Part of chi kung breathing exercises includes yogalike moves and poses.
The art of breathing can greatly benefit your health, mood and energy level. Most people think that breathing is natural and that there is nothing that needs to be learned about the process. While taking in air is natural, there are methods that help people to deliver more oxygen to their bodies and strengthen the muscles in their core. Chi kung (also often spelled qi gong, but pronounced the same) works to teach these methods of breathing and exercising.
Length of Time
Each breathing exercise should be done for 5 to 25 minutes. However, if you are comfortable with preforming these exercises for a longer period, go ahead and do so. While it is recommended that the exercises are done for at least 5 minutes, if you feel like using them for only a few minutes as a relaxation technique in a moment of stress, there is no harm in a short exercise.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
This method of chi kung breathing is also known as belly breathing and is often used in yoga to strengthen the core and provide more oxygen to the body. In this method you fill your lungs completely till they push your belly out. When you breathe out, your entire belly pushes against the diaphragm, bringing the muscles close to the core. An important phase in this breathing technique is the pause in and breathing out. This is to build the strength or "chi" of the body. This style of breathing is done through the nose exclusively unless this is not possible--then you can make changes.
Reverse Breathing
Reverse breathing is similar to diaphragmatic breathing but with several differences. This method is more challenging and requires you to exhale through the mouth and inhale through the nose. While inhaling, you must pull your core muscles into the body, rather than letting them relax. As with diaphragmatic breathing, you should take a small pause between breathing in and breathing out.
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