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Bodyflex: how breathing exercises help you lose weight without the gym

breathing exercises for weight loss

Bodyflex is a weight loss system that has helped many women find their dream shape without intense training in the gym. Gymnastics allows you to get rid of excess volume in certain parts of the body, learn to breathe properly and speed up your metabolism. In this material we will talk about the main features of miracle gymnastics from an American housewife who regained her beautiful shape after giving birth, and we will analyze a set of exercises for beginners aimed at losing weight in the stomach, sides, hips and other problems. areas.

Bodyflex combines elements of yoga, Pilates and stretching. This system was created by American housewife Greer Childers, who for a long time unsuccessfully struggled with excess weight through aerobics, fitness and a grueling diet. According to the author of the technique, only a visit to an esoteric teacher and mastering Eastern breathing practices helped him get his body shape regularly without strict dietary restrictions and constant work on his body in the gym.

After achieving the desired results, Childers created her own fitness line for busy housewives, simplifying yoga asanas and making exercise routines easier. Over time, bodyflex is constantly changing. At first, the author offers interested training plans of varying effectiveness using his personal invention, "jimbara" - an expander for static training. After that, bodyflex is simplified to 12 static exercises.

Bodyflex became popular in our country after it was promoted by fitness instructors. Trainers recommend doing breathing exercises every day, combining them with proper nutrition and other physical activities, which significantly increase the effectiveness of training.

Principles

The basic principle of gymnastics is proper breathing during exercise. During training, the trainee must periodically hold his breath, using a small volume of lungs that is not used continuously, which creates a lack of oxygen in the tense muscles. Provoked breathing of oxygen causes oxygen to be sent to the problem part of the body, where the main work is being done, and activates the fat burning process. This training feature allows you to not only break down fat, but also speed up your metabolism.

Benefits

Bodyflex offers relatively simple exercises that do not require additional physical training, going to the gym or constantly training muscles. In addition to active fat burning, gymnastics:

  • Improves blood circulation, normalizes the function of the cardiovascular system;
  • Increases immunity;
  • Helps fight stress, apathy, normalize sleep and develop stress resistance;
  • Does not tighten muscles;
  • Improve joint mobility;
  • Saturates the brain with oxygen, normalizes cerebral circulation, which helps eliminate headaches and migraines;
  • Activates the removal of waste and toxins through profuse sweating;
  • Strengthens the abdominal muscles through diaphragmatic breathing;
  • Improves mood, gives energy and enthusiasm.

Bodyflex teaches you how to breathe correctly and instills an interest in sports, so gymnastics is suitable for those with a low level of physical fitness and those who are obese.

Contraindications

Bodyflex should not be practiced if you have:

  • Heart disease;
  • Eye diseases (glaucoma, myopia with astigmatism);
  • Dry cough, asthma;
  • Hypertension and hypotension;
  • Increased intracranial pressure;
  • Changes in blood pressure;
  • Acute inflammatory process;
  • oncological diseases;
  • Epilepsy;
  • Aortic aneurysm;
  • Heart failure;
  • Varicose veins;
  • Diabetes mellitus;
  • Disorders of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract.

Also, gymnastics should not be performed during pregnancy, menstruation, ARVI and influenza, or exacerbation of chronic diseases. In any case, before starting classes, you should consult your doctor.

Characteristics of gymnastics

Bodyflex is a specialized field of fitness that has several characteristics:

  1. Training should be carried out 2-2. 5 hours after eating. Doing bodyflex exercises immediately after eating can cause stomach pain and cause the development of gastrointestinal diseases.
  2. Before class, you need to ventilate the room.
  3. It is necessary to do exercises and breathing exercises every day, otherwise the exercises will not give any results.
  4. Active breathing can cause dizziness and, in extreme cases, lead to fainting. This symptom is often observed in beginners, so training should be done with caution and ideally with a trainer.
  5. Abdominal breathing with a long delay can cause hyperventilation or hypoxia, which can lead to unpleasant consequences.

