A Look At Breathing Exercises Benefits & Limitations
We’re going to take look at one of the most important ways breathing exercises can be good for us. We’ll also consider some of the limitations. This post is a follow-up of last week’s article on the “four quarters of breathing,”
As always, it’s important to be clear that I am not a doctor. Nothing in this post meant to be considered medical advice. I only share my own practice and motivations for others to consider. Always consult with a licensed and credentialed functional medicine practitioner before making any changes to your exercise and lifestyle routine.
Deep Breathing Exercises Can Be Improved By Providing Resistance
Allow me to introduce you to my newest toy: the Breather Fit. This tool allows you to add variable resistance to both the inhale and exhale.
Yes, it does look exactly like a crack pipe.
There is a free app meant to be used in conjunction with this piece of equipment, but in my experience, it’s not necessary and not very high quality or interesting to use.
So, why would we want to bother adding resistance to our breathing?
In one word: reserves.
Let’s look at the graphic below, which illustrates lung volumes, and corroborates my premise that a full breath cycle should have “four quarters.”
http://www.pathwaymedicine.org/lung-volumes
Failure to maintain adequate reserves is the physiological equivalent of living paycheck to paycheck. It’s all good until you find yourself in a high-demand state. We want to keep as much money in reserve as possible to cover those unexpected bills.
Our bodies are constantly adjusting to the signals it receives; if all they ever receive are weak signals, our bodies adapt towards weakness.
The Last Word On Why Breathing Exercises Are Good For You
When’s the last time you heard somebody complaining they had too much time in the day? Technology hasn’t saved us any time in our day-to-day lives, but it has saved us energy. It generally takes much less effort to complete tasks today than in the past. That reduced effort translates into reduced messages to our bodies. Without these signals from our environment, we won’t maintain our strength or the ability to meet our oxygen demands.
In the 21st Century, we must seek opportunities to expose ourselves to healthy physical stress regularly. If we don’t, our reserves dwindle to the bare minimum necessary to support us while sitting indoors in central air and artificial lighting. It leaves us unprepared for the inevitable unexpected challenges of life.
GM Sam Chin likes to say, “If it’s a circle, it has a center. If it has a center, it has four quarters.”
We tend to think of breathing as a two-part process: inhale and exhale. But during my own breathwork a year or so ago, I began to see a fuller cycle—one with four quarters.
Each inhale and exhale has an active and a passive component, separated by a point of equilibrium.
At the end of a relaxed exhale, pressure inside the lungs equals atmospheric pressure. Airflow stops momentarily. This is the neutral point.[teachmephysiology]
From neutral, inhalation is active. The diaphragm contracts and descends; the rib cage expands through the action of the external intercostals and other inspiratory muscles. This increases thoracic volume, drops pressure inside the lungs below atmospheric pressure, and air flows in.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih][pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih]
At the top of a full inhale, you can let go. Elastic recoil in the lungs and chest wall brings the system back toward its resting position, and air leaves without a deliberate muscular push. That is passive exhalation—the normal pattern of quiet breathing.[link.springer][open]
But if you continue beyond the ordinary resting exhale, exhalation becomes active. The abdominal wall contracts, the diaphragm is driven upward, and the internal intercostals help pull the rib cage inward. You are actively reducing thoracic volume and expelling air from your expiratory reserve.[pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih][open]
At the bottom of that active exhale, you cannot empty the lungs completely—some residual volume always remains. But when you relax after a strong exhale, the chest wall’s elastic recoil helps air return toward the normal resting level. That is the passive phase of the inhale.
So the cycle has four quarters:
Active inhale: expanding from neutral toward a fuller breath.
Passive exhale: relaxing from the top of the breath back toward neutral.
Active exhale: compressing below neutral toward your available expiratory reserve.
Passive inhale: releasing from that compression back toward neutral.
Why train all four?
Like anything else, breathing capacity follows the “use it or lose it” principle—although the physiology is more nuanced than that phrase suggests.
