3. More Advanced Abdominal Breathing

As you practice Abdominal Breathing, you should focus always on maintaining the proper technique, both in the breathing exercise itself, as well as in maintaining the proper standing position as you breathe.

If you can consistently practice this for twice a day, at least ten minutes per session, and feel comfortable with the exercise after a week or two, then try to advance to a higher level, by slowing down the rhythm of your breathing. As mentioned earlier, you want the breathing rhythm to be such that your exhalation takes at least twice as long as your inhalation. In other words, if you take two counts to breathe in, you should be taking four counts to breathe out. You should also extend the period of holding your breath in a similar manner.

If you have been maintaining this rhythm, now try to slow down holding your breath and exhalation even more, so that it is four times as slow as your inhalation. So if you still take two counts to breathe in, take eight counts to hold your breath and breathe out. Alternatively, you can take fuller breaths as you inhale by taking four counts, instead of your usual two, to breathe in, and eight counts (two times four) to breathe out. If you already breathe at a 2 to 8 ratio, try a 2 to 16 ratio, taking 16 counts to breathe out, and so on. The goal is to slow your breathing as much as possible, so that you are taking fuller breaths, but still maintaining a breathing rhythm.

As your exhalation slows more and more, imagine that you are not really "exhaling" but just letting the air leak out naturally and unnoticeably. This is actually very difficult, since you are still maintaining your abdominal movement as you do this. Most people tend to "relax" when they are told to just let the air out naturally, but this is incorrect. You must maintain the proper technique — the only difference is that now you are exhaling slower and quieter and in a very controlled manner, as if you were in a very quiet room, and you don't want anyone to notice or hear you breathing out. Once you master this "quiet" Abdominal Breathing and can perform it with the proper technique "automatically," you will be ready for the next level of exercises.

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