Uddiyana Bandha Breath (Abdominal Lock)
A traditional yogic practice that creates an abdominal vacuum by performing a false inhalation on empty lungs. This mechanical lock massages internal organs, stimulates digestion, and tones the diaphragm.
- 1Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hands resting firmly on your thighs.
- 2Inhale deeply through the nose, then exhale completely and forcefully until the lungs are entirely empty.
- 3Hold your breath out (do not inhale). Perform a 'mock inhalation' by expanding your rib cage, which will naturally pull your relaxed abdominal muscles upward and inward under the ribs.
- 4Hold this abdominal vacuum (Uddiyana Bandha) for as long as comfortable, typically 5 to 15 seconds.
- 5To release, relax the abdomen first, dropping the chest, and then inhale slowly and smoothly through the nose.
- 6Take 2 to 3 normal recovery breaths before beginning the next round. Complete 3 to 5 rounds total.
By expanding the rib cage without letting air into the lungs, Uddiyana Bandha creates significant negative intrathoracic pressure. This vacuum effect increases venous return to the heart, stimulates the vagus nerve via deep diaphragmatic stretch, and mechanically massages the abdominal viscera, enhancing gastrointestinal motility and enteric blood flow.
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Strictly contraindicated during pregnancy, menstruation, high blood pressure, heart disease, hiatal hernia, peptic ulcers, glaucoma, or on a full stomach.
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