Breathing using Hand Movements
Hands in Hands out Breathing: This can be performed either standing in Tadasana or sitting on a chair, which is without armrest. Stretch your arms in front of your chest. Palms are resting against each other.
Step 1: Inhale and move your stretched arms away from each other so that both the arms and your chest are aligned horizontally. The stretching should be done in one single deep & long inhalation.
Step 2: Exhale and bring both the palms back together to the starting pose. This, too should happen with a single exhalation. One round is over.
Step 3: Start with 5 rounds and slowly graduate on 10 rounds.
Note: Try and keep your arms parallel to the floor. Try and move your arms to the back as much as possible without disturbing the body alignment.
Hands up Hands down Breathing: This can be performed either standing in Tadasana or sitting on a chair, which is without armrest.
Step 1: Sitting or standing, your arms are by the side of your body.
Step 2: Inhale and raise your arms vertically up above your head at one go. Arms and ears are almost in one line. You will feel a better stretch if you push your arms a little behind your ears but this should be done without disturbing your head & neck position (pushing your neck forward in the process will put undue strain on the neck).
Step 3: Exhale and bring your arms down to the original position by the side of your body. This makes it one round.
Step 4: Start with 5 rounds and slowly graduate on 10 rounds.
Hands Stretch Breathing (3 stages)
Stage – I: This can be performed either standing in Tadasana or sitting on a chair, which is without armrest.
Step 1: Interlock your fingers in front of your chest. Palms are facing your chest.
Step 2: Roll out your palms so that they face out and stretch your hands horizontally in front, with a deep and long inhalation.
Step 3: With an exhalation, turn the interlocked fingers back (now palms are facing the chest) and bring it close to your chest by widening your elbows out.
Step 4: This makes it one round. Start with 5 rounds and slowly increase the count to 10 rounds.
Stage – II
Step 1: Interlock your fingers in front of your chest. Palms are facing your chest.
Step 2: Roll the interlocked fingers out (now the back of your palms are facing your chest) and stretch your arms a little higher so that your palms are in line with your forehead with deep and long inhalation.
Step 3: With an exhalation, turn the interlocked fingers out (now palms are facing the chest) and bring it close to your chest by widening your elbows out.
Step 4: Your arms are in a slanting position with these stretches.
Step 5: This makes it one round. Begin by performing 5 rounds and slowly graduate to 10.
Stage – 3
Step 1: Interlock your fingers in front of your chest. Palms are facing your chest.
Step 2: Roll the interlocked fingers out (now the back of your palms are facing your chest) and stretch your arms fully up and above your head (right arm is close to right ear and left arm is close to left ear) with a single deep and long inhalation.
Step 3: While exhaling, turn the interlocked fingers in and bring it close to your chest by widening your elbows out.
Step 4: This is a half circular movement. Your arms are extending in front of your chest, going above your head from the front and then coming back in the same manner.
Step 5: This makes it one round. Start with 5 rounds and slowly increase to 10 rounds.
One arm up and down breathing
This can be performed either standing in Tadasana or sitting on a chair, which is without armrest.
Step 1: Your arms are by the side of your body.
Step 2: With an inhalation, raise your right arm straight up above your head.
Step 3: Exhale and bring your right arm down by the side of your body, at the same time, lift your left arm up above your head so that it is almost close to your left ear, in a rhythmic inhalation & exhalation.
Step 4: Repeat this movement of your arms, with inhalation & exhalation, about 10 times
Benefits
Contraindications