Breathing Exercises for Kokikai Aikido - FAQ

In a previous post I outlined step-by-step the practice of breathing exercises for Kokikai Aikido. Here. are a few answers to frequently asked questions about breathing practice.

Of course, it should go without saying that if your lungs are compromised, for example you have emphysema, COPD or asthma, you should seek a doctor's advice before trying any new practice.

Q: Why is this type of breathing practice any different from relaxing and breathing when you are doing other things, like swimming, running, yoga?

A: The reason that a focused, attentive breathing practice is different from all of the above is that you are only doing one thing. When you are only breathing, not breathing-and-exercising or breathing-and-driving, you can pay attention to fine details of your breathing: relaxing particular muscles, opening up particular areas of your chest, and even noticing the thoughts that come up as you do so.

Q: How long should I practice breathing?

A: I think it's less important how long you practice, and more important to practice every day. I have heard some people recommend breathing practice for 40 minutes a day. I don't think I could fit that into my schedule. However, I have gotten great benefits out of maintaining a breathing practice for just 10 minutes a day, when done consistently, every day.  Find a length of time that allows you to practice every day.

Q: Does each breath need to be the same length? 

A: No. Your exhalations also don't need to be the same length every day. The reason to count while breathing is just to help you focus, it's not a race or a competition or a goal.

Q: What should I think about/do while I am practicing breathing exercise?

A: You can focus on the four principles, or one of them, or focus on the body's feelings. Relaxing is very important. Try to really come into your body.

Q: What is the point of doing breathing practice or breathing exercises?

A lot of studies have found benefits to focused breathing. Breathing exercises are often prescribed for people with COPD, sleep apnea, asthma and other lung-related diseases - for the purpose of increasing lung capacity. Other studies have focused on the combined mental/physical benefits such as stress release, better ability to sleep, the ability to become more "detached" from negative thoughts and emotions.

It makes sense when considering the physiological aspects. One effect of stress is often a feeling of tightness in the chest. Relaxing the chest to breathe deeply can initiate the stress release on the physical level, leading to a corresponding release on an emotional level. Increasing lung capacity, bringing more oxygen to the cells, has obvious benefits for physical and mental well-being. The cells in the body, including brain cells, need oxygen to do their work. And of course, more oxygen flow can lead to greater stamina when performing physical exercise.

Q: Originally I was doing it like you instructed, then I guess I got distracted, and I stopped counting. For most of the time I didn't feel like I was really doing anything.

A: That's OK. When you realize you have gotten distracted, just come back to counting and breathing in a relaxed, slow way. If you keep making the "hheee" sound that can help keep you focused as well.

Q:  I found I got really sleepy and ended up lying down to take a nap.

A: Deep breathing changes the body physiologically, making us relax deeply. Most of us seldom or ever experience deep relaxation. So, don't worry, you probably really needed the stress release. Some people even fall asleep while doing breathing practice. That is certainly not the goal! But don't worry if it happens, especially at first.  Keep trying. It's definitely helping.

Q: What if I get anxious? Sometimes I cant maintain the pace that I started and I find myself panting to catch my breath.

A: Remember that you are in charge. If you can't maintain the pace that you started, then change to a pace that is comfortable for you right now. If you become anxious, open your eyes if that makes you less anxious, allow your breathing to come back to normal, and gently try again, but be kind to yourself!

Q: I can't sit for that long: my back gets tired, my knees hurt.

A: Try sitting in a way that supports your back. You could try sitting in bed, with a pillow or two under your hips and some more behind your back. You can try sitting in a chair with an upright back. Some people practice lying on their backs - this is an option if your back is really hurting. But it doesn't allow your rib cage to expand as much (when you breathe fully, your ribs expand to the back as well as the front and sides), and there may be a tendency to fall asleep.

Q: How is it possible that I am now able to breathe so much more deeply than before?

A: When you learn a little about the physiology of breathing it becomes more clear how this is possible. Breathing involves not just the lungs, but the muscles of the ribcage, and the diaphragm. There are a lot of short muscles connecting the ribs with each other and with the spine. The diaphragm is also a muscle. When we breathe in, the diaphragm contracts (moving down) and opens up space inside the ribcage. The intercostal muscles (connecting the ribs) pull the ribs up, also allowing space for the lungs to expand. It seems counterintuitive but the way we bring air into the lungs is by opening up the space in the ribcage, and creating a vacuum which are rushes in to fill! Strengthening those muscles, and also relaxing them so that they create more space, allows more air to come in. Also, when we practice better posture, with the back of the neck long, the head situated above the shoulders and the shoulders over the hips, and the shoulder blades relaxed over the back ribs, this allows more space for the lungs to fill.

Your lungs aren't really fixed in size, in the same way as your kidneys. Attached to the branches of the bronchial passages are alveoli, small balloon-like air sacs where the exchange of O2/CO2 takes place. Imagine a balloon with no air in it: small and crinkled. When you blow air into it it fills up to take up lots of room. If you put the balloon in a cardboard box, it can't expand all the way, no matter how hard you blow. The alveoli have enough surface area to cover half of a tennis court. The more you relax and practicing allowing your chest to open, the more air you can allow into your lungs.

As long as we're on the subject of the physiology of breathing, keep in mind that the lungs extend quite high up in the chest, just a bit higher than the collarbones. And, when we breathe, our ribcage can expand not just to the front, but to the sides and back as well. You may want to try being more conscious of these two ideas, for a few breathing sessions, to see if they help you allow the lungs to expand more.

Q: I suck at this.

