True Diaphragmatic Breathing

I want to revolutionize the way we understand and practice diaphragmatic breathing.

The classic instruction — “one hand on your chest, one hand on your belly, keep the top hand still and let the bottom hand rise as you breathe” — is misleading and ineffective for teaching a true diaphragmatic breath.

A better way to approach this is by visualizing the diaphragm as a 3-dimensional dome that flattens and descends as you inhale (which is exactly what happens). As this occurs, the entire 3-dimensional area of your body — the stomach, side ribs, and lower back — should expand outward, like an inner tube inflating. It’s not simply about pushing the belly forward; it’s about expanding in all directions.

The most problematic part of the traditional cue is the instruction to “keep the upper chest quiet.” This leads people to believe that breathing into the chest is bad — which is absolutely not the case. The chest and rib cage are where our lungs live, and we absolutely need to lift, widen, and expand the ribs during a full breath. Even when the focus is on the diaphragm, we shouldn’t be dogmatic about keeping the upper chest still. That movement should be welcomed.

What’s important is that the diaphragm flattening and expanding low remains the primary driver of the breath. The movement of the upper chest isn’t something you actively create — it’s a byproduct of the spine lengthening as the diaphragm pulls downward. There’s a symbiotic relationship here: the diaphragm pulls down, and the spine elongates, creating a strong, stable anchor that allows the diaphragm to contract and widen effectively.

So, a true diaphragmatic breath requires:

Sitting or standing tall

Broadening the chest

Drawing air low into the diaphragm while visualizing this 3-dimensional muscle flattening and expanding into the side ribs, flanks, lower back, and stomach

As you pull air low and the diaphragm flattens, your spine will lengthen and elongate vertically, slightly lifting your posture as a natural byproduct of anchoring down through your seat or feet.

It’s a bi-directional movement: anchoring down while lifting up. Flatten the diaphragm down while filling the lungs up. You should feel this breath throughout the entire lungs, ribs, and torso — not just in the stomach.

JT