Understanding the Barriers to Better Breathing
Breathing is something we all do, all the time—yet most people develop inefficient patterns without even knowing it. These patterns aren’t inherently bad; they’re often the body’s response to physical tension, limited mobility, or simply a lack of awareness. While all breathing keeps us alive, not all breathing supports optimal movement, posture, and energy.
By understanding what gets in the way of efficient breathing, you can start to rebuild patterns that work with your body, rather than around its restrictions.
No Such Thing as “Bad” Breathing
Functional Breathing for Survival
Breathing is adaptive. Even when it’s shallow or uneven, it keeps you alive. Whether under stress or physically compromised, the body finds a way.
- Example: During high stress, chest breathing may dominate. It’s not “wrong”—it’s a survival response.
Efficiency vs. Necessity
There’s a difference between breathing to survive and breathing to thrive. Efficient breathing optimizes oxygen delivery and supports stability, while inefficient breathing may sustain life—but with added tension or reduced control.
- Example: Mouth breathing during a sprint may be necessary in the moment, but not ideal as a default pattern.
Rethinking “Bad Breathing”
Rather than seeing any one pattern as bad, it’s more useful to see breathing as context-specific and adaptable. Your body chooses what it needs based on the situation—it just might need better options.
Muscular Tightness and Its Role
Restrictive Muscle Patterns
Tightness in the chest, shoulders, or neck can limit the expansion of the ribcage and reduce the diaphragm’s ability to descend.
- Example: Tight pectorals pull the shoulders forward, compressing the front of the ribcage and making it harder to breathe deeply.
Compensation Patterns
When the diaphragm can’t do its job, the body recruits secondary muscles like the neck or upper chest to help draw air in. Over time, this can lead to tension and fatigue.
- Example: If you frequently feel tension in your neck or shoulders, your breathing pattern may be part of the reason.
Addressing Muscular Tightness
Stretching and mobilizing restricted muscles helps restore proper breathing mechanics.
- Example: Thoracic openers and pec stretches can free the ribcage and reduce the load on secondary muscles.
Joint Mobility and Stiffness
Limited Thoracic Mobility
The ribcage is attached to the thoracic spine. When the spine is stiff, rib movement is limited—and so is breathing capacity.
- Example: Sitting in a slouched position for hours a day limits thoracic extension, making deep inhalation more difficult.
Ribcage Movement Matters
For breathing to be full and balanced, the ribcage must move in multiple directions—forward, backward, and outward. Joint stiffness, especially between ribs and spine, restricts this.
- Example: Shallow breathing often stems from ribs that are too stiff to expand, limiting airflow and diaphragm engagement.
Restoring Mobility
Mobility drills that encourage rotation and expansion of the thoracic region help restore this capacity.
- Example: Movements like cat-cows, seated twists, or side-lying rib expansion drills are simple ways to reconnect breath and motion.
Lack of Awareness and Ability
Disconnect from the Breath
In a world focused on doing, many people become unaware of how they’re breathing. The breath becomes unconscious, patterned, and restricted.
- Example: Stressful work environments often lead to rapid, upper-chest breathing without people realizing it.
Underutilization of the Diaphragm
When the diaphragm isn’t engaged, the body misses out on core support and full oxygen exchange. This weakens both stability and endurance.
- Example: If you breathe mostly into your chest, your diaphragm may be barely active—and your body compensates with more tension elsewhere.
Building Awareness
Intentional breathing practice helps restore both the ability to feel the breath and the skill to improve it.
- Example: Placing hands on the sides of the ribs while breathing can provide feedback that helps retrain expansion and coordination.
Common Mistakes or Misconceptions
Trying to Force “Deep” Breathing
Deeper isn’t always better. Overfilling the lungs can lead to tension or disrupt natural rhythm. Instead, aim for relaxed, full-range breathing that starts low and expands gently.
Ignoring the Role of Mobility
Focusing only on breathing drills while ignoring structural limitations (like stiffness or tightness) often leads to frustration. Breath follows structure.
Overcorrecting with Chest Suppression
Trying to eliminate all chest movement is a mistake. The ribcage should move—just not dominate the process.
Practical Takeaways
- Functional Isn’t Always Efficient: Breathing patterns adapt to survive—but they can be improved to thrive.
- Address Restrictions: Release tension in the chest, shoulders, and neck to support better breathing.
- Improve Ribcage and Spine Mobility: A mobile thorax allows the lungs and diaphragm to do their jobs more effectively.
- Practice Awareness: Intentional drills and feedback help reconnect your body with its most essential rhythm—breath.
Conclusion
Most breathing inefficiencies are the result of long-term adaptations to modern life—not failures. When you understand what’s holding your breath back, you can start to rebuild a pattern that supports posture, stability, and calm.
Your breath is the foundation of your movement and stability—reconnect with it, refine it, and watch as everything else falls into place.