Step 9: Engagement While Breathing
Time for a new step! Now that you have practiced and refined your ability to expand your lungs on inhale, contract on exhale, and also learned to comfortably extend your breath, you’re ready for a new challenge: maintaining engagement of your abdominal muscles for the full cycle of one breath.
You already know how to engage your muscles during an exhale, now you’re working on sustaining engagement of your muscles even while inhaling. Yes, this is a big new challenge, so let’s work in a lying down position.
Establish your mindful pace of breathing, expanding your lungs and belly when you inhale, then contracting your lungs and belly when you exhale.
in - pause - exhale - pause
Once you establish your cadence, maintain the engagement of your abdominal muscles and continue breathing for four breaths. This may feel quite strange and you’ll likely notice that your inhales are shallower when you keep your abdominal muscles engaged. That is normal and to be expected.
Rest for 2-3 normal breaths.
Then re-establish mindful breathing, maintain the engagement of your abdominal muscles and continue breathing for four more breaths.
Rest for 2-3 normal breaths, then continue to the recovery postures.
Recovery
After you do the strengthening posture, follow up with these key movements to help your body relax and recover.
You did it! Mark your Tracker with today’s date!
You’re doing great work! Are you feeling a little stronger each day? Are you noticing any changes in your regular daily activities?
Keep practicing Step 9 for at least 7 days, or up to 14 days.
When you feel you’ve mastered Step 9, continue to Step 10.