The respiratory system

ENERGY GENERATION
The respiratory system is made up of the nose, mouth, throat, voice box, windpipe, lungs, and diaphragm. It is responsible for bringing oxygen in, to create cellular energy (ATP), and removing carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of this energy production. When we breathe in, a gaseous exchange takes place between millions of little sacs in the lungs, called the alveoli, and a network of blood capillaries that surround the alveoli. Oxygen from the inhaled air swaps over with carbon dioxide from the deoxygenated blood in the capillaries, creating oxygenated blood ready to be transported around the whole body by the circulatory system. Carbon dioxide is not just a byproduct of energy, it is the key to this exchange in the capillaries. When there are low levels of carbon dioxide in the blood there is reduced oxygen absorption. The body is more sensitive to low levels of carbon dioxide than low levels of oxygen. When carbon dioxide levels are low it creates ‘air hunger’ and an urge to breathe. 

The main muscle of respiration is the diaphragm. The action of the diaphragm is a bit counterintuitive. You would expect the contracted phase to be when the chest is contracted, but it is the opposite. On an exhale the diaphragm relaxes, domes up into the thoracic cavity and pushes the air out of the lungs. While on an inhale it contracts, flattens down towards the abdominal cavity and pulls air into the lungs. When it contracts it creates a decrease in pressure in the lungs. This is what causes the air to be pulled into the lungs through the nose and mouth to rebalance the pressure. The respiratory system is part of the autonomic nervous system, which means it works involuntarily without us having to think about it. What makes the breath unique is that we can also voluntarily control it, to a certain extent, by extending, shortening and holding the breath depending on the desired outcome. 

PRANAYAMA LIFE FORCE
The breath has a huge impact on our overall wellness. Not only does It brings in oxygen, it also decreases stress, helps relieve pain, stimulates the lymphatic system, improves immunity, increases energy, improves digestion, and even plays an important role in good posture. Our emotional state has a profound effect on our breath. When we are feeling stressed the breath rate increases, when we are feeling relaxed our breath rate slows. We can use this principle so that our breath can have a positive effect on our emotional state. In the world of yoga this conscious breathwork is called pranayama. The direct translation of the Sanskrit word pranayama is up for debate. The version that makes most sense to me is prana-life force, yama-control - ‘life force control’. The breath being the source of life.

With pranayama we can upregulate the nervous system by tapping into the sympathetic nervous system (fight & flight) or we can downregulate the nervous system by tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest & restore). Although referred to as the flight & flight response, the sympathetic nervous system is not all about stress, it is also what gets us up in the morning and gives us the energy to be productive during our day. Techniques that focus on the inhale, inhale retention, speeding up and increasing the breathing rate are energising practices and best practised in the morning or anytime of the day where you need a quick energy boost. While techniques that focus on the exhale, exhale retention, slowing down and decreasing the breathing rate are calming practices and are best practised in the evening or anytime of the day where you need a calm moment. A pranayama practice which includes a bit of both creates a calm focus and can be practised anytime of day.

EXPLORING THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM IN YOUR PRACTICE
Breathing consciously is an important component of yoga and is one of the main elements that makes it different, and more beneficial, than other exercise or movement disciplines. In yoga we nose breath to further increase the benefits of the breath. Nose breathing slows down the breath, allows more time for gaseous exchange and increases lung volume. The nasal cavity also produces and adds nitric oxide to the incoming air, which increases oxygen absorption, has antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Nitric oxide also promotes learning and memory recall and is the reason why there is an increase in awareness of the benefits of sleeping with your mouth closed at night.

This sequence incorporates pranayama techniques throughout the sequence. The illustrations give you the inhale (+), exhale (-) and pause (p) count information. When flowing from one pose to another you will arrive into your pose at the end of the count given and hold the breath for the pause count given. For example in the first mini flow, in the row, you will take an inhale in Cow Pose for the count of 1, then exhale and transition into Child's Pose for the count of 6, then pause exhaled in child's pose for the count of 1. You will move through the breath progression until you arrive at 1 inhale, 4 exhale, 4 pause, and repeat this 3 times. Similarly with the standing flows you arrive into the pose at the end of your inhale or exhale. It ends with a pranayama technique called Viloma where you inhale and break the exhale down into three counts of 2.

ALIGNMENT CUES
There is no specific peak pose in this respiratory system sequence. This one is all about the breath so focus your attention on a smooth inhale and exhale rather than getting too caught up with your alignment..

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-” and a pause where you hold your breath is a ‘p’.

