Hey Friends! .. Today’s science is all about the breath .. I know that for most ...

... of us we don't think that much about the breath, after all is something that happens naturally without our control; however, I’m a firm believer that generally (even within the yoga community) many of us have weak breathing mechanics, and If we could improve our breathing mechanics then so many other things could be also improved including ROM. ..
So, let’s begin this science with a lesson in anatomy and the biomechanics of breathing ..
The major respiratory muscle is the diaphragm, which, during normal inhalation, contracts and flattens, pushing on the abdomen, while the lower ribs are pushed upwards and outwards (1). Coordinated contraction of the diaphragm, external intercostals, parasternal, sternomastoid and scalene muscles results in expansion of the ribcage and rising of the chest (2,3). This generates a transdiaphragmatic pressure (increased abdominal pressure and decreased thoracic pressure) resulting in a decrease in intrathoracic/intrapleural pressure and subsequent ventilation of the lungs upon which pulmonary gas exchange occurs (3,4). So, opposite to what many of us believe, real diaphragmatic breathing involves both belly and chest rising (not just belly breath), but even more than focusing on chest and/or belly what we really need to pay attention is to our ribcage moving as we breathe. Exhalation on the other hand, is generally passive, with the diaphragm returning to its domed resting configuration, causing the lungs to deflate and expel air. When breathing effort is increased (like when exercising or doing yoga), however, the expiratory muscles become active; these include abdominal muscles which pull the abdominal wall inwards when contracted, forcing the diaphragm to rise superiorly into the ribcage and deflate the lungs (5). ..
Studies of diaphragm movement and function claim that optimal respiration requires active control of the diaphragm (6); however, in the vast majority of us, the diaphragm has become more of a postural muscle, and our breathing mechanic relies on other accessory muscles
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