[Hong Seok-jun's Movement Lab] The First Step Towards a Lighter Body

No matter what exercise we do, there is a common thing we learn first. It is 'breathing'. Every time I think about it, I often wonder, "Why is breathing so important? It's just an act of inhaling and exhaling, something I do all day long, even while I'm asleep, so why is it so significant?"

As you read this, are you breathing through your nose? Or are you perhaps inhaling through your mouth? If you were breathing through your nose, try inhaling through your mouth this time. When you breathe in through your mouth, you might find that within just a few breaths, your mouth and throat feel dry.

However, when you breathe in through your nose, the hairs inside filter out dust, allowing you to take in clean air deeply without the dryness in your mouth. Breathing through your mouth brings in a large volume of air all at once, which actually prevents you from taking deep breaths. Only when you take long, deep breaths through your small nostrils does oxygen and nutrients get sufficiently supplied to your brain and every corner of your body where they are needed.

This is why most patients with Parkinson's disease or dementia have a commonality in breathing through their mouths. Their breathing quality is low and short, which means that sufficient oxygen does not reach the brain.

The quality of breathing does not only affect the brain and organs. When we exhale, we induce muscle relaxation. The act of slightly pursing your lips and slowly exhaling encourages the relaxation of all body muscles and relieves unnecessary tension. Conversely, a short, sharp exhale of "ha" does not give the muscles enough time to relax.

There are many reasons why we learn breathing techniques first in any exercise, but the most important one is simple. It is to release unnecessary tension and create the best movement with minimal effort. The moment you can control your breathing, the quality of your movement will change completely, just as I have experienced.

I have been a severe rhinitis patient since I was young. For me, my nose was not a tool for breathing. It was just an organ that constantly bothered me with a runny nose and prevented me from tasting properly. But now, I also breathe through my nose while exercising and living. Learning movements and postures in any exercise is, of course, important. However, have you ever truly paid attention to and controlled your breathing?

Now that you understand it in your head, let’s take a deep breath through our noses. All the way in. When you feel like you can’t inhale any more, slowly exhale a suitable amount of breath through your mouth. Once again, all the way. You will feel your ribcage closing tightly and the strength coming deep from your abdomen, your core.

Now, repeat it. Just with your breathing, your core will awaken, and your spine and entire body will be maintained stably. You will finally experience the amazing sensation of unnecessary tension releasing from your whole body.

Written by: Hong Seok-jun, Physiotherapist
- Head of Rehabilitation Team at Welli Brown Lounge
- Overseas Instructor for Phone B Pilates
- Former Head of Manual Therapy at Incheon Oriental Medicine Hospital