your belly and shoulders as still as possible.
3. Now move your hands up, one to the pectoralis major, just below the collar bone and the other hand on the sternum. Begin to initiate the inhalation from the pectoralis while drawing the shoulder blades down the back.
4. While inhaling, try to feel the pectoralis contracting to lift and expand the sternum while spreading the lower and middle ribs apart.
5. Move a little higher to the clavicle area, keep the shoulder blades down your back, and initiate the breath into the clavicle area. This time, activating the pectoralis minor and opening the heart center fully
6. Try alternating between activating the pectoralis major and minor. Notice the difference in how each movement opens very distinct areas of the rib cage.
7. Now, move a little higher into the sternocleidomastoid and scalenes. Place your fingers on the hollow just above your clavicle and lean your head slightly back to engage the sternocleidomastoid. Can you feel your breath moving up into this area and releasing away on your exhalation.
8. Repeat with the scalenes along the side of the neck.

Enjoy your practice everyone!