Pillar two ยท Activating
Twisting breath
Breath and movement on the same beat. A warm-up that works your core, before training or before the day.
Watch
The pattern
- 01Sit or stand with your arms out in front, palms together.
- 02Twist to one side, breathing in gently through the mouth as you go.
- 03At the end of the twist, force all the air out through the nose and pull your stomach in hard.
- 04Twist back the other way, breathing in again on the way across.
- 05Force it out at the end of that side too.
- 06Keep alternating for about ten minutes.
Pick something to look at and keep it. Your thumbs or your fingertips both work. What you are after is the breath starting to happen by itself at each end of the twist.
If the breath and the twist come apart, slow the twist down until they line up again.
How it lands
Your stomach is doing most of it. It also puts you somewhere your body does not usually go, which is half the point.
What it does
- Warms you up before training
- Works the core
- Puts breath and movement on the same beat
- Takes you out of your usual range
- Boosts immunity and brings inflammation down
The rest of this pillar
- 30 reps a set Priming breath Wakes the body up. Morning, or before training.
- 1-5 minutes Breath of fire Forceful both ways. Builds heat.
- 15-25 steps a round Buteyko breathing A held walk. Runs while you are moving.
- 50 reps or 2-7 minutes Kapalabhati Forceful exhale only. Works the stomach.
- 30 seconds to 5 minutes Igniter breath Warms you up fast. After cold water, or before training.
- 10-20 minutes Heart opening breath Loud on the exhale. Clears the deck before the day.
- 30 seconds to 5 minutes Kundalini Bhastrika Breath of fire, arms overhead. Harder.
- 10-15 minutes Digestion igniter Lion's breath and a stomach vacuum. Standing.
- About 20 minutes Dynamic breathwork Forty breaths and holds. The big one in this pillar.