breath-hold yoga for freedivers
what is apnea yoga?
apnea yoga is a method i created out of necessity, to warm up before freediving. it's the crossroads of body stretching + lung stretching: creative vinyasa flow with short breath holds woven throughout class.
i started writing it for freedivers, but anyone and everyone can enjoy + benefit from this breath-hold yoga.
why breathe this way?
more elastic lungs
gentle holds and lung stretches ask the lung tissue and breathing muscles to open a little further, so each breath feels deeper + easier.
better CO₂ tolerance
short, relaxed holds help you get comfortable with the urge to breathe, a big part of any freediver's training.
oxygen efficiency
a calmer body and a more flexible ribcage mean your breath does more work with less effort.
kinder deep dives
more elasticity in the chest and lungs is thought to lower the risk of lung squeeze when you freedive deep.
a calmer mind
slow breathing and gentle holds can help settle the nervous system, and CO2 tolerance is being studied for its links with anxiety.
apnea yoga is a warm up and a practice, not medical treatment. always check with your doctor if you have a health condition.
curiosity, mindfulness + play
my classes are an opportunity to practise curiosity, mindfulness and play. if you've been to a handful of them, odds are you've heard me blab about the breath → heart → mind feedback loop: slow the breath and the heart follows; settle the heart and the mind quietens.
as a teacher, my hope is to engage your monkey mind + facilitate embodied flow. classes are a sweet blend of funky + familiar, designed to get you out of your head and into your body.
ready? roll out your mat.
roll out your matnew here? start with three simple lung stretches, or read the faq.