should you breathe into your chest or your stomach?

I know this isn't the smoking subforum but I need a definitive answer on this once and for all!

I used to not pay attention to how I breathed, sometimes I would get very nauseous after a session (especially with hash).

Then I started thinking hey maybe I'm breathing into my stomach and I should be breathing into my lungs so I started concentrating on breathing into my lungs. Okay results so far, too early to tell (havent smoked much hash since anyway)
edit- I mean breathing higher into my chest

so a few days ago my girlfriend is watching this yoga program and they are saying that you should be breathing into your stomach (diaphragm) and that it's the best way to breathe.


so what is the concensus? inhale the smoke into your chest, or into your stomach/doesn't matter.

Wow im not even baked and this recked my brain!

You are breathing into your lungs. Air in the stomach would make you burp. You're just breathing differently so the lungs expand vertically instead of outwards which moves the chest.

Click to see what you're doing:

I've burped my fair share, followed with wanting to throw up

hence the thread

You don't breathe INTO your stomach. You breathe WITH your "stomach" - laymens term for "diaphragm". Yes should breathe using your diaphragm but most people do not. Being seated makes it harder and most people are seated these days. Burping and/or spitting up foam are a result of physically swallowing air.

your signature is obnoxious and it makes no difference how long you hold it in

the stomach and diafram help by contracting allowing the lungs more space air can only go to lungs in normal breathing process

from lungs air goes to all surrounding cells

yo dime-very good example bro

By breathing with your diaphragm (into you stomach) you breathe in more air and more efficiently. There is a common misconception by the general public that breathing properly is through your chest or "filling your chest" type of breathing. This is incorrect.

Based on that I would say to get more stoned breathe through your stomach lol

jesburger said:

I've burped my fair share, followed with wanting to throw up

hence the thread

Click to expand...

did u just start smoking, because thats the only time ive had this problem, or maybe ur trying to take too big of hits and consequently ur forcing air into ur stomach, just a thought

could you be swallowing smoke? maybe as a reflex you swallow. or your hits are too big. my stomach hurts sometimes when i take a real big hit.

the point to saying breathing with your stomach doesn't really mean breathing with your stomach. it should be obvious we can only breathe with our lungs. the point is that many people take small breaths and don't completely fill their lungs. the top part of the lungs is used most quickly and often. but to maximize the breath, use the top, middle, and lower parts of the lungs. many people just dont maximize respiration but we all should. take deep breaths and maximize the lungs whenever possible.

Most the time I take a decent hit then suck of fresh air in to pull and draw it deep into my lungs without making them burst and scream when they realize there's little oxygen in that breath.

Are you telling me I've been breathing wrong all my life? The horror!

Mr.Marijuana420 said:

did u just start smoking, because thats the only time ive had this problem, or maybe ur trying to take too big of hits and consequently ur forcing air into ur stomach, just a thought

Click to expand...

I've been smoking daily almost ten years

Your lungs are not hollow like a balloon. They resemble a sponge instead. The bases of your lungs do not fully expand or contract without using your diaphragm. When you pull down with your diaphragm this increases the volume of your lungs and creates negative pressure allowing air to move in. Chest breathing really utilizes the mid and upper fields of the lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the first things any athlete learns. Pneumonia is more common by far amongst chest breathers than full range breathers. If you're smoking $10/gram stuff and using just your chest, you're losing out. Rip that fattie - use your diaphragm, especially with your buddy's blunts!

hotrodharley said:

Your lungs are not hollow like a balloon. They resemble a sponge instead. The bases of your lungs do not fully expand or contract without using your diaphragm. When you pull down with your diaphragm this increases the volume of your lungs and creates negative pressure allowing air to move in. Chest breathing really utilizes the mid and upper fields of the lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the first things any athlete learns. Pneumonia is more common by far amongst chest breathers than full range breathers. If you're smoking $10/gram stuff and using just your chest, you're losing out. Rip that fattie - use your diaphragm, especially with your buddy's blunts!

Click to expand...

I wanted to give you rep but apparently I can't give you any more
I try my hardest when I inhale smoke to tuck in my stomach and to breathe into my upper chest as much as possible

Im getting my bong imma try this diaphram thing right now

It is possible to take a whole cone hit to the stomach then burp out the smoke. You just need a beer bong bong.

stoned cockatoo said:

It is possible to take a whole cone hit to the stomach then burp out the smoke. You just need a beer bong bong.

Click to expand...

Should I puke out my guts now, or later?

so far so good