Breathing exercises. Breathing exercises: exercises and techniques. How to breathe correctly with your stomach

Respiratory function is one of the vital functions of the human body. When we are healthy, we don’t notice how this happens, just as we don’t notice the beating of our heart. Thanks to breathing, every cell of our body receives oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide, thus exercising the right to life.

Since ancient times, people have tried to optimize breathing, improve the delivery of oxygen to organs and tissues, and cleanse them of waste gases, as they understood that improper breathing leads to negative consequences for good health. The main ones are:

• Increased fatigue.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Decline protective function body.
• Headache.
• Depression.
• Accelerated aging.
• Congestion in the lungs.
• Increased risk of developing bronchopulmonary pathology.
• Infectious processes in the respiratory system.

Ancient exercises for the lungs have reached our time, which not only have not lost their relevance, but have also gained additional popularity. Some people are interested in the gymnastics of the monks of Tibetan monasteries, while others are closer to yoga.

What breathing exercises for the lungs are used today, what health problems they solve, are there people for whom such practices will not benefit and are even prohibited - we will answer these questions.

Types of breathing

By conducting systematic training, a person is able to develop various breathing types:

• Upper – inhale through the upper chest, the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall are tense.
• Medium - in this case, the chest and intercostal spaces increase in volume, the ribs and diaphragm rise.
• Lower - in this case breathing is carried out with the stomach.
• The opposite is true - in this case, when exhaling, the stomach is relaxed, and the chest does not increase its volume.
• Full - breathing is carried out using the entire chest.
• Delayed.

Breathing type training is best done under the supervision of a physical therapy specialist.

Indications and contraindications

Before you start doing breathing exercises for the lungs, you need to decide for what purpose you intend to do this. Most often, people choose one or another complex to obtain the following results:

• Increase physical endurance.
• Normalize sleep and psycho-emotional state.
• Preserve youth and elasticity of the skin, prevent wrinkles.
• Boost immunity.
• Prevent occupational diseases.
• Improve the condition and function of the bronchi and lungs.
• Restore your voice.
• Lose weight.

This is far from full list indications. With the help of light exercises, you can alleviate the course of many diseases and improve the psychophysical condition of children.

Exercises are contraindicated in the following situations:

• During an exacerbation of any chronic diseases.
• Breathing practices can be carried out with great caution by pregnant and breastfeeding women. Exercises for them should be simple and easy to do.
• Severe diseases of the cardiovascular system.
• Inflammatory diseases of the female genital area, endometriosis of the uterus, hiatal hernia are an obstacle to practicing breathing exercises.

Each technique has its own contraindications. For example, contraindications for Strelnikova’s gymnastics are myopia and hypertension high degree, suffered a heart attack.

Techniques

The following methods are recognized as the most common.

1. Bodyflex. Indicated for people planning to lose weight. The complex enhances the effect of physical exercise.
2. Oxysize. The complex trains the lungs, achieves general relaxation, and reduces weight.
3. Gymnastics according to Muller. Trains the lungs, improves immunity.
4. Gymnastics according to Buteyko. The goal is the treatment of pulmonary pathology.
5. Tibetan breathing exercises. Helps overall health and helps prolong life.
6. Strelnikova complex. First of all, it helps improve breathing. In addition, it is used to restore the voice, improve general well-being and lose weight.

Let's take a closer look at all these methods.

Bodyflex

What exercises does the gymnastic complex consist of:

• First exercise. The neck is extended, the lower jaw is pushed forward, the lips are pursed for a kiss. Raising your head, we carry out a breathing cycle: exhale - inhale - exhale - pause and relaxation - hold your breath. At the relaxation stage, straight arms are pulled back to the count of “8”. The cycle is repeated 5 times.
• Second exercise. Starts in the same position. After performing 1 breathing cycle left palm Place it on your right elbow, raise your hand above your head until you count “8”, take a breath, and then you can relax. This is repeated with right palm on the left elbow. Number of repetitions - performed three times.
• Third exercise. Take the starting position - knee-elbow position, stretch your right leg back, toes resting on the floor. We take a deep breath, raise our leg up and hold it until the count of “8”, lower it, exhale. Then we perform the same actions with our left foot.

This gymnastics implies that breathing exercise alternates with physical exercise and is performed in the “volleyball pose.” What is characteristic of this pose? Man in vertical position, legs wide apart and bent at the knees, but the hands should be placed on the knees.

Oxysize

A continuous breathing cycle opens the volume of the chest, and at this moment saturates the body with oxygen as much as possible. Performed while standing.

What does Oxysize mean? Inhalation is performed only through the nose, while the stomach is inflated, the pelvis protrudes forward, but the abdominal muscles are relaxed. We take 3 short exhalations, straining the muscles of the buttocks and perineum, exhale sharply through the mouth through the lips folded into a tube, the abs are tightened. Performed at least 30 times.

You need to understand that from the very first days you should not expect serious results, although relief in your general well-being will come quickly. Any breathing exercises should be performed systematically over a long period of time.

Gymnastics according to Muller

What is this gymnastic complex:

• First. You need to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands clasped together and raised above your head. From this position, the body is tilted in all directions: forward, right, backward, left. We perform 10 breathing cycles in 1 minute. When bending, be sure to exhale, and when returning to IP, inhale. This exercise is performed 10 times.
• Second. The legs are spaced shoulder-width apart, while the arms are raised to the sides, parallel to the floor, and the hands should be clenched into a fist. From this position, we tilt our torso forward and make a turn to the right, while touching the surface of the floor between our legs with our fists. Having straightened up, we repeat the same to the left side. We perform 5 times in each direction. When bending, we exhale, when straightening, inhale.
• Third. The desired position is lying on your back, with with bent arms, which are located under the head or straightened along the body. From this position, we describe low circles with straight legs. Notice that the legs move towards each other, squeezing tightly when they meet. We do this for 6 circles. Then 2 more large circles, crossing the legs when meeting. We repeat the same exercise, only this time we move our legs in the other direction. Please note that when performing, we breathe deeply, it should be without delay.

This complex has been known for more than 100 years and has helped more than one thousand people. Full course Gymnastics according to Muller consists of 18 exercises. But if you don’t have enough patience, you can get by with a shortened course in the first stages. You must do all the exercises for a month.

