"Let the breath be your Guru."
Professor Krishnamacharya

Breathing is fundamental to climbing, yoga and without question - life! Breath awareness helps us to be conscious of our thoughts, emotions and feelings. If awareness is developed the breath can become a powerful insight into how our body and mind interact. We can harness this energy in a positive way, creating more consciousness and a healthy physiology.

'By observing my breathing patterns, I discovered that while reaching in stretched-out positions, it was helpful to inhale in order to gain extra lift, and conversely, while making powerful or dynamic moves, it was helpful to exhale air in a quick burst or to make a karate-style grunt.' Lynn Hill, Climbing Free (Free ascent of the nose in a day)

‘Precisely because its ripples influence so many human functions, a thorough understanding of the breath provides a powerful tool for expanding our awareness of the various dimensions of the body and mind.’ Science of Breath



Listen to the free flow of your breath!
The breath energizes and sustains every cell of our body. It nourishes everything in its path. It is like the freshness of water. It is with us every second of our lives, but most people pay little attention to it. Our breath is mainly unconscious and regulated by the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic is derived from the word 'autonomy', it has the quality of being 'independent' of the conscious mind. Even though air and muscular movements happily tick over by themselves we can influence the breath consciously through breath awareness and Pranayama (breath-control). We can discover unconscious, negative breathing patterns and replace them with more beneficial ones. By changing the breath we have a direct influence on the autonomic nervous system and the mind.

Science has proven that the response of the Vagus nerve is strengthened when you prolong the exhalation of your breath. The fibres of the Vagus nerve are connected to your lungs. The parasympathetic nervous system is activated and your mental state is calmed.

Breathe a shining light into your mind
Breath awareness shines a light into the workings of our mind. By observing the mind (thoughts, emotions, desires, intentions, perceptions and expectations) we can free ourselves of the knots that bind! Observing the breath allows us to take a deep look at the nature of mental formations such as fear, anger and anxiety and helps to bring about an understanding of how our mind works. To improve your mind when leading routes, you need to be aware of how it works. The breathing process is connected directly to the brain and the central nervous system. The breath can control the flickering nature of the mind. If you can control the breath you can control the mind.

Breathe and understand emotions
Emotions and feelings have a strong connection with the breath and are expressed in the way that we breathe. When your breathing reacts to an emotion your body also reacts. We constrict our breath when we feel sadness or fear creating more tension and oxygen deprivation in the body, hold our breath when we feel pain, force our breath with anger, and breathe easy with happiness. By changing the breath pattern we can change the emotions. By changing the rate and depth of our breath we can directly influence our physical condition - heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of parasympathetic and sympathetic activation. It can make us excited or calm, tense or relaxed. Shallow, rapid breathing can trigger the sympathetic system (fight or flight response).

Breathe and energize your immune system
There are two main fluid systems in the body, the blood and lymph. Blood flows through the cardiovascular system, while lymph flows through the lymphatic system. In addition to one way valves to help push along the fluid, lymph circulation and cleansing depends mainly upon deep breathing and skeletal muscle contractions.

Stress can impede blood flow
In the cardiovascular system, the body responds to stress by constricting the smaller blood vessels - these smaller blood vessels are located the farthest from the heart. They are the arterioles, capillaries, and venules. Constricted blood flow due to stress is experienced as cold hands and feet. Deep breathing can release accumulated stress and muscle tension.

Listen to the breath, like Siddhartha listened to the river!

Respiratory System (Air movements)
The respiratory system consists of the mouth, nose, trachea, bronchi, lungs, bronchioles and the alveoli. We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. The breath supplies oxygen to the blood and the blood delivers oxygen to all parts of the body. Every cell in the body needs to breathe – taking up oxygen, burning fuel, generating energy and giving off carbon dioxide. Oxygen (air) enters the respiratory system through the mouth and the nose. It then passes through the larynx, and the trachea (windpipe). The trachea splits into two smaller tubes called the bronchi which lead directly into each of the lungs. Both then branch out into many smaller air passages (bronchioles), like the roots of a tree, which then connect to tiny sacs or bubbles called alveoli. Most people have about 300 million of these spongy, air filled sacs in each lung. It is here where the gas exchange occurs. The inhaled oxygen passes into the air sacs and then diffuses through the capillaries into the blood stream. Meanwhile, the waste-rich blood from the veins releases its carbon dioxide into the alveoli. The carbon dioxide follows the same path out of the lungs when you exhale. Your left lung is slightly smaller than your right lung, to make space for your heart.

