1 b e increase in dep<

h is lhe m os t efficien
ne ed o! th e body, an t means o! meeting lh
d th,s 1s shown m w e~
m ay reach up lo abou ell-trained alhletes. T •t e r oxygen
t 2,400 mL or more oe tida! volume
~xerc1se. W it h th e (h al l lh e vital capacity
m cr ea se tn depth of
respiration, th e dead ) during heavy
m cr ea se d. ll m ay be sp ac e volume is a.b,o
doubled. During exer
mcreases lr om the re cise lhe respiratory lre
st in g levei (1 5 to 40 -5 quency also
ln sp ee d [Link], th 0 breaths in a minute)
e increase is maxim .
lh e respiratory freque um. lf the tidal volu
ncy 40 breaths a min me is 2 00 0 m L
th e total venti\ation ute, and lhe dead spac
per minute w ill be e 300 'mL, lhe~
per minute w il l be 68 80 ,0 00 mL, and the
,0 00 mL. T hi s is de ar alveolar venti\ation
ln a fo ld ed -l eg post ly shown in table l.
ure lh e legs ar e bloc
exercise. T oe m us cl ked. so lhey cannot ta
es of lh e neck, arms, ke pa rt in lh e
1 b e be st exercise in and trunk can be mod
folded-leg postures is er ately exercised.
in w hi ch the im po na lh e voluntary full coot
nl raction method
an y externa! lo ad . ln skeletal muscles are contracted to their lull
th is lo rm of exercise ex
le ng th en in g. an d th the muscles undergo tent without
e degree of contract shonening and
vo lit io na l contractio ion is controlled by
n is effective is sh volition. That lhe
m us cl es , w he n sh on ow n by two factors:
en ed , ar e as ha rd as one is that the
m en ta l co nt ro l ov er wood; lh e other is th
the contraction of at there is full
co nt ra ct io n is te rm ed lh e muscles. This
cã voluntary full
dep<h an d frequency ra~ã. an importanl pa rt o! Ha\ha Yoga. Bol
increase only slight h respiratory
ex er ci se . ly or moderately in
this lorm o!
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no \.l lO
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ali lh e muscles can be l
. lh od . the folded•leg fu lly relaxe full
re la xa ll on,: ;'th posture. Alter attammd by lhealvo ;"'tary 1
~ e s ca n be m or e an g gene
th e bo dy , em d m or e relaxed volitio r re axauon o
th e "l el go " principi fd nally by applying
e an d a so rt o I; "; chmenl from lh e body together wtlh
co ns ci ou s passivity. , us de s will gradually
ln th is m an ne r, ; undergo full
re la xa ti on . A l th is st e ;; decreases and m
ag e, re sp ua to ry e q ost probably, lhe
ti da l vo lu m e is also u ': ed lhat lh e ~ pi
ra to ry frequency
de cr ea se s fr om th e rereduced. ll_ canl ~ o e ~ 10 limes
st in g po s, uo n 1 llffle or less. This is hangsa
s o
 un me orner nana, [Link] me musc1es can oe ruuy re1axea oy me vo1Umary ruu
relaxation melhod in lhe folded-leg posture. Alter attaining general relaxation of
lhe body, ali the muscles can be more and more relaxed volitionally by applying
lhe "let go" principie and a sort of detachment from lhe body, togelher wilh
conscious passivity. ln lhis manner, ali the muscles will gradually undergo full
relaxation. At lhis stage, respiratoiy frequency decreases, and, most probably, lhe
tida! volume is also reduced. li can be observed lhat lhe respiratoiy frequency
decreases from lhe resting position (15 times) to 10 limes or less. This is hangsa

brealhing (relaxation brealhing). Here, breathing is also automatic.

When relaxation is fully mastered and lhe body entirely established in hangsa
brealhing, the yogi begins to be unconscious of his body. Consciousness starts to
be elevated, stage by stage, from lhe sensory levei. ln time, consciousness
becomes superconsciousness, which is a state of deep concentration (dhyõna).
Breathing frequency is still further reduced, and automatic suspension develops
between inhalation and exhalation. Suspension becomes normally prolonged;
then inhalation and exhalation are veiy slight Breathing goes on in this way:
inhalation, followed by prolonged automatic suspension, lhen exhalation. This is
called dhyõna brealhing or concen1ra1ion brealhing. Ultimately dhyõna breathing
develops into kevala kumbhaka (noninspiratoiy-nonexpiratoiy suspension). AI
lhis stage, concentration develops into superconcentration ai its highest levei.
Thus, on the one hand, autornatic breathing can be increased in deplh and
frequency from its resting levei by exercise; on the olher hand, il can be
decreased in depth and frequency in full relaxation. Finally, lhe inspiratoiy and
expiratory phases of breathing can be reduced 10 a nominal point and ultimately
disappear, being replaced by automatic brealh-suspension.

Voluntary Breathing
Voluntaiy brealhing is that in which inhalation or exhalation or bolh can be
lenglhened or shortened by volition, and brealh can be voluntarily suspended. ln
Yoga, voluntaiy brealhing has been classified under lhree forms: short-quick
breathing, long-slow brealhing, and brealh suspension, which in fact is lhe
integral part of long-slow breathing. Lei us assume lhat in a folded-leg resting
posture respiratoiy frequency is 15 breaths per minute, tidal volume 500 mL, and
dead space volume 150 mL. ln lhis resting position, it is possible to volitionally
reduce respiratoiy frequency from 15 to 1 brealh per minute or 10 increase it
from 15 10 240 or over per minute. When lhe respiratoiy frequency has been
decreased from lhe normal resting levei, it comes under long-slow brealhing. On
lhe olher hand, when lhe respiratoiy frequency has been accelerated by volition
from its resting value, lhe brealhing becomes of a short-quick type.
As mentioned earlier, in Yoga, there are two forms of short-quick breathing:
Kapãlabhlitr (Abdominal Short-Quick Breathing) and Bhastrikli (Thoracic Short-
Quick Breathing). The speed rate in both the abdominal and the thoracic type of
voluntary short-quick brealhing can be classified into three forms-low,

medium, and high. When lhe brealhing frequency reaches 60 breaths per minute,
that is, 1 per second, it is low speed. When lhe frequency reaches 120 brealhs per
minute, lhat is, 2 per second, it is medium speed, and when 240 brealhs per
minute, that is, 4 per second, it is high speed. Any rate above this is veiy high
speed. The Lotus Posture is generally assumed in Kapãlabhãli and Bhastrikã.
Other folded-leg postures can also be adopted.
ln Kapãlabhãli, exhalation is veiy rapid due to quick retraction of the front
abdominal wall. ln the retraction phase, lhe antero-lateral abdominal muscles are
contracted. The retraction can be made one of low order by practice. Quick
exhalation is followed by quick inhalation in which automatic retraction and
descent of the diaphralÍ!I takes ~ace. At lhe end of exhalation, the front
abdominal wall is relh iPOM I MIMdM Siile aoo íl?Jaxed. Therefore, in