Just Keep Breathing, Don't Hold It
Okay. I have to be honest with you about something before we go further.
I am not the person to teach you fancy breathing. I know some yoga folks do that counting thing, in for four, hold for four, out for six, and there's probably a good reason for it. I don't know what it is. Every time I try to think about counting AND move my body AND not fall over, something falls apart, usually my patience.
So here's my actual cue, the one I use every single class: keep breathing, don't hold it.
That's it. That's the whole lesson, really, but let me explain why it matters because I don't want you to skip past it just because it sounds too simple.
Why this is even a thing
When you stretch into something a little uncomfortable, your body's first instinct is to clench up and hold your breath, like you're bracing for a punch. I do it too. Everybody does it. But holding your breath tightens everything else along with it. Your shoulders creep up, your jaw sets, and the stretch that was supposed to be helping your hip now has your whole body locked like a fist.
So the fix isn't complicated. You just... keep the air moving. In through the nose is nice if your nose cooperates, but honestly, breathe however comes naturally. Mouth breathing is fine. Loud breathing is fine. I've had mornings in the canyon air so dry my nose gives up entirely and I just breathe through my mouth like a golden retriever. Nobody's grading you.
How to actually practice this at home
Here's what I want you to try, no mat required, no special time of day:
- Stand or sit comfortably. Notice your breath for a second, just as it is. Don't fix anything yet.
- Do one gentle stretch—reach your arms up, or fold forward a little toward your toes, whatever feels approachable this morning.
- Notice if you're holding your breath. Almost everyone is, the first few times you check. That's normal, not a failure.
- Let the breath go and keep it moving. Don't force a big dramatic breath. Just unstick it.
- Repeat with the next stretch. Every time you move into something, check the breath. Every time.
That's the whole practice. You're building a habit of catching yourself, not mastering some technique.
An opinion, since we're here
Consistency beats duration, and this is exactly the kind of thing where that shows up. You are not going to master breathing-while-stretching in one long session on a Saturday. You're going to get it by doing five minutes every morning and, forty mornings in, suddenly noticing you're not holding your breath anymore without trying. Little and often. Always.
A word about respect for people's time (and yours)
I mentioned early on that I run a tight room. I start at the minute I say I'll start. Here's part of why.
I rented a gym at a church a while back for a class, showed up fifteen minutes early like I always do, and the instructor before me was STILL packing up her stuff forty minutes after her class should've ended. Forty minutes. My people were standing in the hallway waiting, some of them with bad knees, just standing there because someone else couldn't respect a clock.
I didn't say anything to her. Not my style to make a scene. But I decided right then that whatever else I did with this program, I was not going to be that. If I say practice for five minutes, I mean five minutes, and if I say breathe the whole time, I mean the whole time, no exceptions, no "I'll catch my breath at the end." Respecting the time you've set aside for yourself, even five minutes of it, is the same principle. You showed up. Don't cheat yourself out of it by rushing through holding your breath the whole time just to get done faster.
One real caution
If a stretch is deep enough that you genuinely can't breathe normally, you've gone too far into it. Back off. That's not toughness, that's just your body telling you the stretch is bigger than it should be right now. Ease out, breathe, and try a smaller version.
Before next time
Tomorrow morning, just try noticing your breath during one ordinary moment, tying your shoes, reaching for a coffee mug, whatever. See if you're holding it without meaning to. You'll probably be surprised how often you are. 🌞