The respiratory system allows for the intake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide through a series of organs. Air enters the nose or mouth and passes through the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles before reaching the alveoli in the lungs where gas exchange occurs. A number of muscles are involved in breathing including the diaphragm and intercostal muscles which expand and contract the thoracic cavity to inhale and exhale air. Proper breathing engages both the belly and chest and is connected to emotional well-being through the deep front fascial line. Slow breathing techniques like ujjayi pranayama can benefit those with respiratory conditions like asthma.

1. Respiratory system
What is this?
!
•The respiratory system is the set of organs that
allows a person to breathe and exchange oxygen
and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
!
•The respiratory system in human's is the nasal
passages, larynx, trachea, bronchial tubes and
lungs

2. Journey of the breath

4. • Oxygen enters the nose or mouth and passes the sinuses,
which are hollow spaces in the skull
• Sinuses help regulate the temperature and humidity of the air
we breathe
• The larynx (voice box) is the passageway for air between the
pharynx above and the trachea below
• Pharynx, hollow tube that is about 5 inches long and starts
behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea (windpipe)
and esophagus.
• The pharynx serves as a entryway for the trachea and
esophagus.
Upper respiratory tract

5. Trachea
• Also known as the windpipe, is the main airway to the lungs.
• It divides into the right and left bronchi channeling air to the right
or left lung.
• Hyaline cartilage in the tracheal wall provides support and keeps
the trachea from collapsing.
• The oesophagus is immediately posterior to the trachea
• Contains mucous membrane which produces mucus that traps
airborne particles and microorganisms
• The Cilia propel the mucus upward, where it is either swallowed or
expelled.

6. • The Bronchi are two tubes that carry air into each
lung
• The bronchial tubes are lined with tiny hairs called
cilia. Cilia move back and forth, carrying mucus up
and out
• The Bronchial tubes lead to the lobes of the lungs.
The right lung has three lobes; the left lung has two
• The left lung is smaller to allow room for the heart
Bronchi

7. • The lungs are filled with small, spongy sacs called alveoli, this
is where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs.
• O2 in / Co2 out
Alveoli

8. Thoracic cavity
Abdominal cavity

9. Thoracic cavity !
!
!
The thoracic cavity is made up of 12 pairs of ribs!
!
The first 7 pairs of ribs are attached to the sternum or
breastbone by cartilage. !
!
The 8th, 9th, and 10th ribs are attached to each other by
costal cartilage !
!
The 11th and 12th ribs, known as “floating ribs,” are not
attached to the sternum!
!
It's home to the thoracic organs - HEART and LUNGS

10. Abdominal cavity!
!
The abdominal cavity is the largest body cavity
Its upper boundary is the diaphragm
located below the thoracic cavity, and above the pelvic
cavity.
Contains the greater part of the digestive tract, the liver
and pancreas, the spleen, the kidneys, and the adrenal
glands located above the kidneys.

11. –Leslie Karminoff
‘Breathing is the shape change of the
abdominal and thoracic cavities’

12. Inhale!
• The thoracic cavity - slight negative pressure!
• The lung volume expands as a result of the contraction of the diaphragm
and intercostal muscles, thus expanding the thoracic cavity. !
• Increase in volume, the pressure is decreased. This decrease of
pressure relative to the environment makes the cavity pressure less than
the atmospheric pressure . !
• This pressure gradient between the atmosphere and the thoracic cavity
allows air to rush into the lungs; inhalation occurs. !
• The resulting increase in volume is largely attributed to an increase in
alveolar space because the bronchioles and bronchi are stiff structures
that do not change in size.!
• During this process, the chest wall expands out and away from the lungs!
• Active!

13. Exhale!
• Upon exhalation, the lungs recoil to force the air out of the lungs. !
• The intercostal muscles relax, returning the chest wall to its original
position . !
• During exhalation, the diaphragm also relaxes, moving higher into the
thoracic cavity. !
• This increases the pressure within the thoracic cavity relative to the
environment. !
• Air rushes out of the lungs due to the pressure gradient between the
thoracic cavity and the atmosphere. !
• This movement of air out of the lungs is classified as a passive event
since there are no muscles contracting to expel the air.!

14. Breathing muscles
Inspiratory Muscles
Diaphragm
Intercostal muscles (outer layer)
scalene and sternocleidomastoid muscles
Expiratory Muscles
rectus abdominis
transversus abdominis
Internal and external oblique muscles
Intercostal muscles (inner layer)

15. The main muscle of
breathing….

17. • Dome-shaped sheet of muscle and tendon that serves
as the main muscle of respiration and plays a vital role
in the breathing process.
• It serves as an important anatomical landmark that
separates the thorax, or chest, from the abdomen.
• The attachments of the diaphragm are found along
the lumbar vertebrae of the spine and the inferior
border of the ribs and sternum.
• Openings in the diaphragm allow the esophagus,
phrenic and vagus nerves, descending aorta, and
inferior vena cava to pass between the thoracic and
abdominal cavities....
Diaphragm