It is important to note that bodyflex is effective for overweight people. Moreover, exercise should be a way of life even after losing weight, because due to a sudden decrease in the load, the weight may return.

Breathing techniques to lose weight at home

Abdominal breathing is the basis of bodyflex. Performing special techniques aimed at connecting the diaphragm muscles to work, which helps improve blood circulation and saturate the blood with red blood cells that carry oxygen to the body's cells. At the same time, this type of breathing involves the abdominal muscles, so the main results will be noticeable in the waist and only after a while in other parts of the body.

Abdominal breathing techniques consist of five main stages:

  1. Free the lungs.You need to press your lips tightly together with the tube and blow out all the air that is in your lungs. It is also important to monitor your abdominal muscles: they should be tight and your stomach should be pulled in.
  2. Tissue saturation with oxygen. Pucker your lips tightly and inhale deeply through your nose, using your diaphragm muscles.
  3. "Vacuum". After inhaling, immediately exhale sharply through your mouth, say "groin" or "ha. " The stomach should be pressed against the spine while exhaling.
  4. Hold your breath.At this time, you need to hold your breath for 8-10 seconds, tense your abdominal muscles as much as possible and press your stomach towards your ribs. It is at this stage that basic training is done and active fat burning begins.
  5. Relaxation.It is necessary to exhale slowly, relaxing the previously involved muscles.

The basic rules of breathing: exhale through the mouth, inhale through the nose. Along with mastering the technique, one must learn to control the muscles of the diaphragm and stomach.

A set of exercises for beginners for all body parts

A standard set of bodyflex exercises for beginners is aimed at training all muscle groups, including the muscles of the face and neck.

Exercise 1. "Lion"

Helps eliminate double chin and smooth wrinkles.

  1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart. Move your pelvis back, bend your legs at the knees, place your palms on your hips, place your palms on your knees, round your back.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. At the delay stage, stretch your tongue forward and look at the ceiling. Stay in this position.
  4. After finishing the stage, exhale and relax the facial muscles.

Exercise 2. "Diamonds"

Strengthens arm and chest muscles.

  1. Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms at the elbows and raise them at chest level. Close your fingers to form a diamond shape.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. During the delay stage, squeeze your fingers as much as possible, tense your arm and chest muscles.
  4. Remain in this position for the required amount of time.
  5. Exhale, inhale and relax.

Exercise 3. "Boat"

Strengthens and stretches the inner thigh muscles, works the back muscles.

  1. Sit on the floor and spread your straight legs out to the sides as wide as possible. Socks point up. Place your palms between your legs.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. During the delay stage, lean your body forward, stretch your torso and arms in front of you as much as possible. Remain at the lowest point.
  4. Exhale and repeat the exercise.

Exercise 4. "Dog"

Removes the breeches area and improves hip joint mobility.

  1. Crawl.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. During the delay, lift your bent leg to the side, lower your foot slightly and point your knee up.
  4. Stay in this position until you exhale.
  5. While inhaling, return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other leg. Do three repetitions on each side.

Exercise 5. "Swallow"

Works on the gluteal muscles.

  1. Get to crawl with emphasis on your elbows.
  2. Round your back a little and do the breathing technique.
  3. Hold your breath, move your straight leg back, pull your toes towards you. Fix in this position.
  4. While inhaling, return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other leg. Do three repetitions on each side.

Exercise 6. "Corner"

Helps strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and back of the thigh.

  1. Lie on your back. Place your feet on the floor, place your hands along your body. Do breathing techniques.
  2. While holding, lift your straight leg up, grasping your shin or thigh with your hands. Point your socks towards you, press your tailbone and lower your back to the floor.
  3. Hold that position as long as possible.
  4. Exhale and while inhaling, lower your feet to the floor. Repeat the exercise 3 times.

The main emphasis in the classic bodyflex complex is to train the abdominal muscles, thanks to the constant tension of the muscles while holding the breath and doing the exercise. With regular exercise, you can create a beautiful waistline, remove excess volume in this area and train the deep abdominal muscles.