Gymnastics according to Buteyko

The essence of the method is to hold your breath. For example, we take a breath, hold our breath until we feel short of air, and exhale slowly through our mouth. The same can be done when walking. You can breathe shallowly for 3 minutes, gradually increasing the time to 10 minutes. You can simply train yourself to breathe by reducing the depth of your inhalation.

The method effectively treats allergic conditions, bronchial asthma, and hypertension.

Tibetan breathing exercises

Tibetan monks have developed many complexes for improving the health of the spine and lungs, longevity, hormonal, for women. Breathing practice, the elements of which are presented below, aims to reduce body weight. Breathing is even, deep:

• First exercise. Standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms spread at shoulder level parallel to the floor. We rotate our torso in both directions alternately until we feel slightly dizzy.
• Second exercise. Lying on your back, arms along your body, palms pressed to the floor. Raise your head, press your chin to your chest, lift straight legs (exhale), and inhale while lowering.
• Third exercise. Starting position: kneeling, knees shoulder-width apart. The head is tilted forward, the chin is pressed to the chest. Brushes under the buttocks. Bend your spine, leaning on your hips, while throwing your head back (inhale), return to IP (exhale).
• Fourth exercise. Sit on a stool, lean back, rest your palms on the floor, throw your head back, raise your torso parallel to the floor, forming a bridge. After a few seconds, return to the IP.
• Fifth exercise. “Cobra pose” - lying on your stomach, spine arched, emphasis on straightened arms. Transition to “dog pose” (inhale). Return to the “cobra pose” - exhale.

We repeat each exercise no more than 21 times.

Gymnastics according to Strelnikova

Breathing - intensive loud inhalation every second against the background of physical exercise, imperceptible exhalation.

An example would be taking a long breath while standing, then exhaling. Next, sitting or standing with a straight posture, arms bent at the elbows at chest level. We spread our arms to the sides, clenching them into a fist (inhale), return to IP (exhale).

Breathing practices can be performed in any environment - at home, in a gym, fitness center, in a pine forest, on the seashore. The room must be clean and well ventilated. In combination with hardening procedures, breathing exercises have a more pronounced healing effect.

There are several popular systems of breathing exercises in the world, but the legacy that the great Patanjali left us still remains at unattainable heights, and in its uniqueness and multifaceted functionality, no other direction has been able to surpass the developments of the ancient yogic school.

In this article we will tell you what the benefits of performing breathing exercises are for the body and about them. beneficial influence on the emotional and mental state of a person. You will learn to manage your emotions through breathing practices.

A set of breathing exercises

A set of breathing exercises will be useful to everyone interested in a healthy way life. Breathing is involved in all vital processes of the body. A person cannot live even a few minutes without it. Proper breathing will help normalize work internal organs and glands, will improve blood circulation and, together with it, provide oxygen to the cells of the body, which previously lacked a vital element.

Gas exchange in the lungs depends on whether a person breathes correctly. If breathing is shallow and insufficient, then oxygen will not be delivered to those cells that need it. Proper breathing and its effect on blood flow is significant, since it is thanks to proper gas exchange and the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen that the body will receive nutrients delivered through the blood.

Much more can be said about the importance of breathing and how vital it is to learn to control it. Yes, breathing can be controlled, and the practice of yoga calls this the art of controlling and distributing prana in the body, or pranayama. Prana is the energy that we cannot see with our eyes, but it exists. This is not a synonym for the word “oxygen”, but much more. Prana is a life-giving energy that exists in everything around us: in food, living organisms, air, light, etc. This is what gives the Universe life.

Breathing exercises for calmness

Let's first understand what we mean by such a term as “breathing exercises for calming” and what we can understand by calming. As practice shows, this is a matter of paramount importance. If you understand by calmness physical calm, relaxation and complete comfort for the body, then to achieve such goals you must perform one set of breathing exercises.

If by calming exercises you mean primarily psychological aspect, freeing the mind from thought processes, or at least reducing the flow of thoughts and slowing down the internal dialogue, then this will be a different conversation, because although physical and mental calmness can go hand in hand, and usually mental relaxation contributes to physical calmness, however, these states can also manifest themselves separately from each other, i.e. you can be physically active and at the same time mentally calm and relaxed.

The inverse relationship is somewhat more complicated, since psychological tightness or nervousness will affect the physical state, because the psychological and mental levels in terms of the hierarchy of human bodies are higher than the basic physical one. Based on this, we understand that the mental and psychological state plays a big role in controlling the physical body.

Let's remember the moment when you, having come home from work, are comfortably seated in a chair and generally feel physically relaxed, while the brain still continues to function in the same mode as at work, i.e. it has not switched, did not disconnect from old programs. He continues to replay the stories of the day, which also does not help calm him down, and this happens day after day. The thought process does not leave us for a minute. We can't talk about peace in it pure form, if the brain constantly compares something, reviews details, analyzes. This machine is constantly working, and most importantly, it is very difficult to stop.

Stopping the thought process with breathing exercises

Meditation techniques are used to stop the thought process, thus ultimately achieving complete relaxation, not just physical. But in order to enter into meditation, to start meditating, it is best to start with breathing techniques. They will help you concentrate, reduce the flow of mental images, and with constant practice it will become possible to completely stop it and, as a result, truly calm down.

Thoughts are what make us restless almost all the time. Unfortunately, we have no power over them, but it only seems so at first glance. A person can and should be the master of his thoughts in order to at will be able to concentrate on fruitful thought forms, selecting and weeding out unnecessary ones. This is what the practice of dharana teaches - concentrating thoughts on one thing.

You can also learn not to think at certain moments when it is necessary to really calm down. If you understand by calmness to be a focus on positive emotions and memories, then this is not yet real calmness. This is just a way to temporarily avoid negative thoughts, but they will come back again, so this approach is, to put it mildly, counterproductive and is just a form of avoidance. For those of you who don’t want to return to where you started every time, you need to master meditation techniques, the best of which are associated with yoga breathing exercises -.

Yoga: breathing exercises

Breathing exercises yoga - pranayama - generally have a good preventive and therapeutic effect on the body, not to mention the fact that the calming effect on the psyche achieved when performing them is stable and has a beneficial effect on mental processes. If you want to learn in practice what it means to turn off the flow of thoughts, at least for a short time, then you can hardly think of anything better than pranayamas. From the entire list of pranayamas, we will select those that are best to start with and that will also allow you to experience meditation.

