A And P Breathing
This preliminary exorcise to agni sara, called akunchana prasarana or
A and P breathing for short, involves active exhalations and relaxed inhalat s.
The literal meaning of the phrase is apt: "squeezing and releasing." SI id with the trunk pitched forward, the hands on the thighs just above >e knees, the elbows extended, the feet about a foot and a half apart, and ie knees slightly bent. Much of the weight of the torso is placed on the fr it of the thighs. Breathe in and out a few times normally, and observe that ie posture and the angle of the body pulls the abdominal organs forward id creates a mild tension against the abdominal wall. Notice that counter tg the tension produced by the force of gravity requires that a mild effort >e made even at the beginning of exhalation, and the greater the forw; d angle the greater the effect.
To do A and P breathing, assume the same posture as in the trial ru ยป. and press in slowly (squeezing) from all sides with the abdominal muscl s
J. AHDOMINOPELVk EXERCISES 189
as you exhale, all the while bolstering the effort with the chest. Your first impulse is to emphasize the upper abdomen. Try it several times, observing exactly where the various effects and sensations are felt. Notice that the effort in the upper abdomen is accompanied by a slight feeling of weakening in the lower abdomen. The lower region may not actually bulge out physically, but it feels as if it might. Now try to exhale so that the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen, and the sides are given equal emphasis, as though you are compressing a ball. Exhalation might take 6-7 seconds and inhalation 3-4. Inhalation is mostly passive (releasing) and manages itself naturally. Take 10-15 breaths in this manner.
Much of inhalation is passive in A and P breathing because the chest springs open and the abdominal wall springs forward of their own accord. The strong emphasis on exhalation means that you are breathing in and out a tidal volume which is the combination of your normal tidal volume for an upright posture plus part of your expiratory reserve. Your revised tidal volume for A and P breathing might be about 900 ml for each breath rather than the textbook tidal volume of 500 ml, and along with this, your new expiratory reserve volume would become about 600 ml rather than 1,000 ml (fig. 3.32, left-hand panel). In any case, A and P breathing boosts your energy by increasing blood oxygen and decreasing blood carbon dioxide. It is a simple exercise, but one that is both relaxing and invigorating.
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