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

No matter what exercise we do, there is a common thing we learn first. It’s ‘breathing’. Every time I think about it, I always wonder, “Why is breathing so important? It’s such a natural act that I do all day long, even while I’m asleep.”

Are you breathing through your nose while reading this? Or are you perhaps inhaling through your mouth? If you were breathing through your nose, try taking a breath through your mouth this time. When you breathe through your mouth, you’ll probably feel your mouth and throat drying up before you can even take three breaths.

However, when you breathe through your nose, the hairs inside filter out the dust, allowing you to take in clean air deeply without the dryness in your mouth. Breathing through your mouth brings in a large amount of air at once, which actually prevents you from taking deep breaths. Only when you take long 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 of breathing through their mouths. Their breathing quality is low and short, so sufficient oxygen cannot 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 exhale like “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’s about releasing unnecessary tension to create the best movement with minimal effort. The moment you can control your breathing, the quality of your movements will completely change, just as I 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 certainly important. But 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 anymore, slowly exhale a suitable amount of breath through your mouth. Once again, all the way. You will feel your chest closing tightly and the strength coming deep from your abdomen, all the way to 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 feeling of unnecessary tension releasing from your whole body.

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