A: All of us, for some reason, want to compare ourselves to others. You can be confident that you don't "suck" at breathing, you've been doing it all your life, and doing a pretty good job. You are doing the best that you can right now at this time. That's actually fantastic. When you feel a lack of confidence, just note the thought. It's just a thought. Thoughts aren't necessarily true and we don't have to believe them.

Q:  I can't extend my breath any longer than what I've been doing:  I've reached a plateau. Should I keep practicing?

A: Yes. This is the most important time to continue! Maybe let go of the goal of "extending your exhale for longer."  A lot of us lose interest in an activity when we feel that we're not "progressing." But some of the greatest rewards of a practice like this are to be found once we let go of the goal of "improving" or reaching some arbitrary milestone.

Q: Some people say you should hold your breath at the end of the inhale and the same at the end of the exhale. Should I be doing that?

A:  Once you have the general idea of breathing practice and are comfortable with the sitting, the breathing deeply, and counting as you breathe, you may want to try this: When you inhale, try holding your breath for a few (2 or 3) seconds before you exhale. Only do so if you can do it comfortably, without a big explosion as you exhale, and also as long as it doesn't make you breathless. The benefit of holding the inhalation is it gives the alveoli a chance to open and absorb more oxygen. (The alveoli are the functional units of the lungs that permit the exchange of oxygen between the air in the lungs and the blood in the capillaries in the lungs.)

Also, try exhaling as much as you can and then holding this for a few seconds. You may find this uncomfortable or it may even be a bit frightening, but if you remember it's all under your own control, you may find it to be quite calming. 

Q: Why don't we try to extend the inhalation?

A: The reason we don't work on extending the inhalation in Kokikai Aikido breathing practice is that this is a martial arts practice. When you exert yourself for self-defense, your exertion will be more effective during your exhalation. You can test it yourself: try practicing kokyudosa while inhaling, then try again while exhaling and you will experience the difference.

There's nothing wrong with practicing extending your inhalation as well - it is done in other traditions. It's just not how we practice Kokikai breathing technique.

Q: Do I have to make that sound? My roommate thinks I'm crazy.

A: One great reason for making a sound while you practice breathing is that the "hheee" sound gives you constant feedback as to whether your breathing is smooth, relaxed and consistent. Another is that it helps your mind stay focused. There may be beneficial physiological reasons for "making a sound" as you breathe, as the slight contraction of the muscles at the back of the throat increases the turbulence of the air passing through the nose and throat.

If your roommate is giving you funny looks, you don't have to make the sound, or maybe you can do it very quietly!

Q: I have too many thoughts. I keep getting distracted and find that I've been daydreaming for several minutes.

A: When you realize you have become distracted,  gently bring your attention back to the sound of your breathing, and to your body. Check in with your posture, see if you are relaxed, find one point, check your positive mind. This will happen many times, and each time just come back to your breathing and four basic principles, without any judgment. This practice itself, the coming back to your breathing, has the effect of releasing stress, and sometimes these thoughts and daydreams are the product if the stress release itself. Just accept that this is part if the process, and come back to the breath.

Q: Should I have my eyes open or closed?

A: Most people recommend that the eyes be half-open - not so closed that you are likely to daydream, and not so open that you will be looking around the room at what's going on. Some people are made anxious by having their eyes fully open or fully closed. It may not be easy to find that "half-closed" state, either. Try and see what works for you.

Q. What kind of timer should I use?

A: There are plenty of good "meditation timer" apps for phones, tablets and personal computers. There are also physical devices available, although in that case my preference would be to just use a clock (don't turn on a typical alarm - too disturbing!).

Check out the Insight Timer, or the Zazen Meditation Timer.

Q. I also practice other breathing techniques/pranayama/kalabata breathing/deerga pranayama, etc. Will they interfere with this practice or will this practice interfere with them?

A: No.

Q: It's hard to do this every day. It's hard to find the time. I'm too busy.

A: Try to do it at the same time every day. Early works well for many people, for others later is better. Make sure you are not practicing it for so long every day that it becomes a burden. Maybe you can find 10 minutes, before the kids wake up, before you have had your first cup of tea or coffee, and before you have checked your email. Maybe you can find 5 or 10 minutes at work that you set aside every day. Or maybe it's 15 minutes just after you get home and before you make dinner.

Q: Do I have to hold my hands in a particular way?

A: No. You can rest them in your lap in a way that's comfortable. Some people like lay one hand on top of the other, palms upward, or use "dyani mudra" in which the thumb-tips are touching, but none of that is necessary.

Q: I stopped doing daily breathing and I'm having a hard time getting back to it.

A: If you're having trouble getting back into the habit, try reminding yourself of the benefits of practice. Did you experience greater calmness? More stamina? More ability to move easily? Less stress? Reminding yourself if these things can help keep you on track. If you have had a difficult day, try breathing for five minutes at the end of the day - before you pour that glass of wine. Breathing practice while driving (eyes open of course!) can be very beneficial. It's easy to be distracted and is not a substitute, but very good in a pinch, and a great way to relax from a stressful day at the office or to prepare for one.

Q: I got sick and my exhales are only half the length they were before. Should I wait till I'm feeling better to do breathing exercises again?

A: That's actually a very personal decision. For me it has to do with whether I feel comfortable sitting with my back unsupported (in this case, you can do yourself a favor and support your back while sitting). Breathing exercises may help you feel better, sooner, but they may overtax your body. You may want to give it a careful try, don't expect too much of yourself and give yourself a "pass" if you're too tired to practice for your usual length of time.