Breathing, Form, & Posture

Warmup

Breathwork & Posture

Core-Concepts

Breathing and posture are the foundation of every movement. When practiced together, they give you strength, focus, and control. Whether you’re just starting or refining your practice, returning to your breath and posture throughout your routine will help you move more intentionally and feel more connected to your body.

Oxygen fuels movement. The more oxygen your muscles and brain receive, the more endurance, focus, and control you gain.
Breathing reveals tension. Shallow or held breaths are a signal that your body is stressed or misaligned.
Posture creates muscle memory. When you align your body with awareness, you train your muscles to remember proper form—even upside down.
Breath and posture are everywhere. Practicing them during everyday activities builds long-term awareness and physical resilience.

1. Deep Belly Breaths

One of the simplest and most powerful techniques to release tension and connect to your body.

Deep Belly Breath

Sit or lie comfortably.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Inhale slowly into your stomach—try to keep your chest still.
Exhale gently through your nose or mouth.
Repeat for at least 5–10 breaths.

2. Deep 3-Second Breaths

This technique helps improve focus and extend your posture while you breathe.

deep 3 second breath

Inhale slowly through your nose for 3 seconds, lengthening your spine as you breathe in.
Exhale slowly through your mouth, softening your muscles but keeping your posture tall.
Repeat 3–5 times.

3. Short 1-Second Breaths

Useful for energizing and returning to presence.

1 second breath exercise

Inhale sharply through your nose, lifting tall through your spine.
Exhale quickly and gently through the mouth, softening your body.
Practice for 3–5 breath cycles.

4. Kneeling or Seated Posture Check

Good posture takes repetition. Once you align one area, another may slip out of place. That’s okay. Cycle through the following reminders and return to them often.

Kneeling Posture Check

Sit tall with knees bent under you or cross-legged.
Inhale and elongate your spine.
Gently push the chin back, lifting slightly through the crown.
Roll shoulders back and down.
Engage your core—abs and lower back.
Tuck your pelvis slightly (butt under).
Sit tall through your hips—hinge from the hips, not the upper back.
Hold this posture and take 2–3 deep breaths.
On each exhale, relax tension without losing alignment.

5. Standing Posture Check

Standing Posture Check

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
Elongate spine and neck.
Tuck pelvis slightly and engage the glutes.
Stack hips over ankles and shoulders over hips.
Roll shoulders back and down.
Hold the posture for a few 3-second breaths.
Repeat the posture scan from feet to head, and back down again.

Resources

When I started paying attention to my breath and posture, I noticed how often I was holding tension—holding my breath, slouching, or bracing without realizing it. That tension made it harder to stretch, harder to think, and harder to feel calm.

Breathwork became my anchor. It helped me gain more control in difficult poses and more clarity in daily life. Posture became a habit I returned to constantly—while stretching, cooking, driving, even standing in line.

I still check in with myself multiple times a day, realigning and relaxing. It’s not about perfection—it’s about coming back to your body, again and again, with intention.