The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Hot Yoga *faq* › Breathing
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I’m relatively new to Bikram/Hot Yoga as I’ve been practicing for 2 months now. Of course, I’ve fallen in love and can’t possibly comprehend life without it!
My question is regarding breathing….it’s definitely my nemesis! I know that you are supposed to only breathe through your nose, but, I can’t seem to do it. I get all panicky and feel as though I can’t get enough oxygen. One of the teachers at my studio is REALLY focused on it and has been stressing that it is the priority, before focusing on the details of the pose. I have made a bit of progress since starting and can now do it maybe 10% of class compared to 0% when I started. I feel like I’m moving in the right direction, however, I feel as though the teacher is directing her comments to me without specifically stating my name. That causes me to wonder if I’m just not doing it right or that something is wrong????
Thanks for any and all advice!
Namaste 😀
Hi Mindy
You know what? I have a video that will help you a great deal (well, I hope so!). It will give you the science behind how to breathe as well as some practical tips and techniques. Here’s the link here: Effective Breathing In Hot Yoga.
On the main page where you find all the other free technique videos currently available. Check them out here: Hot Yoga Doctor Free Technique Videos.
I hope you find them useful
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂…I feel as though the teacher is directing her comments to me without specifically stating my name. That causes me to wonder if I’m just not doing it right or that something is wrong????
LOL, My instructor does that too – I think it’s to make sure my inner critic stops at, “My _____ really sucks today,” versus, “My _____ really sucks today AND NOW EVERYONE ELSE HERE KNOWS IT AND THEY’RE ALL WATCHING ME STRUGGLE.” 😉 She did tell us that it is her job to push us, but she has no way of knowing what our limits are on any particular day – and so no matter what she says, we need to be able to tune her out and tune in to what our bodies are telling us.Re: the breathing, I get like that too sometimes – and if I start gulping air, I get too much oxygen and end up feeling just as woozy. And I haven’t figured out how to stop the feeling once it starts… so I’m going to watch Gabrielle’s video (Thanks!) 🙂
In any case, breathing is something I started practicing in my car as I drive to work – that way I can make as many weird breathing noises as I have to and I’m not worried if my stomach is sticking out. I also add some soothing yoga-type music – and by the time I get to work, I’m able to start the day on a positive note.
Lots of great advice on the video and loads to think/work on now! Thanks, Gabrielle
Nynn, It’s good to know I”m not the only one! 😉
You’re welcome…
As far as your feelings that the teacher is singling you out without mentioning your name… :cheese: Congratulations you are on your way to learning how to cope with feedback without reacting. You’re not quite there yet. But see if you can check into your own process. Notice too that when feedback is given if you can tell when it can apply to you or not. You will get to a point where whether it does it doesn’t apply to you, you will simply check into your body and work out whether the adjustment is to occur, where and how.
I can assure you that no one is there thinking “oh there she goes again, doing it wrong – I am sick of hearing that adjustment” ;). That just doesn’t happen. For the most part we all go through a similar process in class.
Namaste
Gabrielle 😉I too have problem doing the first Standing Deep Breathing and the last Blowing In Firm exercise. I can’t seen to make the “weird” noise with the rest of the class.
Hi Jeffrey
The buzzing, honking, loud singing noise that some people make in Pranayama is absolutely unnecessary. If you check out the video mentioned above you will find a demonstration of how to do it with a maximum of results for the effort expended. FWIW: If I make “that weird sound” it actually makes it harder for me to draw my breath in more deeply.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Anonymous
GuestNovember 3, 2009 at 3:28 amPost count: 98Hi Gabrielle! I hear you totally on the breathing thing. It kind of makes me laugh when I hear the mmmmMMMMMM singing IN breathing in Pranayama, cause it should be an oceany sound IF you are doing it right and not activating your vocal cords but are constricting your throat!
And I have found that breathing is essential. I think we breathe differently according to how we feel and if you are in class and stressed about something, you may struggle with shallow breathing the entire time. I know that I have to focus on my breathing specifically.
Thanks for this website — it truly has been a lifesaver.
FreiaEffective Breathing In Hot Yoga.
OMG. I tried this in my last class and it made a HUGE difference!!! For the first time ever, I didn’t get shaky legs and fall out of Awkward and my arms didn’t collapse in Balancing Stick. And the floor series was waaay better. All this time I’ve been attributing the problem to low blood sugar (I’m hypoglycemic), when really it must have been my breathing.
I noticed I have a tendency to clasp my hands in prayer in front of me and then lift them over my head – and it doesn’t let my shoulders turn out as well. But if I lift my arms to the sides and clasp my hands over my head, my shoulders go back much further behind my ears and my arms don’t tire out as much.
Thanks Gabrielle!
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