Diaphragm Stretching Exercises for Freediving are one of the key factors that will help bring your freediving to the next level.
What is the Diaphragm
The diaphragm Is a large muscle in the mid chest cavity that acts as one of the main respiratory muscles. When the diaphragm contracts, it lowers in the chest cavity. This expands the chest volume and draws air into the lungs as an inhalation. When the diaphragm relaxes it rises in the chest cavity, forces air out as an exhalation.
Intercostal Muscles
Intercostal muscles are the muscles located between each of the ribs. They help to provide more force for deeper inhalations and exhalations.
Increasing the flexibility of the intercostal muscles will compound the effects of Diaphragm stretching.
Uddiyana Banha
Most diaphragm stretches have their base in a version of Uddiyana Bandha – also known as the flying upward lock or abdominal lift. The Basic premise of which to restrain the breath at the end of an exhalation.
Uddiyana Bandha is typically practiced from a standing position. For freediving we recommend doing this stretch in a seated lotus or cross-legged position.
How to do the modified Uddiyana Banha:
- In one slow motion, exhale completely at the same time as you slowly fold forward at the hip. Use both your intercostal chest muscles and your abdominal muscles to press in on your chest cavity.
Tip: To help visual the movement, imagine you are inflating as much for a free dive float as you can on a single breathe.
- At the very bottom of your exhalation, close your throat to restrain air from entering your lungs.
Tip: If you cannot close your throat or are unsure try to inhale while blocking you mouth and nose. This will cause your chest to lift and provide an idea of what you should feel.
- With the throat locked, relax your abdominal muscles and slowly straiten through the spine. This will allow the chest cavity to expand, resulting in negative pressure drawing the lower abdomen up. This partial vacuum will visibly suck you abdomen up into your rib cage. This is normal.
Tip: It is important to keep your abdominal muscles relaxed for this step. The more relaxed you’re your abdominals the more pronounced vacuum effect.
- Hold this position until you feel the urge to breathe or are finished with the stretch. It is unnecessary to practice lengthy retentions in this position.
Congratulations, you are now practicing Uddiyana Banha. If you are only going to do one of the diaphragm stretching exercises for freediving in this list, we recommend its this one.
Recovery Breathing
It is important to note that at the end of each retention you should practice regular recovery breathing. This will help ensure you have sufficiently re-oxygenated your blood at the end of each breath hold before progress to the next repetition.
Rotating Abdominal Lift
The second of the diaphragm stretches for freediving Free Depth recommends is the Rotating Abdominal Lift. Performing this stretch is very straightforward if you have managed regular abdominal lift.
- Start by getting into Uddiyana Banha. Progress until your lower abdomen has been vacuumed up into the rib cage.
- Keeping your abdominal muscles relaxed slowly rotate through the back towards the right.
- Hold this position for several seconds.
- Slowly rotate through the back towards the left.
- Hold this position for several seconds.
- Repeat until you feel the urge to breath.
Tip: To help better control your first inhalation following an abdominal lock, engage your abdominal muscles.
Diaphragm Massage
The third stretch for the diaphragm Free Depth recommends is direct diaphragm massage. Performing this technique is more advanced and should be practiced with care.
- Get into Uddyana Banha.
- Gently message the section of diaphragm which can be felt on the underside of your rib cage on the right side.
- Gently massage the section of diaphragm which can be felt on the underside of your rib cage on the left side.
- Continue alternating sides until you feel the urge to breathe.
At no point in this stretch should you feel any pain. It is important to listen to your body and not prigress quickly or forcefully with this stretch.
Manual Rib Stretching
The fourth diaphragm stretch for freediving is manual rib stretching. This is also a more advanced technique and should be practiced with gentle care.
- Get into Uddyana Banha
- Gently grab the underside of your ribs
- Gently stretch your ribs inward and outward, moving the location of your grasp each time.
- Repeat until you feel the urge to breath
At no point should this cause pain or discomfort. At first instead of a full grasp, perform the stretch as if you were massaging the ribs inside and out.
How Often Should You Stretch Your Diaphragm?
Like any form of exercise, the consistency of your Diaphragm stretching practice will dictate how much growth and change you will see.
To see measurable change in the flexibility of your Diaphragm and intercostal muscles you should perform the stretches mentioned above several times a week. As with other breathwork practices and exercises, some people will even practice every day.
If you find yourself feeling constrained for time, try simply practicing Uddyana Banha when your seated at work or watching TV. Afterall it is the most important of the diaphragm stretching exercises for freediving.
Any amount of diaphragm stretching will aid your freediving progress, however the more your do and the more consistently you do it, the greater the return.
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