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14. Straw Breathing

Using a straw is a great way to help facilitate your abdominals to engage more during your exhale. This helps you take a more efficient and effective breath as well as help your postural alignment, nervous system regulation and even help facilitate lip closure.

Equipment needed: 

  • Chair with a book/block under your feet so that your knees are at or above your hips. 
  • Straw: the smaller the diameter the more abdominal engagement you will facilitate. It is suggested to compress the straw to increase resistance.

 Instructions:

    1. Sit on a chair with a book/block under your feet so that your knees are at or above your hips.
    2. Round out your low back so that you roll back onto your sit bones. You will be slouching a little.  Do not arch your back or stick your chest out. 
    3. Reach your arms out in front of you by resting them on your legs.
    4. Place the straw between your lips and create a seal around it. Try to keep it horizontal to the ground.
    5. Inhale gently and slowly through your nose only.
    6. During your exhale, blow into the straw trying to prolong the time of your exhale as you get every last drop of air out of your lungs. You will also sense your abdominals and front lower ribs folding into your belly. 
    7. Pause until you sense a mild amount of air hunger. This is the cue for you to take your next inhale. If you feel air hunger after you finish your exhale then there is no need to pause.
    8. Inhale as fully as you can without your neck engaging and reach forward with your arms. You should sense your mid back expanding. 
    9. Exhale via blowing into the straw. 
    10. Complete 3-4 sets of 5 cycles.

Perform 2-3x/day for the next 1-3 days and then as often as desired. *Unless otherwise directed

  • Optionally, use your testing technique to determine your optimal frequency and duration to perform.

 

Goals: Be able to feel the following with your neck relaxed:

  1. Front lower ribs descending into your stomach
  2. Abdominals engaging and drawing in during exhalation
  3. No more than a mild amount of air hunger during the pause before you inhale
  4. Extend the duration of your exhale to at least 10 seconds

 

 

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