Why Breathwork is the Foundation of Bikram Yoga
Breath is the foundation of yoga, acting as both a guide and a force for transformation.
In Bikram Yoga, breath control is not just a side practice—it is central to optimising movement, endurance, and recovery.
In the Bikram Yoga sequence, we have two distinct breathing exercises:
1. Pranayama (Standing Deep Breathing) – Performed at the start of class to prepare the body.
2. Kapalabhati (Blowing in Firm Pose) – Performed at the end of class to clear the lungs and restore balance.
These exercises frame the practice, offering powerful physiological and anatomical benefits.
By understanding them through the lens of biomechanics and anatomy, practitioners can develop greater breath control, endurance, and efficiency-both on and off the mat.
Pranayama Breathing (Standing Deep Breathing)
This opening breathing exercise is designed to:
✔ Expand lung capacity and improve oxygenation.
✔ Warm up respiratory muscles to enhance endurance.
✔ Establish breath control that carries throughout the practice.
It establishes the mind to breath contact, locks it in during the first segment of the class and becomes almost like a touch stone throughout the class...reminding us that not only are we able to breathe with long controlled breaths, but our body is capable of it.
By engaging the correct muscles, Pranayama breathing helps build both postural awareness and respiratory efficiency.
Key Anatomical Benefits of Pranayama Breathing
Diaphragmatic Engagement:
The diaphragm is an upside down dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs.
I like to imagine it as a trap door- when it moves down, it lets in fresh air, and when it moves up, it helps push the air out.
This repeated engagement, warms the muscle right up & improves how efficiently we breathe.
Intercostal Muscle Activation:
The intercostal muscles are the muscles between the ribcage.
Building on the absolute treasure of our lungs, the ribcage is like the strong protective lid of this treasure chest keeping everything safe and secure.
The intercostal muscles are the hinges of our treasure chest and helps keep everything moving as efficiently as it was designed to.
When we inhale, these muscles help to lift & expand our chest cavity making more space for our lungs to fill with oxygen.
Scalene Engagement:
The Scalenes are accessory muscles which are found at the back of our neck and these muscles help to lift the ribs when we take deep breaths.
This extra lift, creates extra space to expand and take in more air.
Along with being awesome for breathing efficiency, the engagement of these muscles help to create better posture and less neck tension- these poor muscles are often super tight from hunching over screens or holding stress.
Improved Pulmonary Elasticity:
So the word Pulmonary is pretty much just a fancy way of saying “about the lungs”…if anything is pulmonary, it just has to do with HOW we breathe and how oxygen moves through the body….
Consistently practicing deep inhalations & controlled exhalations as we do in the first breathing exercise, enhances lung elasticity helping us to develop grade A respiratory endurance!
Circulatory Benefits:
This is bit of a no-brainer but last and definitely not least, in our first breathing exercise, oxygen-rich blood is pumped more efficiently which reduces the workload on our precious hardworking hearts and improving overall circulation.
Fun Fact- Did you know that Tortoises (which live an average of 98 years longer than human beings) take an average of four breaths per minute which works out as 15 seconds for one full breath (inhale + exhale).
In the first deep breathing exercise, we use about 12 seconds for one full breath (inhale + exhale)...long slow controlled breath guys... the benefits last on and off the mat, 98 years longer if we can tap into mad tortoise skills!
Now, why did I refer to the breathing exercise as about 12 seconds?
We inhale for 6 and exhale for 6 right?
The breathing exercise at the start of class is not only about the inhales and exhales.
Its also about the moments between.
You will hear the teacher, during the dialogue say things like "hold it" or “wait for me please” between breaths and although it might seem like a power move, its not…
The pause between transition between inhale and exhale is facilitating the principle of Kumbhaka… which is breath retention.
The Role of Kumbhaka (Breath Retention) in Pranayama Breathing
Kumbhaka, or breath retention, plays a significant role in the deep breathing practice of Pranayama.
While traditional full blown Kumbhaka involves both Antara Kumbhaka (retention after inhalation) and Bahya Kumbhaka (retention after exhalation), in Bikram Yoga, the focus remains primarily on controlled inhalation and exhalation however, sprinkled throughout the teacher cues, that "hold it" or that “wait for me please” is designed to create an intentional pause between inhale and exhale- and thats the moment of kumbhaka in the first breathing exercise which enhances:
Intra-thoracic Pressure Regulation:
So back to our analogy, imagining our upper body as a treasure chest holding your most precious life giving treasures...heart, lungs and all that jazz.
The Thoracic cavity is the treasure chest itself, a protected space inside your ribcage that keeps your heart lungs and important blood vessels safe and sound.
Temporarily holding the breath as we do in the first breathing exercise, increases the pressure inside the thoracic cavity, helping strengthen the diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
Improved Oxygen Absorption:
Even brief breath retention allows for better oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange in the lungs.
Increased Mind-Body Awareness:
Conscious breath control cultivates focus and enhances the mind’s ability to regulate physiological responses, making it a crucial component in sustaining endurance throughout the class.
Kapalabhati Breathing (Blowing in Firm Pose)
This rapid, forceful exhalation exercise that we practice at the end of class, helps clear the lungs of residual carbon dioxide and stimulates abdominal control.
In terms of function- this final breathing exercise will create the following:
Abdominal Engagement:
The forceful repeated exhalation in Kapalabhati comes from a pretty hefty contraction of the abdominals and allows us to strengthen the deep core muscles as we push the air out.
Pelvic Floor Activation:
The deep abdominal contraction used to expel air in this breathing exercise also actively engages the pelvic floor muscles, contributing to core stability and spinal support.
Detoxification of the Lungs:
This high-frequency breath cycle as well as the sheer force of the exhalation helps expel stale air and CO2, improving overall lung function.
Our nervous system has two VERY special teams that help keep your body balanced.
The Sympathetic Nervous System (I like to think of it as Superhero Mode)
This system is our fight or fight system- it swoops in when there is perceived danger, racing of the heart, breath quickening etc and brings the right muscles into action!
The Parasympathetic Nervous System (I like to call this Spa Mode)
This is your rest and digest system- after the superhero saves the day, they need to chill out...they HAVE to chill out.
This system causes the heart rate to slow, the muscles to release tension and creates a space where the body shifts into repair mode.
The Kapalbhati breathing practice activates the sympathetic nervous system momentarily (or for about 120 exhales), followed by a parasympathetic rebound (where our superhero takes off the cape) that aids in relaxation post-class...yeah, this is one of the many reasons we feel so good after class.
The Balance Between Expansion and Contraction
The placement of these two breathing exercises in the Bikram sequence is intentional. Pranayama at the beginning expands lung capacity, enhances circulation, and sets an optimal breathing pattern.
Kapalabhati at the end, works to clear excess carbon dioxide, engage the core, and stimulate mental clarity & a beautiful ease into ease.
Together, these breathing exercises create a cycle of controlled oxygenation and detoxification that enhances the physical and mental benefits of the practice.
By understanding the anatomical mechanisms behind these breathing exercises, I believe that we can deepen our awareness of how breath impacts not only our practice, but our lives off the mat.
Mastery of breath isn’t just about technique—it’s about cultivating efficiency, endurance, and balance within the body.
Kumbhaka, whether explicitly practiced or subtly integrated, serves as the bridge between expansion and contraction, allowing practitioners to harness the full power of breath for optimal performance, restoration, and transformation.
Comments