Reverse Breathing

[neijiachuan]

I practice this breathing technique myself. I was wondering how many internal martial arts practitioners out there also use this technique?

Regards,

neijiachuan

[Eight Diagram Boxer]

Mainly in xingyi I use reverse breathing.

Knowing others is wisdom, Knowing the self is enlightenment- Lao Tzu

[Vapour]

I notice that in some martial arts style they encourage you to do reverse breathing, that is to expand your abdominal when breathing out and to contract it when breathing in.

Another thing I notice is that in Aikido, it is harder style of aikido which practice this method. My suspicion is that it is similar in Kung Fu. My question is whether any soft martial arts style practice this breathing method and if there are, can you tell me what is the point of this method?

[Crimson Phoenix]

I do believe internal arts use it...someone correct me if I'm wrong.

This breathing is used to energize yourself more efficiently...it is the natural breathing you adopt when you, for example, intend to push a heavy object.
Try it, go in your backyard, breath in and push your car to make it move...you will be reverse breathing without even wondering...

[Vapour]

Originally posted by Crimson Phoenix
I do believe internal arts use it...someone correct me if I'm wrong.

This breathing is used to energize yourself more efficiently...it is the natural breathing you adopt when you, for example, intend to push a heavy object.
Try it, go in your backyard, breath in and push your car to make it move...you will be reverse breathing without even wondering...

Yes, you are right. When I pushed against the wall of my room, my stomach did tence up. But that is a problem. My body tense up.

We actually do pushing wall exercise to learn appropriate feel for push as well as to develop stamina. However, we are adviced to relax our body at the end of every push before releasing our hands from the wall. Our aim in pushing or any execution of technique is to be relax throughout the execution of techniques. When I did relax, my stomach contracted.

In our school, rather than tensing up at the end of a punch or a block like karate, we are told to relax and let it go when executing any technique.

One reason for this is so that our technique flow from one to another without interuption. Another reason we relax at the end of excecution of any techniques is that we are aiming to create release of power (fa-jing) from relaxation.

The best analogy is throwing a ball. When you throw a ball, you let go of the ball by your hand rather than tensing up your hand. Otherwise ball (power) won't be released.

I also can see merit of this breathing method. It will force practioner to concentrate their mind to dantien and to coordinate their movements with breathing.

Since I'm only familiar with one style of taijiquan I would appreciate any corrections if I'm wrong but this breathing method seems to be inappropriate for taijiquan.

Anyway, I do appreciate your comment. It's provided me with another insight regarding taijiquan.

[ddh]

In my experience reverse breathing should be learned after full development in abdominal breathing. This takes time. The reason for this is quite simple. Reverse breathing puts pressure on the heart and other organs if abdominal breathing is not developed. It can be damaging if you are not trained in a proper manner. Personally, I advise getting expert help in this kind of training.

[RAF]

In general, to effectively punch with fa-jing expression involves reverse breathing.

[Stacey]

ever read accounts of tai chi masters using reverse breathing to pop rice grains to the ceiling? Then you hear that in combat its all about the heng and ha and not about baby breathing. It seems to me that silk realing and reverse breathing equal combat effectiveness even more so than specific technique.

what do you guys think? Ever practice with rice? Do you have to be fat to do it? I can't make it go very high. Are the hips involved in the breathing?

[Laughing Cow]

Stacey.

Nope, don't practice with rice. Never read about nor did any of my teachers ever mention it.

Most of TJQ guys I know are rather trim and wiry. (exceptions exist = me)

I would agree that silk-reeling, reverse breathing and other things are more important for combat effectiveness than techniques.

If the foundation is lacking you can't build a solid big house on it.

Seeya.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

The effects of reverse breathing are too numerous and profound to go into detail here.. "just do it"... Aside from that, there are also body mechanics involved, like very expressive "peng", like the supple wave that rolls up the spine, and.. yes, the vertical rotation of the hips (pelvis) as you close and tighten the "floor" of the torso (perinium)..

Consider the form.. as you retreat (roll-back) you should be inhaling, you should also be compressing the DanTien (abdominals) = reverse breathing... as you roll-back, as you inhale, as you compress the Dantien, these are all Yin actions = "triple Yin" (Sa Yin).. similarly, as you move forward, as you exhale, as you expand the Dantien and roll the spine to expand the chest in a subtle vertical whipping motion, these are all Yang actions = triple Yang (Sa Yang).. so we acheive full yin or full yang through reverse breathing.. not to mention the great abdominal workout and excellent internal organ massage we get in the process..

In the roll of combat, reverse breathing seems to be the norm.. the triple yang mentioned above is my normal attacking movement.. triple yin is my normal defense during a retreating/redirecting movement.. Reverse breathing also moves energy appropriately.. while compressing, energy (Chi) is pumped out of the Dantien into circulation.. while expanding, energy is directed to the application..

Anyhow, that has been my instruction and experience.. Be well..

[GeneChing]

Just Breathe and READ Internal Energy Cultivation Secret Method: Dantian Back Breathing Method by Xinghong Wang

[YinOrYan]

Just Breathe and READ Internal Energy Cultivation Secret Method: Dantian Back Breathing Method by Xinghong Wang

That is very interesting that the Dantian Back Breathing Method may increase capacity of reverse breathing! Will have to test that for a while. These days I use it mostly when lifting weights, in particular with the military-press for the shoulders...

[mickey]

Just Breathe and READ Internal Energy Cultivation Secret Method: Dantian Back Breathing Method by Xinghong Wang

Really? This is supposed to be something new? WTF


mickey

[YinOrYan]

Really? This is supposed to be something new? WTF
mickey

That's new to me! When I learned reverse breathing no one told me there could be extra capacity back there. This blows my mind, haha

[GeneChing]

Really? This is supposed to be something new? WTF

mickey

Please keep in mind that we cater to beginners, as well as intermediate and advanced practitioners. Our beginner pool is of the utmost importance because that's where our community grows. I used to always try to include a 'Bubba' article in every magazine. 'Bubba' is a dude to don't know nuthin bout martial arts. And you never know where someone is on the path, so someone like YinOrYan, who we know very well here as an active poster, might glean something useful.