The River of Life: How Fascia, Muscles and Bones Move in Breathing

The simple act of breathing is a complex pulse with ramifications for nearly every system of the body: nervous, circulatory, musculo-skeletal, and digestive. Nearly every school of somatic thought has theories about breathing, many of them contradictory. In this yoga download, Thomas Myers discusses some of the basics around the actual movement of the breath including on how the bones, muscles, and fascia can move in breathing.

In the first yoga download, Thomas Myers takes a look at the rib 'basket', how it is designed to work with the spine, and how it can get restricted. He looks at the primary muscles of breathing (diaphragm, intercostals, and scalenes) and how they work, including a discussion of the abdominal balloon (transversus and the pelvic floor) and its role in core support. Thomas will also look at the structure of the lungs, alveoli, and bronchioles themselves to see what they can tell us about breathing.  

In the second class, Thomas Myers discusses different kinds of breathing - breathing in pranayama, exercise, anxiety, meditation. How does the breath change, and how does that change the body and the mentality? What is the 'right' way to breath in any given situation?  

The second class expands on the anatomy outlined in the first class so that listeners can make sensible decisions about advising students, clients and themselves about issues of the breath.

See here for more information on Thomas Myers and the Anatomy Trains.