Posted by Dennis Morris on January 25, 2001 at 13:03:37:
In Reply to: Breathing... posted by Matt A. on January 25, 2001 at 09:42:57:
Matt,
Ever tried a breathing tube? Here's what works for me.
Get a tube about 1" in diameter and a couple of inches long. My teacher used to give us the tubes that syringes come in (with both ends cut off), but a scrap of PVC pipe would work. Just make sure it's not so big in diameter that it causes your jaw to tighten up.
Put one end of the tube between your front teeth. Inhale through the tube in a relaxed manner (very important!). You should feel a nice thick stream of air coming in, and the back of your throat should feel cool air.
If you've lost your tube, putting the tips of two or three fingers between your front teeth isn't as good but it helps.
In addition to opening up my throat (which I think is one of the reasons for the "How" concept you mentioned), the tube helps me to breathe "all the way down".
There are many Jacobs students on the BBS who can provide a lot more information on this subject.
Good luck!
Dennis Morris