• Anuloma Viloma;
• Chandra Bhedana pranayama;
• Samavritti pranayama;
• Full yogic breathing.

There are many pranayamas in the practice of yoga, but it is undesirable to use Bhastrika and Kapalbhati, because these 2 breathing techniques ventilate the lungs very strongly, and it is better to use them only in combination with other pranayamas, since on their own they will not give a calming effect. While combining them with other types of pranayamas can be effective, but for this you need to have enough great experience practice to skillfully create a set of breathing techniques that is safe for your body and at the same time leading to the desired result.

Performing pranayamas that include kumbhaka, i.e. Holding your breath while inhaling or exhaling is possible, but you should wait until you have mastered basic breathing techniques well. Only after this can you engage in the practice of holding your breath, starting with very short periods of time: for 3-4 seconds.

Yogic breathing exercises are designed in such a way that, by performing them, you fill the body with that same amazing energy - prana, which we have already talked about. It moves along internal nadis, there are hundreds and even thousands of them. The three most important of them are located along the spinal column, if we try to explain them from an anatomical point of view to make it clearer. However, these channels are energetic, that is, they are invisible.

Through Ida - the lunar channel on the left, Pingala - the solar channel on the right, and the central, most important one - Sushumna - pranic energy passes and is distributed. By performing full yogic breathing and pranayama, you activate the flow of prana through these channels, filling your body with life.

Breathing exercises in yoga as preparation for deep meditation

For those who are just starting to take their first steps in the practice of pranayama, it is best to first master full yogic breathing. It consists of 3 stages: abdominal, thoracic and clavicular. The essence of such breathing is contained in the name itself - it is complete. Your breathing calms down and becomes deeper and more measured. Your thoughts concentrate on the breathing process; this alone prevents you from rushing or taking shallow breaths and insufficient exhalations. Gradually, through the breathing process itself, you relax, even if you were physically tense, because when the abdominal region is involved in the breathing process, the body itself smoothly relaxes.

Next comes the removal of emotional stress, and by concentrating on the processes of inhalation and exhalation, the mind also switches, its work becomes less intense, the thought process slows down, thus having a calming effect on the emotions and psyche, not only on the body. With the inclusion of full yogic breathing in your daily practice, even with its help you can for the first time understand what a state of thoughtlessness is, when the thought process is stopped, at least for a while. This is the beginning of real meditation, then it can be deepened, and performing pranayamas and full yogic breathing can be the key for you that will open the door to meditation.

Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system

All yoga exercises help to calm the nervous system to one degree or another. Some are more, others are less. In order to get your nerves in order, you can start practicing pranayama such as:

• Apanasati or otherwise known as Anapanasati pranayama;
• Nadi shodhana or Anuloma Viloma - they are similar, the only differences are in the moment associated with kumbhaka;
• Samavritti pranayama, or “square breathing”;
• Shitali pranayama, or “cooling breath”. Its essence is not in cooling you down, but in calming you down;
• Chandra bhedana pranayama also refers to “cooling” in the same sense as described above;
• Full yogic breathing completes this list of breathing exercises to calm the nervous system.

Yogic breathing practices, along with the practice of asanas, have a very organic effect on the psyche, strengthening the nervous system and increasing stress resistance. If you decide to practice breathing exercises regularly, after a short time you will notice how your way of thinking changes. You will begin to pay less attention to trifles, small, annoying moments that just recently irritated and drove you crazy.

A new outlook on life will be the factor that will help you be more balanced. Thoughts penetrate and govern all areas of life, therefore, by changing your breathing, you can change the very direction of thoughts, and this will help you react less to external stimuli, but be more aware of the series of events and their significance in your life. This way, not only will your life become more balanced, but you will be able to take control of it and become a co-creator of your life path.

The child is notified of this at birth the world loud scream that accompanies the first breath. Every person breathes throughout his life. Dying, he takes his last breath. It is worth noting that, having learned to breathe correctly, a person is completely freed from ailments, excess weight, ensures the normal functioning of the body.

There are various deep breathing exercises, including qigong, yoga, Buteyko, etc., using which you can qualitatively change your life.

Yoga

This is a teaching that is aimed at developing a person’s ability to control the work of his own body, spiritual and physical forces. Exercises to develop breathing using the yoga method are called Pranayama. This method teaches how to manage a person’s entire life energy.

This technique involves alternating breathing with the opening and ventilation of the lungs. By exercising, a person will improve metabolism, increase immunity, restore nerves and reduce blood pressure. Yoga will fill his body with energy, and also give harmony and balance.

Exercises will teach you how to breathe in order to saturate the body tissues and blood with oxygen.

Ujjayi

This method implies that glottis will be slightly open. In this case, the effect of a compressed air balloon occurs: you need to do breathing exercises using this method with effort. If Ujjayi is compared with simple breathing, then gas exchange in the first case is stronger due to the difference in the pressure of the air mass in the lungs during exhalation and inhalation.

Breathing while performing exercises with this method saves energy. In addition, fixing attention on its implementation and the sound of one’s own voice frees a person from thoughts, and this is already an element of meditation.

Inhalation and exhalation during Ujjayi breathing are slow and deep, the cycle lasts about half a minute, and together synchronously with the asanas - about 20 seconds. It is worth noting that a beginner in yoga will find it difficult to breathe Ujjayi throughout the entire class due to poor muscle development.

Help in exploring Ujjayi

Stand up, put your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your arms along your body. Along with inhaling, raise your arms up and to the sides and whisper “O”. At the same time as you exhale, lower your arms and say “A.”

You need to breathe deeply and slowly. Do this 5 times, gradually bringing it up to ten.

Buteyko gymnastics

This method appeared in the middle of the last century. It is based on the fact that natural breathing changes. aimed at reducing their depth. There are 152 known diseases for which this method is effective. With the help of such exercises, 98% of ailments are treated, including allergies.

In a healthy person, the breathing volume is 5 liters, in people with asthma - about 15 liters - this indicates that when taking a deep breath, this method the amount of oxygen contained in the blood does not increase, and the CO 2 content decreases.

According to Buteyko, breathing correctly means increasing the volume in the blood. Breathing should be shallow, with pauses between breaths.