With age, the respiratory system changes in several directions at once. The chest wall tends to become less compliant, lung tissue loses some elastic recoil, respiratory muscles lose strength, airways close earlier during exhalation, and residual volume tends to rise. Forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second—FEV₁—generally decline across adulthood.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih][pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih][eacpr]
This does not mean that every reduction in lung function comes from insufficient deep breathing. Aging, smoking history, disease, posture, physical inactivity, body composition, and environmental exposure all matter. But habitual shallow breathing does leave less reason to explore the available movement of the diaphragm, rib cage, and abdominal wall.
Most people spend much of the day near their resting breathing volume: small, quiet breaths around neutral. That is normal and efficient at rest. The problem comes when “normal” becomes the only range you use.
The rib cage is not a rigid box. It is a moving structure of ribs, cartilage, spine, intercostal muscles, diaphragm, and abdominal wall. Aging is associated with stiffening of the thoracic cage and reduced chest-wall compliance, which increases the work required to breathe. Regularly using a comfortable, fuller range of inhalation and exhalation is not a guarantee against those changes, but it gives you a reason to preserve movement where movement is available.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih][pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih]
The larger issue: reserve
The important quality is not that you take huge breaths all day. It is that you retain access to respiratory reserve when demand rises.
During exertion, coughing, speaking under stress, fighting, climbing stairs, recovering from illness, or dealing with a respiratory infection, quiet breathing is not enough. You need the ability to expand the rib cage, recruit inspiratory muscles, generate an effective exhale, and clear the airways.
Respiratory muscle strength declines with age, and weaker respiratory muscles can compromise cough effectiveness and airway clearance. Meanwhile, age-related enlargement of airspaces and earlier closure of smaller airways contribute to increased dead-space ventilation and less efficient gas exchange.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih][pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih][eacpr]
That reserve matters. It is the difference between having only enough breathing capacity for sitting quietly and having something left when life asks more of you—whether that is a hard round, a steep hill, or, as I like to say, fighting off a bear. Or pneumonia.
FEV₁ is not a complete measure of health, but it is an important marker. In a large international cohort of 126,359 adults, lower FEV₁ was associated with progressively greater risks of mortality, cardiovascular events, and respiratory hospitalization. That relationship was seen even with relatively mild impairment, not only in people with advanced lung disease.[thelancet]
Can breath training help?
Breathwork is not magic, and it cannot reverse every structural change associated with aging. The evidence is stronger for improving breathing-muscle strength, breath control, chest mobility, and tolerance of effort than for claiming that ordinary breathwork alone will dramatically restore all measures of lung function in every healthy older adult.
Still, respiratory muscles can be trained. Clinical research on respiratory-muscle training shows meaningful improvements in maximal inspiratory pressure in some populations, though changes in FEV₁ and other spirometry measures are often smaller or inconsistent. That is reason enough to begin: you are training usable capacity, coordination, awareness, and access to range—not chasing a single number.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]
If you are over 50 and haven’t been doing breathwork your whole life, you don’t need to throw in the towel.
Start today. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Here’s what to do
Become more aware of your breathing throughout the day. Notice whether you ever explore all four quarters, rather than living only in small breaths near neutral.
Include occasional comfortable maximum inhales and maximum exhales in dedicated practice. Do not force, strain, or turn blue in the face. The goal is controlled range, not suffering.
Reach both hands overhead. Inhale toward your comfortable maximum and allow the ribs to widen in all directions—front, sides, back, and up—like the hood of a cobra.
Then make fists, pull the arms down alongside the body, and exhale firmly. Feel the ribs narrow and the waist draw inward as the abdominal wall participates in the exhale.
Repeat for 5–10 controlled cycles. If you become dizzy, light-headed, anxious, or uncomfortable, stop and return to easy nasal breathing.
If you train a martial art such as I Liq Chuan, pay attention to fajin. A coordinated emission already asks you to organize an active exhale. Used well, it can be one more way to practice forceful expiration—without separating breath training from the rest of your art.
