Lung capacity

9 bottled wind does seem to work, but is not the most enjoyable practice around.

I’m curious about Frolov but have been reluctant to spend the money. If you get it, do let us know what you think.

Running should help.

There are yoga postures that are meant to increase the lung capacity but I forget which ones (the fish maybe?). A yoga instructor could probably point you in the right direction.

Hi
I am not advocating the exercise, but I have a transcript of it.

Dont’ even remember where I copied this from at this point, but since it comes readily to hand, here you go…

9 bottle Wind exercise

As to the nine-bottled wind pranayama breathing practices, this article would not be complete without the steps, so here are the instrcutions once again:

In the nine-step bottled wind practice, there are four phases performed for each of the nine rounds of practice. These four phases are:
• Slowly drawing wind (air) into the lungs
• Fully filling the lungs as much as possible with air as if they were a bottle or vase
• Holding the air inside the lungs for as long as possible while remaining relaxed (not tensing the muscles to restrain the air, but keeping them as relaxed and non-stressed as possible)
• Quickly expelling the air from the lungs when you can hold it no longer, shooting it out like an arrow

In the nine-step bottled wind practice, you hold your breath three times while holding the left nostril shut, three times while holding the right nostril shut, and three times while holding both nostrils open. This makes a total of nine rounds of breath retention, hence the name “nine-step” vase breathing or “bottled wind” practice.

The exact steps of this breathing practice are as follows:

1. Sit in an upright position.
2. Visualize your body becoming as clear as crystal.
3. Close your mouth and using the index finger of your left hand to close your left nostril, press your finger against the left nostril and inhale the air into your lungs slowly through your right nostril. The inhalation should consist of a long, gentle, deep breath–as long and deep as possible. During your inhalation, contemplate that your body becomes filled with light and that this light dispels any internal poisons, darkness and obstructions. Continue inhaling as slowly and deeply as possible until you are “full” of breath and can inhale no longer.
4. When your lungs become full, relax the body as much as possible while holding your trapped breath within. The breath must be compressed, or held inside for as long as possible without being allowed to leave the body, and yet you must use as few muscles as possible to retain it without leaking. It is important while restraining your breath to maintain an upright position without tightening your body or any muscles so that your chi activates from the retention and starts opening up all the tiny channels in the body that might be compressed during muscular straining; if you tighten your body rather than relax it, then even if there is force behind your chi it will not be able to pass through certain chi channel pathways that are obstructed. Experienced breath retention (kumbhaka) practitioners can hold the breath for several minutes, even as the face turns red, which indicates that the wind element is opening up the body’s tiny chi channels everywhere.
5. When you can hold your breath no longer, exhale it as forcefully and as quickly as possible through the other open nostril. You forcefully shoot your breath out of your body with the speed of an arrow and that exhalation completes one cycle or round of this exercise. You must repeat this exercise of slow inhalation, long retention, and forceful exhalation two more times, for a total of three times per nostril. All the while the left nostril is kept closed while the active nostril is the right nostril.
6. Switch hands, so that the right hand now pinches the right nostril closed, and the left nostril is left open. Inhale through the left nostril following the equivalent instructions as before. Repeat this exercise three times for the new nostril. Thus, six repetitions of this exercise will now have been completed.
7. When the left and right nostril breathings are both done, extend both arms to push on your lap and lift your chest. Using neither of your hands since they are both pushing on your lap, inhale slowly through both open nostrils, hold your breath within for as long as possible, and then exhale quickly by shooting the stale air out through your open nostrils when you can’t hold it any longer. Do this for a total of three times. Altogether nine inhalations and retentions are performed, which gives rise to the name of nine-step bottled wind practice.

The important point to this technique is to hold your breath, after drawing it in, for as long as possible, during which time you don’t tighten your muscles. You should never employ too much force in restraining your body but simply hold your breath, with one nostril shut, using as few muscles and as little energy as possible.

You don’t have to guide your breath or chi or do anything at all except RELAX while in the state of breath retention.

Check out the book Choosing Life by Michael Frost there is a great Lung Expansion Set Qigong in it!

A great book overall, too!