18. Origin
• vertebral: L1, 2 (left), L1-3 (right)
• Costal: medial and lateral arcuate ligaments, inner aspect of lower six
ribs
• Sternal: xiphoid process to the lower six costal cartilages of the thorax
Insertion
• central tendon - inserts on its self
Action
• Inspiration and assists in raising intra-abdominal pressure. Main
muscle of shape change
• Contracts = flattens
• relaxed = domes

20. Intercostal muscles
• Intercostal muscles run between the ribs
• Help keep form and move the chest wall (assist shape
change)
• The intercostal muscles are mainly involved in the
mechanical aspect of breathing
• There are Internal and external intercostal muscles
• These muscles help expand and shrink the size of the
chest cavity to facilitate breathing
• Bucket handle breathing / accordion breathing

21. Breath as shape change

22. !
!
Rectus abdominis - most superficial layer (except below the navel)!
!
Next layer
!
External obliques (hands in pockets) same level (direction of fibres)
are the External intercostals (in hale)!
!
Next layer
!
Internal obliques (hands in opposite pockets) same level (direction
of fibres) are the Internal intercostals (exhale)!
!
Next layer
!
Transversus abdominis (deep) TA
Muscle layers

24. Mechanism of breathing
Inhalation: !
!
Abdomino-diaphragmatic - Belly breath!
!
Thoraco-diaphragmatic - Chest breath!
!
Exhalation: !
!
Passive Recoil!

25. !
• Belly pumping (activating)
!
Fix the rib cage open + relax the diaphragm + Relax and contract
the abdominals
!
• Belly in inhale
!
Diaphragm contracts + Relaxed abs + closed ribs
!
• Chest in hale
!
Diaphragm contracts + Abs contract + ribs open
!
• Uddiyana kriya (stretching)
!
Fix the rib cage open + Fix the abdominal cavity + stretch the
diaphragm
Activating, Relaxing and stretching the diaphragm

26. Inhale
Exhale
Chest
Belly
Energetic
Relaxed
Not always the case…..

27. • Diaphragm and solar plexus for sensitivity and
emotional connection
• Pelvic floor and sacrum for instinct and power
• lntercostals for capacity
Breath and emotion

28. Deep front line
Tom Myers

29. • The Deep Front Line is the body's myofascial core
• the DFL connects the articulation of our feet with the ground
to our facial expression and tongue
(It allows our visceral self to interact with the outside world)
“I had a gut feeling” “it took my breath away”.
• The muscles deep in our abdominal cavity, as well as the
heart, are connected via connective tissue to the muscles of
our faces!

30. • The tongue plays an important role in the Deep Front
Fascial line
• This fascial line connects the tongue to our lungs,
diaphragm, quadratus lumborum, psoas major, iliacus,
knees, and all the way down to our feet
• What would happen if the tongue were contracted and
overworked? Would it affect the breathing?
• Lions breathe and uddiyana bandha Kriya
• A fun test: Extend your tongue out while lowering down
to chatturanga.
• Vishuddi Chakra - authentic speech connected to core

31. –
““Breath is the key to restoring the deepest
connections with impulse, with emotion, with
imagination and thereby with language. The
voice is not just a musical instrument to be
played skilfully - it is a human instrument”

32. Observe your breathing habits during an ordinary day. When do you
hold your breath? Why? Fear? Anxiety? Boredom? Insecurity?
Support your breathing awareness with imaginative input
• Picture your solar plexus in the centre of your diaphragm, your own
solar system, an inner sun, bringing warmth and light, unifying the
experience of emotion and breath and thought, as though your
brain were in your belly.
• A sigh is often pleasurable. Even when a sigh is filled with sorrow it
is also filled with relief that the sorrow can be expressed and that is
a kind of pleasure.
• Start to Introducing the sigh to different parts of the body that need
space and relief
• An exploration of instinct, power and capacity
Practical

33. A compelling story……
“Sometimes when someone relaxes and the breath drops deeper in
the body tears will flow. There may be no apparent reason for the
tears, no story to tell, it's just a relief for the body to let go of its
habitual protection and allow emotion and breath to reconnect as
they are designed to do”

34. Asthma is caused by inflammation of the small tubes, called
bronchi, which carry air in and out of the lungs. For asthma
sufferers the bronchi will be inflamed and more sensitive than
normal.
!
Contact with something that irritates the lungs narrows the airways
!
The muscles around the airways tighten, and there is an increase
in the production of sticky mucus (phlegm)
!
Role of slow breath such as Ujjayi in addressing these issues……
Asthma

35. • Breathing through the nose humidifies the inhaled air, tempers it and
removes dust particles
• Using Ujjayi pranayama allows you to breathe clean air.
• The murmuring Ujjayi sound causes the bronchi to vibrate subtly,
activating the ciliated epithelium.
• Dust particles will also be removed from the lungs in this way.
• During normal breathing, the pressure on the bronchi during exhalation
is quite modest. Ujjayi pranayama maintains steady pressure inside the
bronchi, even during exhalation.
• This counteracts the collapsing of the smaller bronchi, allowing the
exhalation to be expanded and the amount of residual air in the lungs
to be reduced.
• This breathing technique is especially useful for people who suffer from
chronic obstructive lung conditions or asthma.
!

36. Practical