Last week's follow up talked about the importance of lateral ( rib cage) breathing for stability.
Today I want to make a CASE for full body breathing, so that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how intimately rib cage breathing is connected to our overall health and well-being.
This goes WAY BEYOND just stability.
Here are 3 profound benefits to having the rib cage participate fully in our breathing:
1. Movement of the rib cage raises the upper part of the torso away from the pelvis, leaving more room for internal organs.
When we slouch or hold our breath, our internal organs are squeezed between the diaphragm ( diaphragm is a parachute-like muscle that sits below the lungs; it separates chest from abdomen) and the pelvic floor.
Abdominal organs have a difficult time operating under such conditions, and this additional pressure can predispose us for an organ prolapse or a hernia.
2. Mobile rib cage promotes resiliency in the spine.
The tips of each pair of ribs attach to corresponding vertebra - the bones of your back; when your ribs move, your spinal column lengthens.
This movement eases tension in the back and restores spine's ability to cushion and support our weight as we move about.
3. The third benefit of full body breathing is that the increased dimension of the upper rib cage gives neck and head a wider base of support.
In a slumping posture, with the rib cage collapsed and non-elastic, head lacks support, and neck muscles strain to hold the head up, inviting neck tension.
The rib cage is more than just a bony basket that surrounds and protects heart and lungs. Tiny muscles crisscross the rib cage, causing it to operate like a set of Venetian blinds because each rib is connected to the spine via a rotating joint.
Try this visualization - investigation:
Experiment with how this movement feels when lying down, sitting and standing. Can you feel different movement in different positions?
Picture your ribs moving like a cylindrical set of Venetian blinds.
When you inhale, individual ribs rotate ever so slightly as they move up.
It is as though you are opening up the blinds to let more light in.
When you exhale, each rib returns to its initial position, and the entire rib cage moves down - as if the blinds close around your lungs and heart.
Is there a place in the rib cage where this movement is more pronounced?
Less pronounced?
Non-existent?
Can you feel the upper ribs moving as well as the lower ones?
Is there movement in your arm pits?
Behind your collar bones?
Against your shoulder blades?
Does the movement of the rib cage feel familiar or unfamiliar?
Uncovering hidden tension inside our breath is an essential part of rebuilding our stability: a fully mobile, elastic rib cage doesn't just make more room for our lungs to do what they are built to do. It allows our abdominal muscles to focus on stabilizing our torso. It improves our hip mobility. And it settles our nervous system enough to make new brain-muscle patterns possible.