Thoracic Diaphragm (Muscular movements)
Three main sets of muscles are active when you breathe normally; the intercostals, the abdominal muscles, and the respiratory diaphragm. The thoracic diaphragm is often considered the primary breathing muscle. It is a dome-shaped muscle located in the rib cage. Its position divides the body almost in half. The lungs rest above the diaphragm with the heart nestled in between. The inhale is created by the contraction of the diaphragm, it flattens out and pulls downwards which expands the rib cage and creates more space for the lungs, pushing the abdominal muscles doenward which causes the abdomen to bulge forward. This larger space pulls air into the lungs. When you breathe out, the diaphragm expands upwards, likea parachute, reducing the amount of space for the lungs and forcing air out. If you put your hands on the sides of your rib cage you can feel the diaphragm in action. Diaphragmatic breathing is physiologically the most efficient way of breathing. This type of breathing happens when you inhale and the diaphragm moves downwards and the abdominals move passively outwards. This is also known as belly breathing. It allows more air into the lungs. This also gives a rhythmic massage to the abdominal organs promoting circulation. No muscles contract on exhalation. The lungs recoil shrinking back to their original size expeling air.

Pranayama
Pranayama, the art of yogic breathing, is the control of the movements of the breath. It is the fourth limb in the eight limbs of the yoga tree. It is a unique method for balancing the autonomic nervous system, influencing psychological and stress-related disorders.

‘Prana’ means breath, respiration, life, vitality, energy or strength. ‘Ayama’ means stretch, extension, expansion, length, breadth, regulation, prolongation, restraint or control. Light on Pranayama, BKS Iyengar

"It also helps control the flickering nature of the mind. Prana in Sanskrit means the energy of life, while ayama means stretch, extend, expand or lengthen. And that is the purpose of it: to manipulate the breathing to increase and manage the circulation of vital energy, prana, through the nadis or subtle nerve channels through the body. This assists in the health, vitality and longevity of the body. It is also said to awaken the cerebrospinal nerve centers to their full potential." Pattabhi Jois

Mindful Awareness of the Breath
Is a way to connect to the present moment. Mindfulness Meditation (Insight Meditation) begins with awareness of the breath and it is through the cultivation of mindfulness that insight develops. Breath awareness is not the same as Pranayama (breath-control). We simply observe the breath as it is moment to moment (it may be fast or slow, smooth or rough, constricted or loose), and don't try to change it. When a thought, feeling or emotion distracts us we return our focus to the breath. The breath is used as an anchor to the present. By observing your breath you will immediately be in the moment. The practice is subtle and attention has to be focused.

To practice mindfulness breathing, sit in a comfortable cross legged position with the spine straight. Begin to focus on the breath, be aware as it goes in and out of the nostrils. Keep your attention on the tip of your nose or your upper lip. Bring your awareness to connect to the first moment of the beginning 'in breath'. Do not try and change the breath, just be with it exactly as it is and observe. It is difficult at the beginning to keep one hundred percent of attention on the in and out breath as you will find that your mind is full of distractions. When a thought, emotion or feeling (physical sensation), image or sound distracts you; recognize it but then let it go and bring your focus back to the simple in and out of the breath. Begin at first to keep full attention for the duration of that one in breath. Connect again at the very beginning of the out breath and follow it to the end. Feel the one breath fully. Once you have sustained the attention one breath then do one more and so on. Don't set a time or a number of breaths. Just focus on the one breath in and the one breath out. It is easier to concentrate in this way. Bringing the mind back to the breath trains the mind to be attentive and mindful. It takes effort, but slowly the mind will grow stronger.

