How to Do Hara Breathing

There are many different styles of martial arts, but they all have one thing in common: discipline. If you have the will and dedication, you can become successful at any of the martial arts, and build a strong healthy body, as well. Strengthening your muscles and toning your body, will help build confidence, along with the ability to defend yourself need be. At the center of martial arts is cardiovascular conditioning, as well as proper breathing technique. It is believed that all of your inner strength will come as you learn how to breathe properly. It is the inner strength that is even more powerful than your muscles. This is where hara breathing comes in. Breathing should always be deep, coming straight from the abdomen. The Chinese call the abdomen, the hara. The hara is located three finger widths below the belly button. The following steps will teach you how to breath from your hara, and build strength and stamina.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Dedication and discipline

1. Take in a deep breath and expand your abdomen. Concentrate. Watch your abdomen expand and be sure you are not breathing in using your chest muscles. Work your abdomen only.
2. Next exhale, and contract the muscles of your abdomen. Tighten the abdomen as much as you can. Pull tighter and tighter, building strength in the muscles and toning the tummy. Take the next breath immediately, and deeply, concentrating again. Continue this technique as much as possible to perfect it.
3. As you perform a kick or punch, exhale strongly on the strike. By doing this you will strengthen your abdomen and build power. Your strike should impact on the exhale, and relax on the next inhale.
4. Perform your strikes using the hara breathing technique, concentrating on breathing from the abdomen and not the chest. Your abdomen should be deflating and expanding, not your chest.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice the hara breathing technique throughout your day, you should soon be able to fine tune your breathing, where the abdominal breathing becomes your body's choice and you begin to breathe this way naturally.
• Before you begin any fitness routine, consult your doctor and make sure you are healthy enough.