Buteyko exercises

Breathing during exercises should be as follows: you need to hold your breath until you feel like there is not enough air, for the longest possible period of time. Then inhale shallowly, in small portions. If you want to inhale more air, repeat again.

Then breathe shallowly for three minutes. Slowly increase the time to 10 minutes.

Initially, performing the exercises presents difficulties, unpleasant sensations appear, rapid breathing, panic attacks lack of air, appetite decreases. Then the necessary development of the respiratory organs begins, and the discomfort disappears.

Breathing oxysize

Oxysize is unique way weight loss, which is based on simple exercises for breathing. The inventor of this program is American Jill Johnson. She managed to cope with excess weight in this way.

By using proper, deep breathing you can as soon as possible achieve weight loss and get rid of loose skin and cellulite. Oxysize training is not exhausting, it is not required, and this already determines the absence of any contraindications.

Losing weight with the help of such gymnastics involves transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, therefore, the basis of this technique is the ability to breathe correctly. It is important to devote 2-3 weeks to learning proper breathing, to bring it to full automaticity and only then move on to the exercises themselves.

Four steps

Breathing exercises boil down to the following - inhale through the nose, while the stomach inflates like a balloon. We push the pelvis forward, the abdominal muscles should be relaxed. Three small breaths with tension in the muscles of the buttocks and perineum. Exhale through lips folded into a tube, while trying to pull the abdominal muscles under the ribs. Then exhale sharply until the lungs are completely empty. Straighten your back without raising your shoulders.

An excellent time of day for such exercises would be the morning, and at the very beginning there should be a warm-up that will work on basic breathing. But this is not a necessary condition; you can proceed immediately to the main part. Oxysize takes about 20 minutes every day, the results of the exercises are impressive: very quickly the body becomes slim and toned.

Do it before breakfast or 3 hours after a meal. After gymnastics, you must refrain from eating food for another hour.

It is important to perform 30 or more breathing series every day. If the exercises are first performed in one direction, then in the other, then these are 2 breathing series.

It is worth noting that the longer you do gymnastics, the longer the effect will be, since oxysize has cumulative properties.

Qigong

Qigong breathing exercises originate from China. This practice serves to improve the physical capabilities of the human body, as well as correct its general condition. Such breathing, together with physical activity and a balanced diet, makes it possible to achieve weight loss, since it saturates the body cells with oxygen.

This breathing is suitable for everyone, regardless of age and ailments. Japanese scientists have found that with the help of Qigong it is possible to achieve weight loss thanks to unique properties exercises completely restore the functioning of the human nervous system.

Qigong exercises

Qigong breathing exercises consist of 3 main ones, which must be performed in clothes that do not restrict movement, completely relaxed.

1. Frog. Sit on a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. Clench your palm into a fist and clasp it with the other palm. Place your elbows on your knees, rest your fist on your forehead. Close your eyes and relax. Three times a day for 15 minutes.
2. Wave. Helps reduce hunger. Lie on your back. Bend your legs at a right angle at the knees. One hand is on the stomach, the other is on the chest. Along with inhalation, the stomach retracts and the chest expands. Exhale in the opposite direction. Do 40 times.
3. Lotus. Sit on a low chair with your legs crossed in front of your stomach. Place your hands palms up on top of each other. The back is straight, the head is slightly lowered, the eyes are closed. Normal breathing for the first 5 minutes, you need to concentrate on it. The next five minutes is a normal inhalation, relaxed exhalation. For the next 10 minutes, breathe normally, no need to control your breathing, relax.

Competently performing Qigong in 2 months of training will help you achieve a weight loss of 10 kg.

Strelnikova method

Gymnastics originated as a healing remedy, although it later became mandatory for musicians and anyone involved in vocal training. Exercises make it easier correct positioning voices, and are also the basis for the development and practice of any vocal. In addition, such exercises are used to develop speech breathing in children.

The skepticism towards this development is explained by the fact that Qigong, yoga, the Buteyko method, oxysize go against the complex presented by Strelnikova. In this gymnastics, the main focus is on inhalation, in addition, natural breathing is preserved. This training is aimed at increasing the air potential of the human body, thereby increasing its vitality, and in case of pneumonia, recovery is achieved. Yoga is aimed at full exhalation.

Daily implementation of the complex fills the brain with oxygen, headache disappears completely, the ability to remember increases, and the self-regulation of the human body also awakens.

Gymnastics exercises by Strelnikova

The complex is universal. It is suitable for all ages. Consists of only 12 exercises. The main ones are 3: “Palms”, “Epaulettes”, “Pump”. They are included in all complexes that are designed to treat all kinds of ailments, including pneumonia.

1. Palms. Stand up straight, press your fists to your waist. With an inhalation, synchronously lower your fists down to the floor. Next, return your hands to your belt. Take 12 eight breaths each. At the same time, pause for 4 seconds between blocks of movements.
2. Shoulder straps. Stand up straight, bend your elbows, keep your hands near your shoulders. Inhale noisily through your nose, and at the same time clench your hands into fists. Four breaths - lower your arms for 4 seconds, then break - four breaths - break. It is necessary to perform six cycles of four breaths.
3. Pump. Stand up, put your feet closer to your shoulders, lower your arms along your body. Lean forward a little, take a noisy breath at the end of the movement, ending it with a tilt. Return to original position. Then bend over again and inhale. Round back. Do not bend below the waist. Head down.

Exercises for speech breathing by Strelnikova

The result of correct speech is intonation expressiveness, normal speech volume, and excellent sound production. Such gymnastics is needed so that a person pronounces words as he exhales, while using the exhaled air evenly, and does not choke on words while inhaling.

This method is used by speech therapists to develop speech in children who stutter. The technique is based on massaging the muscles that line the air sinuses in the human head while inhaling using a stream of air. Blood flow in the head increases, which is considered a healing agent for the speech apparatus.

When a person is very worried, they say to him: “breathe deeply.” During times of severe stress, the processes occurring in the body begin to accelerate, so it needs more oxygen. Or, conversely, in situations where a person is in a nervous, tense state that requires increased attention, breathing slows down and becomes rare. For example, while watching an exciting circus trick, the audience is in a state that is usually described as “watching with bated breath.” This relationship between the psyche and breathing allows the use of regular breathing exercises to calm the nerves. People who master proper breathing techniques have the ability to control their mood, mental state, and relax the nervous system.

• What breathing is used for relaxation?
• Basic breathing techniques
• Rules for performing breathing exercises
• Simple breathing exercises
• Exercises to calm the nervous system
• Breathing to Relax and Clear the Mind
• Breathing exercises for sleep

What breathing is used for relaxation?

Any breathing exercises to calm the nervous system of an adult are based on setting a strict rhythm. After all, it is important to understand that the effect of breathing exercises on the body depends on the strength and frequency of breaths, their depth, and the duration of breath holding. If you breathe shallowly, too often, small portions of oxygen will enter the lungs, and the calming effect will not be achieved. Moreover, the nervous system will be stimulated, which will cause an increase in its activity.

Therefore, any breathing exercises are based on measured and deep breathing. In this case, the lungs are more fully filled with air, which leads to the enrichment of all tissues of the body with oxygen, due to which normalization arterial pressure, muscle spasms are relieved, the brain begins to work better, and nervous system relaxes.

Basic breathing techniques

There are 4 types of breathing in breathing exercises:

• filling the upper parts of the lungs with oxygen when inhalations are made by movements of the collarbones;
• chest breathing, when the ribs open and contract;
• abdominal breathing using the abdominal muscles, thanks to which the diaphragm begins to move, the internal organs are massaged and oxygenated;
• a wave-like breathing method, in which the three breathing methods described above are sequentially used.

These breathing methods are basic, and on their basis other breathing techniques have been invented that are used to strengthen and calm the nerves.

Rules for performing breathing exercises

When selecting calming breathing movements, you need to learn the most important rules for any technique, failure to comply with which will bring all your efforts down the drain:

• Any breathing exercises to calm the nervous system should be performed in a lying or standing position, in which the back is completely straight.
• Exercises are best done with eyes closed, meditating and imagining pleasant pictures and images.
• You need to fully concentrate on the breathing process; at first you will have to control it consciously. Gradually, there will be a need for conscious control of inhalation and exhalation, but you will still need to concentrate on the breathing process itself.
• The mind should be freed from any negative thoughts, and all muscles should be completely relaxed. Muscle relaxation should be done gradually - from the tips of the toes and further up the body, paying special attention to the face, neck and shoulders, where the muscles are most tense.
• Calming exercises need to be repeated 5-10 times, but do not overexert yourself. Before moving on to the next exercise, you need to wait a little so that the body has time to adapt.
• While inhaling, you need to imagine how the body, along with oxygen, is filled with calmness and pure energy. As you exhale, you need to imagine how the accumulated tension is “squeezed out” from the body.

• It is also useful during breathing exercises to repeat to yourself attitudes such as “I am calming down”, “I am calm”, “I am relaxing”, etc. Such formulations should not contain negative particles “not” and simply negative content (“I am not worried "), and forms of the future tense ("soon I will calm down").

Simple breathing exercises

The first breathing exercises are based on nasal breathing; they need to start with a full exhalation, using complex breathing.

• Belly breathing. The abdomen inflates during a deep breath and falls when exhaling slowly. The duration of inhalation is 3-4 seconds, after which you need to hold your breath for a couple of seconds and then exhale for 4-5 seconds. The interval between breathing is 2-3 seconds.
• Breathing through the chest. Inhale – the ribs “open” for 3-4 seconds, then hold your breath for 2 seconds. Then you exhale, the chest “compresses” for 4-5 seconds. Then a 2-3 second break, and the exercise is repeated.
• Clavicular breathing, in which the collarbones rise when inhaling and lower when exhaling. The intervals and duration of the exercise are the same.
• Wave-like breathing, in which the inhalation begins from the abdomen, then continues through the chest and ends at the collarbones. Exhalation occurs in the opposite direction. The final stage should be performed especially measuredly.

Exercises to calm the nervous system

Often in everyday life you can hear a fairly common phrase: “All diseases come from nerves.” Indeed, the state of the nervous system has close relationship with health status. And among those people who do not know how to control their nerves, there are very often people with hypertension, ulcers, and heart patients.

Exercise No. 1

This stress-relieving exercise can be performed in any position convenient for you - sitting or standing. First you need to take a deep breath. Then you need to hold your breath, mentally imagine a circle and slowly exhale it. Exhale three more circles in this way, and then imagine a square and also mentally exhale it twice.

Exercise No. 2

The exercise is done lying on your back. It is necessary to establish rhythmic, calm breathing and imagine that with each breath your lungs are filling vitality, and as you exhale it spreads over all parts of the body.

Exercise #3

According to many experts, a yawn helps fill the blood with oxygen and relieve it of excess carbon dioxide. Also, during a yawn, tension occurs in the muscles of the mouth, face, and neck, which leads to an acceleration of blood flow in the vessels of the brain. Yawning helps improve blood supply to the lungs and push blood out of the liver, increasing body tone and creating impulses of positive emotions.

These positive properties of a yawn are used by the Japanese who work in the electrical industry - every half hour they do breathing exercises, which greatly help with tension. They collectively break away from work for a short break to have an organized yawn as a group, and then get back to work.

A healthy yawn must be correct: it must be done with your eyes closed and your mouth as wide open as possible. The oral cavity should be tense. In this position, try to pronounce the sound “oo-oo-oo-oo” low and extended and imagine that a cavity is forming inside your mouth, going down.

While yawning, you should stretch your whole body. To make the exercise even more effective, you can do it while smiling. A smile is known to contribute to the formation of a positive emotional impulse and perfectly relaxes the facial muscles.

Exercise #4

If you have to go through a psychologically stressful situation, then in order to maintain composure, self-confidence, and conscious control of the situation, it is recommended to do this exercise. Imagine that there is a powerful press in your body at chest level. Take short and energetic breaths, clearly feeling the presence of this press in your chest, its strength and heaviness. Then take slow, long exhalations, imagining that the weight is falling down and displacing emotional tension and unpleasant thoughts from the body. When finishing the exercise, you need to mentally “shoot” everything with the press negative emotions into the ground.

Video with exercises to calm your nerves:

Breathing to Relax and Clear the Mind

Exercise No. 1

Take a fairly deep breath through your mouth, pursing your lips tightly. You need to exhale the air in short bursts, as if pushing it out from the inside, also through pursed lips.

Exercise No. 2

Take a deep breath, sucking in your stomach. Exhalation is done in short bursts, in portions, through pursed lips. It is necessary to exhale until the lungs are completely empty. Then wait a few seconds and repeat the exercise.