• Pause and breath at the end of each standing flow for as many breaths as you need to give the counted breath a break.

• For a longer practice add in a Sun Salutations at the start of each mini flow or repeat each mini flow.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Posture reset

Join me for my online MFR Lower Back Love Workshop to learn techniques to support lower back health.

POSTURE STACKING
Last month I looked at lower back pain. This month's theme is a natural progression, as poor posture is the most common cause of lower back pain. Tiredness, ageing, illness, lack of exercise, asymmetry in muscle strength, chronic pain, and unresolved injuries are some of the main causes for poor posture. Good posture takes effort. It is much easier to let gravity press you down - slumped your shoulders and let your pelvis tip back when standing, sitting and moving. But the long term effects of poor posture include spine, shoulder, hip and neck pain, and make you more prone to injuries. It can even affect your breath, digestion, energy levels, confidence and mental health. 

Posture stacking checks throughout your day will build strength in your posture muscles and help them to hold you up against gravity. You can even set a reminder on your phone throughout your day to make sure hours don't go by in a slumped position. From a standing position stack - ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, head an extension of the spine. If you are inclined to jut your head forward, place your first two fingers on your chin, tuck your chin slightly and slide your head back onto your shoulders. This will create nice length in the back of the neck. From a seated position stack - hips, shoulders, head an extension of the spine, knees hip height or slightly lower, feet squared with your hips and on the ground. If, like me, your feet don't reach the ground, you can place a prop under your feet. I place a yoga brick at its lowest height under each foot, with a bit of space between them. Place your hand on your lower back and check for the natural curve of your lumbar spine. When we slump in our seats the shoulders roll forward and the pelvis tip back. This repeated poor posture will cause shoulder, lower back and neck pain if held for long periods of time. Consider taking standing breaks throughout the day too, this will bring circulation back into the hips and lower body. When you are doing your posture checks, notice if you have any areas where you hold habitual tension or gripping. Shoulders, glutes, neck, jaw, or even your expression, are common areas we hold tension. Check if you favour one foot, tilt your hips forward, back or to one side when standing or cross your legs, lean your upper body or tilt your head to one side when sitting.

5 STEPS TO GOOD POSTURE
Although types of poor posture can vary, I have focused on the most common one, which is shoulders rolled forward, flattened lower back and pelvis tilted back. The following are 5 areas to work on, if this is your inclination which are all covered in my sequence:

1. AROM (active range of movement) - adding hip, shoulder and spine movement practises into your routines will reduce mobility loss which can lead to stiffness related poor posture.

2. Strengthen the upper back (thoracic), lower back (lumbar) and the posterior shoulders - basically strengthening the whole posterior chain to prevent the front body from collapsing against the weight of gravity.

3. Strengthen the side of hips (gluteus medius) and the core (TVA, rectus abdominis) - strengthening the gluteus medius will stabilise the pelvis and prevent it from tipping sideways, while core strength will support the curves of the lower back. When the hips are weak or asymmetrical it can shift the whole posture stack.

4. Stress relief - mental stress can manifest as physical tension with muscle tension and gripping - pulling the shoulder up around ears, tension headaches or lower back pain which can all affect your posture.

5. Balance drills - the natural curves of our spine absorb impact and facilitate the ability to react, recentre and balance. Often in poor posture one or more of the natural curves of the spine are flattened or overarched throwing this delicate balancing act!

EXPLORING POSTURE RESET IN YOUR PRACTICE
Yoga does two things - it makes us more aware of our posture and builds strength in the posture muscles. The sequence starts with MFR on the feet to build a strong platform of support to create your posture awareness from. For more details on these techniques go to MFR + yoga. The first row works on strengthening the spine, core, outer hips, stretches the front of the chest and mobilises the shoulders. The start of each standing flow starts with arm extension to help stretch the front of the chest and hug the shoulder blades together on the back.The first standing flow gives into three mini flows working on side bends, twists and standing balance. In the second standing flow you are facing the side of the mat in Warrior style legs and goddess legs with lots of upper back and shoulder work. The start of the cold down has a last bit of work on the core. In this one you don’t hold on to the leg, you use your core to pull the bent knee towards your chest while also using your core to slowly lift and lower the straight leg. It finishes with a nice restorative bridge pose using a brick with a blanket over it to lift the hips. 

ALIGNMENT CUES
Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Move through the sequence slowly, particularly when transitioning from pose to pose.

• This sequence is intended to be part of your posture rest routine not as a once off practice. Add it into your weekly routine.

