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Pranayama | Deep Breathing

Foundational Breathwork for Vitality and Focus

Pranayama is the opening breathing exercise of the Bikram Yoga series. It expands the lungs to maximum capacity, improves lung elasticity, and increases oxygenation by utilizing the throat as the primary breathing passage.

Setup and Posture

  • Stance: Feet together with toes and heels touching; weight remains entirely on the heels.
  • Grip: All ten fingers (including thumbs) tightly interlocked directly under the chin. Knuckles must stay glued to the chin throughout the exercise.
  • Body Mechanics: Spine remains perfectly straight with relaxed shoulders. The chest must not collapse, and there is no backward bending of the spine, only the arms and head move. Hips are pushed slightly forward with the hip muscles contracted and tight.

The Breathing Cycle

The exercise consists of two sets of 10 breath cycles. Each inhale and exhale is synchronized with body movements and must take exactly six seconds.

1. The Inhale (Head Down, Arms Up)
  • Mechanics: Inhale deeply through the nose, channeling the air entirely through the throat.
  • Movement: Slowly lower the head down while lifting the elbows up toward the ceiling as high as possible.
  • Abdominals: Suck the stomach in flat against the spine, causing the rib cage and intercostal muscles to expand and become visible.
  • Goal: Maximize lung expansion with each consecutive breath until the lungs are completely full.
2. The Exhale (Head Up, Elbows Together)
  • Mechanics: Exhale completely through the mouth, channeling the air through the throat to push all the stale air out.
  • Movement: Slowly push the head way back, keeping the eyes open. Bring the knuckles against the chin, and push the elbows forward away from the chest until they touch completely.
  • Goal: Empty the lungs entirely to maximize fresh oxygen intake on the subsequent inhalation.

Key Corrections & Safety

  • Keep Eyes Open: Closing the eyes during the deep breathing or when feeling dizzy can cause a loss of balance.
  • Maintain Grip: Do not let the interlocked hands separate from the chin during execution.
  • Relaxation: After completing both sets, drop the arms to the sides, relax the shoulders, look into the mirror, and stand completely still.

Benefits of Pranayama Practice

Psycho-Physical & Neurobiological Regulation
  • Combats Stress and Depression: Mitigates the widespread negative mental and physical impacts of stress, anxiety, and depression, which often accelerate diseases like asthma and cardiovascular illness.
  • Activates Nerves: Stimulates the nervous system to promote mental and physical equilibrium.
Respiratory Efficiency & Oxygenation
  • Maximizes Lung Capacity: Increases lung utilization from the average 40% to 100%.
  • Hyper-Oxygenates the Body: Floods the system with oxygenated blood, generating significant energy and preventing oxygen debt.
  • Improves Lung Elasticity: Enhances lung expansion and, over time, structurally alters the surrounding rib cage.
Disease Prevention & Physical Conditioning
  • Prevents Respiratory Issues: Helps protect against asthma, shortness of breath, bronchitis, emphysema, and nervousness.
  • Boosts Circulation: Increases blood flow and awakens muscles, making it an effective warm-up prior to exercise.

Pranayama Deep Breathing Technique

Mouth & Throat Positioning

On the inhale create the mouth shape as if you were saying “SO” On the exhale create the mouth shape “HA.” Breathe in and out from the back of your nose and throat. Breathe by compressing the throat creating a stream of air that is so powerful it makes a snoring sound. Once you learn to use your throat, you learn to use your throat while it is relaxed and begin to pull all tension into the abdominal wall until the ribs become visible. When exhaling, make sure that you completely empty your lungs so that you are almost gasping for air by the end of the exhale; this creates a vacuum effect in the lungs which facilitates the next inhalation.

Body Mechanics & Tension
  • Throat Relaxation: Transition to keeping the throat relaxed once the technique is mastered.
  • Core Engagement: Direct all physical tension into the abdominal wall until the ribs become visible.
Lung Capacity & Vacuum Effect
  • Complete Exhalation: Entirely empty the lungs to the point of almost gasping.
  • Vacuum Effect: Achieving a full empty creates a vacuum that facilitates the subsequent inhalation.