Exercise #3

Place one palm on your forehead and the other on the back of your head. This position helps to increase blood flow, cleanse the consciousness and mind, and relieve tension and anxiety. Holding your palms in this position, inhale and exhale measuredly, holding your breath briefly between inhalations and exhalations.

Exercise #4

This technique uses the technique of sequentially pinching the nostrils using right hand. Thumb you need to apply it to the right nostril, and the little finger to the left. Alternately through both nostrils you need to take calm inhalations and full exhalations. When the right nostril is pinched, the left hemisphere of the brain is stimulated and vice versa.

Exercise #5

This exercise is used to relieve stress. First, you should take a fairly deep but short breath, after which you need to hold your breath for 4 seconds and proceed to a deep, complete exhalation. Then there is a 5 second pause before the next inhalation.

Video with calming breathing exercises:

Breathing exercises for sleep

People who suffer from a disorder such as insomnia are recommended breathing exercises for sleep, the exercises of which are aimed at training the correct breathing rhythm and normalizing not only sleep, but also the general mental state.

Exercise No. 1

Take a calm, deep breath, slowly protruding your belly, opening chest and filling it with air. The chest, filling with air, should rise and tighten the stomach. This way, all parts of your lungs will be filled with air. Then slowly exhale the air from them in the reverse order: first the lower sections of the lungs are emptied, then the rest, while simultaneously deflating and lowering the stomach, and then the chest.

Exercise No. 2

When performing this breathing exercise to improve sleep, you need to make sure that your chest remains as still as possible. Take deep breaths, pushing your stomach out, and then exhale the air from your lungs, drawing your stomach back in.

Exercise #3

These breathing exercises for deep sleep will help you relax and cope with insomnia. Here it is used very simple technique: Take 5 minutes of light, slow inhalations and exhalations, concentrating on the breathing process and listening to your own internal sensations. To make this exercise more effective, it is advisable to press your palms to the solar plexus and breathe through your chest and stomach.

In the first days, breathing exercises before bed should be done for no more than 2-3 minutes. In the following days, gradually increase your practice time.

Excessively intense training can lead to excessive alertness and a deterioration in the process of falling asleep.

When doing gymnastics, you need to carefully monitor your sensations. If you feel tired and tense, you should stop exercising immediately. Do breathing exercises in a good, calm mood, mentally setting yourself up for a healthy sleep.

Do you use breathing exercises to calm your nerves or improve sleep? Do they help you? Tell us about it in the comments.

Few people think about how to breathe correctly: this process occurs uncontrollably, at the subconscious level. Meanwhile, there are thoracic, abdominal and combined types of breathing (diaphragm, stomach, both together), each of which is equivalent. To form correct breathing, you need to regularly perform a set of breathing exercises, but before that, evaluate how correctly you are breathing (observe the frequency and rhythm when inhaling and exhaling).

The basics of developing correct, deep breathing with the stomach and chest

Proper breathing is especially necessary in winter and during the transitional winter-spring period, during a flu epidemic. According to experts, improper breathing significantly increases the likelihood of pathogens entering the body. respiratory infections, which increases the risk of getting the flu or cold.

Many people breathe shallowly: too often (the norm is 16 respiratory movements per minute at rest) and shallowly, holding inhalation and exhalation from time to time. As a result, the lungs do not have time to ventilate properly - fresh air enters only the outer sections, while most of the lung volume remains unclaimed, that is, the air in it is not renewed, which plays into the hands of viruses and bacteria.

The basis of proper breathing is an extended inhalation, a pause, and a short exhalation.

Type of breathing. Determine exactly how you breathe: actively relaxing the stomach - abdominal type of breathing, raising and lowering the chest - chest type, combining both - mixed type of breathing. What kind of breathing is correct for the stable functioning of the body?

Chest breathing, in which the intercostal muscles are mainly involved in the act of breathing, is reserved by nature for women. But men sitting over a pile of papers, in front of a TV screen or behind the wheel also breathe in this manner that is unusual for them. The main thing is that the process of chest, abdominal or mixed breathing itself is clearly established, which will require training.

How is proper breathing characterized?

Correct breathing is characterized by frequency and rhythm.

To determine your breathing rate, sit comfortably, place a watch with a second hand in front of you, relax, straighten your shoulders. Count how many breaths you take in a minute.

14 breaths per minute - this is an excellent indicator of correct, deep breathing: well-trained and resilient people usually breathe this way. By taking in the air deeply, you allow your lungs to expand, ventilate them perfectly, that is, you make your respiratory system almost invulnerable to infectious agents.

14 to 18 breaths per minute - a good result. This is exactly how most practically healthy people breathe, who can get the flu or ARVI no more than 2 times a season.

More than 18 breaths per minute - a cause for concern. With shallow and frequent breathing, only half of the inhaled air enters the lungs. This is clearly not enough to constantly update the pulmonary atmosphere.

System for developing the correct rhythm of human breathing

The rhythm of proper breathing is the ratio of inhalation and exhalation, the placement of pauses in this cycle.

Extended inhalation - pause - short exhalation. This is exactly how people with high performance breathe breathe. Try to get into a mobilizing breathing rhythm to feel a surge of strength and activate protective system. The body is very wisely designed: inhalation is a stimulating factor, exhalation is a calming factor.

Short energetic inhalation - extended exhalation - pause. This rhythm acts like a calming pill. With the help of this rhythm, the nervous system relaxes the muscles, getting rid of internal tension. They began to sigh often without apparent reason? This is the body trying to unobtrusively remind us - it’s time to take a break, relax. Don't ignore his advice. Remember, chronic fatigue weakens the immune system.

An insufficiently clear breathing rhythm with periodic holding of inhalation or exhalation, combined with frequent and shallow breathing, many times increases the likelihood of contracting the flu or. And not only. Improper breathing, in addition to complicating the functioning of the lungs, disrupts the accompanying movements of the diaphragm, which normally should improve and facilitate the activity of the heart and activate blood circulation in the abdominal and pelvic organs.

What is the correct breathing: thoracic and abdominal types

To form proper breathing, a person needs to perform special exercises.

Special breathing exercise to develop abdominal breathing:

• lie on your back, place your palms under your head and slightly bend your knees;
• to practice proper abdominal breathing, you need to tense your abdominal muscles, drawing in your stomach and vigorously exhaling air;
• hold a short pause until the need to inhale appears;
• using the diaphragm, inhale, as if filling the stomach with air;
• after a short pause, exhale, strongly drawing in your stomach.

By mastering thoracic and abdominal breathing and combining these skills into one, you will feel how much stronger your body will become. But don’t stop there, continue developing proper breathing - the basis of good health.

Special breathing exercise to develop chest breathing:

• lie on your stomach, straighten your legs and assume the pose of a resting lion: slightly raise your chest, resting on your palms and forearms with your arms bent at the elbows;
• straining the intercostal muscles, slowly take in a full chest of air so that the chest rises;
• hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale briefly, relaxing your muscles and lowering your chest;
• take a short pause, and when the need to inhale appears, repeat the breathing cycle from the beginning.

Full (mixed) breathing, in which both abdominal Press, diaphragm and intercostal muscles, are considered the healthiest. With such a system of proper breathing, not only the lungs, but also the intestines and liver work like clockwork, and the resistance of the bronchi and nasopharynx to adverse effects increases. So no viruses will be scary.

The possibilities of breathing exercises are difficult to overestimate. You need to train this way at least several times a day. It is best to do this in the fresh air while walking at a calm pace.

In the morning and afternoon while walking, perform simple breathing exercises that activate the type of full breathing: an extended inhalation (4-6 steps) with a pause (2 steps) and a shortened but active exhalation (2 steps). And in the evening before going to bed, breathe in a calming mode: a short full inhalation (2 steps), an extended exhalation (4 steps) and a pause after exhalation (2 steps).

Remember that increased ventilation without appropriate training can lead to excessive loss of carbon dioxide - you will feel dizzy, you may even lose consciousness. To prevent this from happening, exercise in a well-ventilated area, in the morning on an empty stomach or in the afternoon 3 hours after meals. Be sure to pause after each exhalation and gradually increase the time of exercise: from 2-3 breathing cycles to 10-15 during one lesson.

You cannot perform full breathing if you are on a polluted street with cars scurrying nearby.

Special breathing exercise to train full breathing:

• stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. After exhaling air, wait until the need to inhale appears;
• Counting to 8 in your head, slowly inhale through your nose, sequentially directing the air stream from bottom to top: first into the stomach (while sticking it out slightly), then expanding the chest, and then raising the shoulders. At the end of the inhalation, the stomach should be slightly drawn in;
• exhale vigorously in the same sequence: first relax the diaphragm and tense the abdominal press, drawing in the stomach, then relax the intercostal muscles and lower the shoulders;
• take a short pause, and when the desire to take a breath appears, repeat it all over again. When taking a full breath, you need to slightly raise your head, and when exhaling, lower it slightly.

The video “Correct Breathing” shows all types of correct breathing:

Special static exercises for the respiratory system

1. Standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Exhale completely, then inhale slowly through your nose, as if you were breathing fully. Without pausing at the height of inhalation, exhale through lips folded as if for a whistle, but without puffing out your cheeks. Exhale air in short, strong bursts, for which during each air burst you should strain (retract) your stomach and relax your abdominal muscles and diaphragm. If the air shocks during exhalation are weak, the exercise loses its meaning. One breath is divided into three shocks.

This breathing exercise is useful for quick ventilation of the lungs after a long stay in a stuffy room.

2. Sitting on a chair. Taking a deep breath, exhale slowly through your nose, noting the duration of the exhalation in seconds. During the training process, the exhalation gradually lengthens (by about 2-3 seconds per week of training), and the exhalation must be completed without much volitional effort.

3. Sitting or standing. Take intermittent inhalations through the nose in 3-4 steps, that is, after each inhalation, exhale slightly, and each subsequent inhalation should be deeper than the previous one. When the lungs are filled with air, after holding your breath for a short time, exhale quickly and forcefully through your mouth wide open. This is an exercise for respiratory system must be done 3 times.

4. Standing without tension. Take intermittent inhalations in 3-4 steps, accompanying each inhalation with a protrusion of the abdomen (the diaphragm moves down). Exhale through the nose in bursts. With each push, the stomach retracts a little.

5. Take a full breath through your nose. After a short pause (3-5 s), exhale through your mouth with the sound “s”. Then take a full breath through your nose again and, after a pause, exhale in jerks with the sound “fu-fu-fu”. Simultaneously with each “fu” sound, draw in and relax your stomach. Shoulders slumped. Do it 3 times.

6. Breathing training with gradual lengthening of inhalation. Breathing is done under mental counting. The pause after inhalation during this special breathing exercise is equal to half an inhalation. Eight respiratory cycles are carried out with a gradual lengthening of the inhalation (counting from 4 to 8) and a short exhalation.

The best dynamic gymnastics exercises for proper breathing (with video)

These breathing exercises strengthen the muscles of the chest, abdomen and diaphragm and, like static exercises, contribute to the development and consolidation of the skills of correct (full) breathing:

1. Feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the waist. As you inhale, lean back slightly, as you exhale, lean forward a little, squeezing your shoulders and lowering your arms down. Do it 5 times.

2. Feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. After inhaling, simultaneously step forward with your left leg and tilt your head back slightly; right foot on toe. As you exhale, put your leg back in place and lower your head a little. Do the same with your right leg. Do it 5 times.

3. Feet shoulder-width apart, arms down along the body. Take a deep breath while raising your arms above your head and leaning back slightly. As you exhale, bend forward, trying to touch the floor with your fingers without bending your knees. Do it 3 times.

4. Feet together, hands on the belt. Inhaling, turn to the left, legs remain in place, arms spread to the sides at shoulder level. As you exhale, bend forward and to the left, move your arms back.

On your next inhalation, straighten up and turn your torso to the right, spreading your arms to the sides at shoulder level. Exhaling, bend forward and to the right, and move your arms back. On the next inhalation, straighten up, raise your arms up and exhale calmly while lowering your arms. Run 2 times.

5. Feet shoulder-width apart, arms down along the body. Take a small breath. Exhaling slowly, lower your head to your chest, bring your shoulders forward, touch your knees with your hands, and look down. As you exhale, raise your head, straighten your shoulders, raise your arms to the sides to shoulder level, look up, lower your arms. Do it 3 times.

6. Feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on your chest so that you can feel the movements of your ribs. Make circular movements with your elbows back and forth. Breathe evenly, without delay. Do it 5 times.

7. Feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the waist (palms on the back, thumbs in front). Bend your torso forward and backward, right and left. When straightening, lightly squeeze your back with your hands; exhale while bending, inhale when straightening. Do it 3 times.

8. Feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the waist (palms on the back, thumbs in front). Make circular movements with your midsection and hips. Breathing is voluntary, without delay. Perform 10 times to the right and left.

9. Feet together, hands with clenched fists behind your back (fists touching each other). Walk slowly, while inhaling, rise on your toes and try to raise your arms behind your back, throwing your head back. As you exhale, place your legs on top of your feet, lower your arms, and touch your chin to your chest. Perform for 1 minute.

10. Feet together, arms down along the body. While inhaling, bending backwards, take a step to the left (the right leg remains in place) and, raising your arms to the sides to shoulder level, describe small circles with them - from left to right and from right to left 6 times. As you exhale, return to initial position. Do this same effective breathing exercise by switching legs.

11. Feet together, hands at the back of the head, fingers intertwined. As you inhale, rise onto your toes and bend back. As you exhale, lower yourself onto your feet and, spreading your arms to the sides, lower them down. Do it 6 times.

12. Sitting astride a chair facing the back, back straight, arms resting on the back of the chair. Take a breath. As you exhale, bend over and, strongly drawing in your stomach, touch your face to your hands. Do it 6 times.

Watch the video “Breathing Exercises”, which will help you better master the technique of breathing exercises:

An effective complex for proper breathing: types of oriental exercises

The complex of breathing exercises includes the so-called “cleansing breathing” - the most important way yogi breathing. As a rule, it completes any set of physical exercises or breathing exercises.

• Stand straight, legs together, palms pressed together, wrists lightly pressing on the stomach so that the palms are perpendicular to the body. Take a deep breath through your nose. Breathe as described for a full breath. Hold your exhalation for a few seconds. At the same time, the lips fold into a tube. The cheeks do not swell. Next, release the air rhythmically, with strong but sharp exhalations. Make sharp sounds. The cheeks should not be puffed out. Don't exhale all the air at once. After a pause, when it lingers in the lungs for a moment, exhale with force all the remainder. It is important to feel the very power of exhalation; you need to feel the portions of exhaled air.

This method of proper breathing technique cleanses the lungs and refreshes the human body, giving a supply of vigor and health. An excellent option for relieving fatigue - both mental and physical.

Another type of breathing exercise is breathing for voice development. It helps to develop a beautiful, deep, sonorous, strong voice. This affects not only the euphony of our speech, but also the condition of the upper respiratory tract, as well as the larynx. The voice directly reflects general state a person, and also shows how great the vital force is in him. This technique is rather additional than basic, since it affects very important and subtle matters, and without special, long preparation it will not have the desired effect.

When performing this exercise for proper breathing, you need to take a slow and deep breath through your nose. Hold your breath for a few seconds. Exhale powerfully, in one motion, with your mouth wide open. Finish with cleansing breathing so that the lungs return to a calm state.

One of the best breathing exercises is holding your breath. This exercise helps develop the breathing muscles and lungs. After repeated and frequent use, it is possible to expand the chest, which is very important for air and energy exchange processes. During this exercise, the lungs are cleansed and their ventilation improves. It is also useful for diseases of the stomach and liver. It is dangerous in case of hypertension, so it is not recommended for hypertensive patients.

Can be performed standing, sitting or lying down. Take a slow, full breath through your nose, as described for the full breathing technique. Hold your breath while inhaling for 10-20 seconds. Feel your lungs fill with air. Exhale forcefully through your mouth. All spent energy must come out, taking with it the negative that has accumulated in it. Finally, calm your lungs with cleansing breathing.

Below is a video of “Breathing exercises” to strengthen the body:

Methodology of simple breathing exercises: possibilities of self-control

In the technique of breathing exercises to determine the adequacy physical activity There are several simple ways.

Pulse rate. Most people get maximum benefit from exercise if their heart rate during exercise is about 70% of maximum. Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age.

• If you are 20 years old, then the maximum heart rate is 220 - 20 = 200 beats per minute. Then 70% of the maximum would be 140 beats per minute.
• With such a pulse, the load will be most effective and safe.

Pleasantly tired. If the exercises are pleasant, but you do not get tired, then the load is insufficient. If you get tired and there is no pleasure, then it’s great. You should feel pleasant fatigue.

Speaking test. If you can freely carry on a conversation with someone during gymnastics for proper breathing, then your load is not enough. If you can talk to yourself, then the load is good, but I would like to increase it a little.

Exercise for training the respiratory system “Centimeter”

The set of breathing exercises includes the “Centimeter” exercise, which is suitable both for monitoring the correctness of inhalations and exhalations, and for training the respiratory muscles (primarily the intercostal muscles), as well as the main respiratory muscle - the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. This exercise also helps to increase the mobility of the intercostal and intervertebral joints.

The difference in chest circumference at maximum inhalation and exhalation determines the mobility of the chest, which, for example, in adolescents is about 10 cm. If this difference is smaller, training is necessary - breathing control.

This exercise for the respiratory system is performed using a regular measuring tape, which is applied at the level of the xiphoid process (on the skin or on a T-shirt), tightly fitting the chest. The ends of the tape are held firmly in the hands of either the student himself or his assistant. It is good if the exercise is done in front of a mirror.

How to breathe correctly while doing the Centimeter exercise?

• On the count “1-2-3,” a deep, slow breath is taken through the nose, the ribs overcome the resistance of the tape. The ribs should seem to push the tightly wrapping tape apart, overcoming quite a lot of resistance, to the maximum possible position.
• On the count “1-2-3”, the breath is held and the movement of the ribs is stopped. The tape continues to fit tightly around the chest.
• At the count of “4-5-6-7-8-9”, exhale slowly and smoothly through the nose or slightly open mouth. The ribs extend freely inwards as far as possible. At the same time, the tape tightly tightens the ribs deep into the chest.

The “Centimeter” breathing training exercise is performed 1-2 times a day (depending on the severity of the bronchopulmonary process in the patient), in the morning and/or afternoon, for 15 minutes, on average 15-20 respiratory cycles.

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