Types of breathing

9 December 2024

Breathing is generally something you do automatically and pay little or no attention to. When you do pay attention to it, you may notice that there are different kinds and types of breathing. For instance, someone may have high chest breathing, while others may have low abdominal breathing. And then there are also differences in the number of breaths per minute.

Chest type breathing

When a person inhales and the chest and shoulders move upwards, we speak of chest-type breathing. A chest-type breath is a physical observation that too hard is being worked to do something as natural as breathing in. When breathing in high, the air in the lungs reaches only the upper part of the lungs where the fewest branches of the bronchi and alveoli are located. As a result, the alveoli in the lower part of the lungs are not reached. Instead of using all available alveoli, chest breathing takes a lot of energy. Did you know that one minute of chest breathing is equivalent to lifting 60 kg over your head? So an extremely tiring action for the body. Breathing low from the flanks and diaphragm brings oxygen to the lower part of the lungs, giving you more efficiency from an inhalation, which means the body has to work less hard.

Abdominal type breathing

Breathing through the abdomen is physically impossible, since the lungs are not in the abdomen but in the chest cavity. When one speaks of abdominal breathing, this refers to a low inhalation. The organs in the abdominal cavity expand slightly as the diaphragm flattens. An ideal inhalation is soundless and noiseless through the nose, with the chest and shoulders remaining (virtually) still. The only thing visually visible are the ribs/flanks moving outward. By breathing in gently through the nose, the air is purified through the nasal hairs and mucous membranes. In addition, as little tension as possible is put on the diaphragm muscle (breathing muscle). Blow out immediately after the inhalation. The exhalation and subsequent pause provide rest and relaxation. Your body automatically signals again when it needs the next inhalation.

Training breathing

By consciously training breathing through targeted exercises, your body eventually learns to do the same subconsciously. Del Ferro’s breathing exercises improve lung capacity and relaxation, while improving fitness and recovery after exercise. As a result, you feel less stressed throughout the day and can focus better.

Written by Ingrid Del Ferro

Ingrid Del Ferro is the director of the Del Ferro Institute and an international authority on stuttering therapy and breathing. Through her unique method, she trains the diaphragm to overcome physical blocks. Her expertise is sought after worldwide to resolve breathing difficulties (such as hyperventilation) and achieve hyperfocus in elite sports. Read More About Ingrid Here >>

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