Complete Yogic Breath
(Diaphragm, Thoracic, Clavicular)
The complete yogic breath incorporates all three methods in a full and rhythmic movement. Lie down in Savasana (Corpse Posture) and close your eyes. Breathe only through your nose. Bring your attention to your breath. Empty the lungs entirely. Slowly inhale and feel the diaphragm lowering, allowing air to enter the lungs. The upper abdomen swells filling the bottom of the lungs with air. The ribs will now expand outwards - don't strain. Lastly the clavicles (collar bones) will raise filling the lungs completely. Breathe out in the same way.

Three strong 'releasing breaths'
When preparing for a crux move and you need to let go (of gear, fear) to be in the moment, take a deep breath and release it forcefully. Do this three times. I usually do this just before relaxing into Savasana (Corpse Posture) at the end of asana practice. I found that it naturally carried over into leading trad routes when you had to let go and be in the moment.

Ujjayi (Victorious/ Powerful/ Expansive) Breathing
The Ujjayi breath [victorious/powerful/ expansive breath] is emphasized in Ashtanga Yoga. The sound created in Ujjayi breathing gives the mind something to focus on, like a Mantra. It is a similar noise that waves make as they are pulled back into the ocean on a pebbly beach.

Ujjayi breathing stimulates vagal nerve afferents to the brain, ultimately increasing attention and vigilance.

The increase in vagal tone reduces the effects of stress on the heart by decreasing heart rate. This can be carried over to climbing in times of stress, keeping the mind and body in homeostasis. Ujjayi breathing is great when focusing on hard moves. Surya Namaskar Ka (Sun Salutation A) is a good way to practice the Ujjayi breathing. Attention is of utmost importance in climbing. If you can focus your attention on your breath, then you will be climbing in the moment.

To practice the Ujjayi breathing sit in a comfortable cross legged position, with the spine straight. Note that the 'sound' of the Ujjayi breath is easier to create on the out breath. Take a deep breath through the nose and then let it out through the mouth whispering softly the sound 'Hhhaaa'. Take a few breaths like this and then halfway through an exhale close your mouth letting the air through the nose. The noise will still be created while exhaling. The back of the throat is slightly tightened in order to do this. Once you have got used to the sound exhaling then you can practice making the same soft sound inhaling. This breath has also been described as the Darth Vadar, wind through the trees and a distant ocean.

Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) Purification of the nerves....
To practice Nadi Shodhana, sit in a comfortable cross legged position with the head, neck and trunk erect and in a straight line. Balance - sit evenly on sitting bones. Rest the back of your left hand on your knee, the thumb and index finger should be joined to form a circle (Chin Mudra). This is a symbol of wisdom. Close the first two fingers of the right hand towards the palm - this can be tricky for some! The ring finger and the pinky are used for closing the left nostril and the thumb is used for closing the right nostril. Take a deep breath in and then exhale. On your next inhale close the right nostril with the thumb and breathe only through the left nostril. Close the left nostril with the ring and pinky and breathe out through the right, then breathe in. Close the right nostril and then breathe out through the left. This counts as one cycle.

Inhale through the left nostril
Exhale through the right nostril
Inhale through the right nostril
Exhale through the left nostril

Try seven to ten cycles. Stay aware of the breath and try to equalize the in and out breaths. Add more as you feel ready. Nadi Shodhana helps control stress and anxiety.

"In the language of ancient times, both soul and spirit are described with the metaphor of the breath of life. The words for soul in Sanskrit (atman), Greek (psyche), and Latin (anima) all mean breath. The same is true for the words for 'spirit' in Latin (spiritus), Greek (pneuma), and Hebrew (ruah). These too mean breath" Fritjof Capra, The Hidden Connections

Nadi Shodhana Research
"Pranayama increases grip strength without lateralized effects."
"Breathing through a particular nostril can alter metabolism and autonomic activities."