• Practise the full sequence once or twice a week or even better take sections of the sequence and do a little each morning to reset your posture for the day ahead.

• Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Lower back love

Join me for my online MFR Lower Back Love Workshop to learn techniques to support lower back health.

A LOOK AT THE LOWER BACK
Back pain is one of the world's biggest health problems. 85% of people will have back pain at some stage in their lives and of these 80% is lower back pain. For many individuals it is chronic and persistent.

Understanding basic anatomy of your spine is an important part of empowering you to effectively deal with your lower back pain. The spine holds us up against gravity, houses and protects the spinal cord and allows for movement. Not only does the lower back, or lumbar spine, have to hold us up against gravity but it also has the added stress of bearing the weight of everything stacked above it. The lumbar spine is also less stable because it is ‘free floating’. The upper back, or thoracic spine, is attached to the ribs which limits its movement and makes it more stable.

Between each vertebra is a cylinder shaped disc which is filled with a jelly-like protein. Its job is to absorb impact, distribute pressure and create space between each vertebrae to allow for movement. There is a common misconception that you can get a ‘slipped disc’. The discs do not move, the top and the bottom rims of the disc are firmly attached to the vertebrae above and below it. What can happen is that the discs ruptures, where some of the jelly-like protein leeks out causing irritation to surrounding tissues, or bulge, where it pushes on surrounding nerves and cause pain. You can read more about the anatomy of the spine in my recent article Anatomy 101 - the spine.

POSTURE AWARENESS
The most common cause of lower back pain is from an accumulation of repeated poor posture or from prolonged standing or sitting. This causes weakness in the muscles, which makes them more prone to injury. Your back might suddenly ‘go’ when you lift something heavy or twist awkwardly, but it is likely that there was a weakness in the support system of the spine for much longer than you realised. Posture awareness in standing, sitting and moving throughout your day is a very effective place to start when you are working with persistent pain. Notice if you favour one hip when standing, tip your pelvis forward or back, jut your head forward, hunch your shoulders or slump them forward. Another observation exercise is to notice where you might be gripping or tensing muscles. When we have persistent pain we often go into protection mode. This will slow down or prevent the injury from completely clearing up. Take posture checks throughout the day, especially if you sit for long periods. Avoid crossing your legs, check the position of your pelvis. See can you sit up on your sit bones, lengthen through the spine to the tip of your crown, and soften your shoulders. 

EXPLORING LOWER BACK LOVE IN YOUR PRACTICE
If you are in the acute phase of lower back pain I suggest you let it settle before you try this sequence. If you are mildly symptomatic or you are going through a pain free period, this sequence will build strength where there is weakness and release areas where there is tightness. There are minimal twists, forward folds and backbends which can aggravate lower back pain. The key to lower back health is building strength in the 3 pillars of spinal support – psoas, multifidus, quadratus lumborum, with additional support from the TVA and the rectus abdomens. Core strength will also help stabilise the lower back, as long as the full 360 wrap of the core is considered, not just the front of the core. This sequence also includes MFR, or myofascial release. It is an invaluable tool for tissue hydration, circulation, pain management, releasing adhesions and injury recovery. It is also used for building healthy muscle and connective tissues, increasing the glide between the layers and relieving physical and mental tension. You can read more about the MFR in my recent article MFR + yoga.

The sequence starts with MFR on the feet to build a strong platform of support to create your posture awareness from. You will then work down the whole spine with your MFR balls. For more details on these techniques go to MFR + yoga. The second row starts with a simple leg lift. Pause before you lift your leg to take time to draw your full 360 core in towards the spine, press through the heel, and secure the spine and hip in place. The last mini flow in this row is my favourite way to strengthen the outer hip muscles. Focus on the outer hip of the standing leg hugging into the midline in this mini flow. The main job of the leg lifting is to add a weight challenge. The third row is a standing flow which focuses on slow movement to create stability and strength. In the final row you finish with a nice restorative pose with a rolled up blanket under your neck, a low folded blanket under your shoulder blades and a bolster under your knees. 

ALIGNMENT CUES
Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Move through the sequence slowly, particularly when transitioning from pose to pose.

• This sequence is intended to be part of your lower back care routine not as a once off practice. Add it into your weekly routine.

• Practise the full sequence once or twice a week or even better take sections of the sequence and do a little each morning as your daily back care routine.

• If a pose isn’t working for you, skip it and come back to it at another time when your lower back is feeling stronger.

• Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru