BASIC EXERCISES: BREATHING AND MOVEMENT

NEDERLANDS/DUTCH

BASIC EXERCISES BREATHING AND MOVEMENT

Practicing breath and movement help with fear. To give everyone something concrete to work on and to help you start with breathing and movement exercises, here are the basics.

BREATHING

EXERCISE 1: TEN

In this exercises the cycle of breath takes ten seconds in total. The ratio of the inhale and exhale influence how you feel. Always breathe comfortably. Straining or pushing is not needed. Stop when you feel effort. Observe what is possible today.

  • Breathe in 5 seconds, 5 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 6 seconds, 4 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 7 seconds, 3 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 8 seconds, 2 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 9 seconds, 1 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 8 seconds, 2 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 7 seconds, 3 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 6 seconds, 4 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 5 seconds, 5 second exhale.

Then we turn it around.

  • Breathe in 5 seconds, 5 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 4 seconds, 6 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 3 seconds, 7 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 2 seconds, 8 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 1 seconds, 9 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 2 seconds, 8 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 3 seconds, 7 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 4 seconds, 6 second exhale.
  • Breathe in 5 seconds, 5 second exhale.

OEFENING 2: SQUARE BREATHING

In this exercise you divide the breath cycle into four parts. You breathe in, wait, breathe out and wait again. All parts have equal length, hence the ‘square’. Spread out your breath across the time that is available, both on inhale and exhalen. When you ‘wait’ you do not do anything. There is no need to hold on to, or tense anything.

  • Breathe in 3 seconds, 3 seconds of waiting, 3 seconds out, 3 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 4 seconds, 4 seconds of waiting, 4 seconds out, 4 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 5 seconds, 5 seconds of waiting, 5 seconds out, 5 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 6 seconds, 6 seconds of waiting, 6 seconds out, 6 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 7 seconds, 7 seconds of waiting, 7 seconds out, 7 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 8 seconds, 8 seconds of waiting, 8 seconds out, 8 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 9 seconds, 9 seconds of waiting, 9 seconds out, 9 seconds of waiting.
  • Breathe in 10 seconds, 10 seconds of waiting, 10 seconds out, 10 seconds of waiting.

This can be done every day. Build up until you feel effort. This is what is possible today. There is no need to reach ten, this is more of a challenge to work up towards. If you do this every day, notice if you improve, or do not improve.

MOVEMENT

It is a challenge to move every day, especially when the space is limited. The goal here is light exercise, with a variety of movements. It is about sustaining this activity every day. Fatigueing yourself to get more ‘fit’ is not the goal. The work or effort you put in should help you feel better, not worse.

Below there are three exercises. We call them Block A, Block B and Block C. First step is to learn those forms. As soon as every sequence is clear, you continue with step two, using intervals.

STEP 1: Learning the form

Block A is focused on flexion and extension of the arms and legs, abdomen and chest .

Block B is focused on rotation.

Block C focuses more on the backline and sides.

First take care to learn every form. As soon as you have done so, proceed to step two.

STEP 2: INTERVAL AND FLOW STATE

Set a timer to beep every minute. Youtube has a simple one minute interval timer. You can do every step for one minute, or more if you have the feeling you are not done with that part.

  1. Notice how you feel today. Stretch a little. Notice how you breathe now. Settle into a focused mindset.
  2. Only Block A
  3. Only Block B
  4. Only Block C
  5. First A, then B.
  6. First B, then C.
  7. Combine A, then B, then C.

8. Continue until you feel you are done. Keep your focus.

When you are done, lay down on your back and notice how your body is feeling. Where can you sense your pulse? What is moving when you breathe?