For the belly and sides

Exercise 1. "Side stretch"

  1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. While holding your breath, lift your right arm up and tilt your body to the left. Make sure your pelvis does not shift to the right. Hands stretched diagonally. The left hand can be placed on the thigh or placed on the stomach.
  4. At the end of the stage, relax and lower your hands down. Inhale and repeat the exercise on the other side.

Exercise 2. "Easy press"

  1. Lie on your back. Place your feet on the floor, feet apart at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. During the pause, lift your upper body off the floor, keeping your arms parallel to the floor with your palms facing down. Head straight, chin not pressed to the chest. The gaze is directed forward. The lower back does not come off the floor.
  4. As you exhale, return to the starting position. While inhaling, repeat the exercise.

Exercise 3. "Pretzels"

  1. Sit on the mat, straighten your legs in front of you, put your feet together.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. During the delay stage, bend your right leg at the knee and place it on the floor on the outside of your left thigh.
  4. Place your right hand behind your back, and with your left hand grab your right thigh and pull it towards your body.
  5. Turn right and look back.
  6. Return to the starting position, exhale and repeat on the other side.

Exercise 4. Horizontal "scissors".

  1. Lie on your back, legs bent. Place your hands under your back and press your lower back into the floor.
  2. Do breathing techniques.
  3. Lift your leg straight up, pull your toes back and do a cross swing, crossing one leg over the other.
  4. After the time has elapsed, return to the starting position and inhale.

Exercise 5. Vertical "scissors".

  1. Remaining in the same starting position as in the previous exercise, perform the breathing technique.
  2. Hold your breath, lift your leg up, pull your toes back and alternately raise and lower your leg with minimal range of motion.
  3. Return to the starting position and inhale.

Exercise 6. "Rinse"

  1. Crawl.
  2. Do a breathing technique, hold your breath without pulling in your stomach.
  3. While holding your breath, relax your stomach, then use your muscles to pull it toward your back. Throughout the entire delay stage, the movement alternates.
  4. Then return to the starting position.

Efficiency and results

There is much controversy regarding the effectiveness of bodyflex. Some argue that the technique is useless and can only harm the body, others guarantee good results, citing their experience of losing weight.

Regardless of the type of training, the calorie deficit plays a special role in losing weight, which is created only through proper and balanced nutrition. Therefore, to get rid of extra pounds, you should abandon fast food, reduce the portion of fatty, starchy and sweet foods, increase the consumption of fresh vegetables, fruits, cereals, and give preference to lean meat and fish.

Keep in mind that bodyflex aims to get rid of excess volume, not kilograms, so at the initial stage you should record body parameters and track changes after each exercise. According to the followers of the technique, with the implementation of the correct technique, continuous training and proper nutrition, you can reduce your waist by 5-7 cm in a week. It is important to understand that with proper weight loss without returning extra pounds, the result is not achieved immediately. Complex and long-term work is required.

Expert recommendations

Experts recommend conducting the first class together with a trainer who will show you how to breathe and do exercises correctly. This will help avoid the unpleasant consequences that beginners most often face: misunderstandings about the work of the diaphragm muscles, dizziness due to prolonged breath holding, etc. Since the most important thing is breathing, it should be worked on first, including in the daily complex of 3 -5 exercises to work on problem areas. In the future, with increasing experience, you can add variety to your training by working on several muscle groups at once.

Experts also note that bodyflex is not a universal way to lose weight for everyone, as the creators of the technique claim. Gymnastics is not suitable for everyone, so if you notice a deterioration in your health or a lack of desired results, you should replace bodyflex with a popular analog, its effectiveness is guaranteed. This may be Pilates, callanetics, power yoga, dance and classical fitness with cardio and strength exercises.

The results of training are mainly influenced by the regularity of training. You should do gymnastics every day, spending 15-20 minutes in the morning before breakfast. If time allows, you can practice 2 times a day and do breathing techniques, tense your abdominal muscles, whenever you have free time.