If you have COPD, asthma that is not well controlled, heart disease, a recent respiratory infection, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain, or dizziness, speak with a qualified clinician before adding strong breath holds or aggressive maximal breathing drills.
Ashe is a highly skilled martial arts instructor and certified nutrition coach with over two decades of experience in the field. He holds a Master Instructor certification in I Liq Chuan under Sam FS Chin, making him one of only several individuals worldwide to hold the title. He has taught classes and workshops worldwide and is passionate about helping others achieve their fitness and wellness goals.
With a background in full-contact fighting and a Level 2 certification from Precision Nutrition in nutrition coaching, Ashe is a well-rounded expert in the fields of martial arts. In addition to his expertise, he has a wealth of experience in teaching and mentoring others. He has a natural ability to connect with his students and inspire them to reach their full potential.
I am not a doctor or a lawyer, and the information provided should not be considered medical or legal advice.
The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle.
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A new scientific study may shed some light on how the practice of bone marrow washing in qigong may work. At its core, all qigong essentially boils down to coordinating your breathing and movement with focused attention: yi dao qi dao li dao 意到氣到力到 (attention arrives, energy arrives, power arrives).
Shaolin is famous for two sets of qigong in particular: the yijinjing (易筋經) and xisuijing (洗髓經) (although you’ll be hard-pressed to find any two teachers who agree on precisely what either of them should look like).
The yijinjing, loosely translated, means “muscle/tendon changing classic.” This is the set that Master Jiru teaches as part of his approach to “mindfulness of feeling.”
Xisuijing – Marrow Washing Qigong
Xisuijing means something like “marrow washing exercises”. Dr. Yang Jwingming writes “Xi means “to wash” or “to clean.” Sui includes Gu Sui, which means “bone marrow,” and Nao Sui, which refers to the brain—including the cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata. Jing () means “classic or bible.” This work is commonly translated “Marrow Washing Classic,” but “Brain/Marrow Washing Classic” is a more accurate translation.”
In I Liq Chuan, GM Sam Chin teaches that “expand and condense” helps to cycle the qi from the center of the bones (the marrow) out through the ligaments, tendons, and skin and back, and considers this training to be xisuijing.
Other systems of kung fu, such as Little Nine Heavens, incorporate specific exercises that utilize weights tied to the genitals as a major component, if not the singular focus, of xisuijing.
The Purpose of Bone Marrow Washing Qigong
<—WARNING: long, but relevant tangent ahead—>
In his book “Qigong, The Secret of Youth” Yang, Jwingming translated many old documents detailing the practice of xisuijing, and while there were exercises that involved the testicles, no mention was made of swinging weights from them, therefore I’m inclined to think that either only certain schools adopted this practice as part of their specific approach to marrow washing, or over time most schools abandoned the practice.
Remember the semi-mythical founder of Zen, Bodhidharma, was an Aryan prince turned monk who’d traveled to Shaolin from India around the 5th century AD, where he found the monks in poor health due to lack of exercise (they spent all their time translating sutras from Sanskrit into Chinese).
As the story goes, Bodhidharma taught the monks various yogic practices, which became the foundation of Shaolin’s qigong and kung fu. There are Indian yogis who also practice hanging weights from their genitals, so it almost certainly pre-dates its practice in China, and potentially was an important part of the original xisuigong.
<—/tangent—>
In his article on the purpose of xisuijing, Yang Jwingming writes “Most important of all, the practitioner of Brain/Marrow Washing Qigong is able to lead Qi to his brain to nourish it, and to raise his spirit. To the Daoists and Buddhists, Brain/Marrow Washing Qigong is the path to reach the final goal of enlightenment or Buddhahood.”
How does one lead the qi? With focused attention: yi dao qi dao li dao 意到氣到力到.
“Where the attention goes, the energy goes.”
New Science Meets Ancient Practices
Now that we’ve established some background on marrow washing and the role of focused attention and breathing in qigong methods, let’s take a look at some recent discoveries that support the premise that we can use intentional breathing exercises to optimize the health and function of our brains.
Our brains are our most metabolically active organs; they account for only about 2% of our body weight, yet consume ~20-25% of all the calories we eat; as a result, they produce large amounts of metabolic waste products. Accumulation of these harmful substances, like amyloid plaques, is associated with cognitive decline as seen in Alzheimer’s, and one of the most essential functions of sleep is clearing out waste from the brain by circulating (i.e., “washing”) the CSF, or cerebrospinal fluid. Breathing, however, also plays a role in the process!
The volume of CSF circulated was four times greater due to breathing than to changes in heart rate, and this was for a “normal” breath rate of 15 breaths per minute.
On Instagram, Dr. Steven Lin writes “During an inhale and exhale the chest rises and falls. The change in pressure flows upward to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics surrounding the brain. Here’s how it works: Breath in (inspiration) – Lowers chest pressure and empties the venous plexus. CSF flows down the spine. Breath out (expiration) – Increases chest pressure and fills the venous plexus, pushing CSF up the spine into the head.”
Slower breathing, like that used in qigong and breathwork, can be 5-6 breaths per minute (or less).
In an article from Science Norway, study author Vegard Vinje explained why fewer deep breaths have a greater impact on the flow of brain fluid than faster, shallow breathing. Essentially, the longer waves that result from deep breaths can carry more volume. He compares it to ocean waves hitting the land.
“Imagine a beach with rubbish. A long wave will remove garbage and clutter on a beach more efficiently than a short one,” he said.
Although there is a certain risk of trying to shoehorn modern data to explain ancient practices, recent research has continued to support and expand on these findings. A 2022 study published in Nature Scientific Reports replicated the earlier results of Vinje and colleagues, showing that controlled yogic breathing techniques—especially deep abdominal breathing—significantly increase the cranial flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
*Replication is an essential hallmark of solid, evidence-based practices.
Using real-time MRI technology, researchers demonstrated that respiratory-driven CSF movement not only complements but can even rival cardiac-driven flow during slow, intentional breathing.
These findings lend additional scientific support to the internal logic of Marrow Washing Qigong: that breath, mind, and subtle movement can be used to enhance the brain’s self-cleansing mechanisms and promote long-term neurological health.
I believe that the old masters developed deep insights into the inner workings of their bodies and minds, and modern imaging technology is finally allowing us to see and measure what they were feeling all along.
A video of me demonstrating a feat of grip strength by tearing an entire deck of cards in half.
Traditional martial arts instructors often frown on strength training (or at least the version of it that is most often practiced in the West), and my own teacher GM Sam Chin is no exception; however, one type of strength and strength training is revered by almost all martial artists is grip strength!
When it comes to “lifting weights,” even GM Sam Chin is in favor of training the grip.
Your feet are how you connect to the ground to generate power (not including ground fighting like jiu-jitsu), but the hands are how you connect to your opponent or to a weapon to apply power.
In addition to training with heavy weapons like long spears and poles, maces, and swords, traditional martial arts often used additional grip training methods like “gripping jars” called nigiri game by practitioners of karate and the stone locks of China (similar to kettlebells) to develop multiple aspects of grip strength like crushing and pinching strength.
Most traditional martial arts emphasize four categories of techniques: striking, kicking, wrestling, and grappling, which involves grabbing the opponent’s limbs and essentially “bending and twisting” to either dislocate a joint or break a bone. All wrestling and grappling require maximum grip strength to be effective.
In more modern times, scientists have even discovered that grip strength is an excellent indicator of your overall health: many studies, like the PURE study, have shown that grip strength is a better indicator of your risk of death in the following 10-12 years than biomarkers like blood pressure!
Whether you want to be an effective martial artist, or just want to be lean, strong, and healthy, train your hands!
