***x-posted to Meditation***
Gosh, it's difficult to know where to start with this... I haven't found the answer I'm looking for on Google so I'm hoping someone else here (probably a girl?) has had the same experience.
From the time when I was a child, my mother got me in the habit of holding my abdominal muscles in at all times - the idea was that it improves posture and gives the impression of a firm, fit belly. When I started ballet classes they pretty much said the same thing, that firm, tight abdominal muscles were key. Add this to core stability training in recent years, where keeping the abdomen tight is pretty much the main idea, and basically you've got thirty years of me tightening my abdominal muscles constantly. Even sitting typing this now, I'm aware I'm holding my belly in. It's just a habit for me to hold it in all the time. I'm *capable* of relaxing it, but as soon as my attention drifts to something else I automatically hold it in again.
My first experience with meditation a couple of years ago was in shivasana (i.e. lying down) after yoga. I found this position to be very comfortable and when I'm lying down my belly does relax completely (as it does in sleep) and I have absolutely no problems with diaphragmatic breathing. I did try to meditate in a sitting position a few times, but something didn't feel right about it. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what the problem was at the time, but since I clearly didn't like sitting up I went back to lying down. I don't have a problem about falling asleep when meditating, which is the general argument against lying down, so I continued to meditate in shivasana because it felt the most comfortable and relaxing for me.
Well, fast forward to last week, and I've signed up for a 10-day meditation retreat, my first foray into public meditation. I've received an orientation pack from the organisers, and there are some tips and pointers about what positions people might choose for sitting... but nothing about lying down. I contacted one of the teachers, who said that sitting really is the best position, and if I could practice sitting between now and the retreat, I would probably get used to it over time and in fact begin to prefer it to lying down.
So for the past few days I've been experimenting with sitting, and I've finally pinpointed what my problem is. When I'm lying down, relaxing my belly doesn't put any strain on anything. But when I'm sitting up and I relax my belly, thirty years of heavy built-up abdominal muscles hang down and pull on my diaphragm, causing a tremendous dangling tension. This causes my breathing to become extremely laboured and shallow, like a dog panting. It really feels like someone has tied a huge lead weight around my diaphragm and lungs and the weight is just hanging there, dragging everything down. I guess my diaphragm never had to get used to holding the weight of my abdomen, because I always supported those muscles myself by keeping them tensed. If I tighten my belly up, it's like someone put their hand under the weight and lifted it up, releasing the tension (ironically). Breathing becomes easy again, but of course now I can't really meditate because I'm not completely relaxed.
Obviously I've got a problem here. I don't expect that over the next two weeks before the retreat I'll be able to build up thirty years' worth of strength in my diaphragm to hold the weight of all those hanging abdominal muscles, and the shallow breathing is distracting to say the least (and after a while the lack of sufficient fresh air makes me panic and gasp). On the other hand, if I keep my belly tight the whole time to support my diaphragm like I normally do in my everyday life, then not only can I not be completely relaxed, but I'm continuing to let my diaphragm be weak and nothing will ever get better.
Theoretically I guess I could just tell the teachers that I want to do the retreat lying down because that's physically the only way I can do it, but I do realise that that's just me running away from a problem that probably needs to be dealt with in a more direct way. They're probably right that I need to learn to sit up, but I'm not sure how I'm going to swing it in two weeks' time.
So what I'm hoping is that one of you had a similar problem and managed to overcome it, or someone has an innovative idea to help me get some breathing strength, that doesn't involve using my abdominal muscles to help support the breath.
Ready for your suggestions.
Gosh, it's difficult to know where to start with this... I haven't found the answer I'm looking for on Google so I'm hoping someone else here (probably a girl?) has had the same experience.
From the time when I was a child, my mother got me in the habit of holding my abdominal muscles in at all times - the idea was that it improves posture and gives the impression of a firm, fit belly. When I started ballet classes they pretty much said the same thing, that firm, tight abdominal muscles were key. Add this to core stability training in recent years, where keeping the abdomen tight is pretty much the main idea, and basically you've got thirty years of me tightening my abdominal muscles constantly. Even sitting typing this now, I'm aware I'm holding my belly in. It's just a habit for me to hold it in all the time. I'm *capable* of relaxing it, but as soon as my attention drifts to something else I automatically hold it in again.
My first experience with meditation a couple of years ago was in shivasana (i.e. lying down) after yoga. I found this position to be very comfortable and when I'm lying down my belly does relax completely (as it does in sleep) and I have absolutely no problems with diaphragmatic breathing. I did try to meditate in a sitting position a few times, but something didn't feel right about it. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what the problem was at the time, but since I clearly didn't like sitting up I went back to lying down. I don't have a problem about falling asleep when meditating, which is the general argument against lying down, so I continued to meditate in shivasana because it felt the most comfortable and relaxing for me.
Well, fast forward to last week, and I've signed up for a 10-day meditation retreat, my first foray into public meditation. I've received an orientation pack from the organisers, and there are some tips and pointers about what positions people might choose for sitting... but nothing about lying down. I contacted one of the teachers, who said that sitting really is the best position, and if I could practice sitting between now and the retreat, I would probably get used to it over time and in fact begin to prefer it to lying down.
So for the past few days I've been experimenting with sitting, and I've finally pinpointed what my problem is. When I'm lying down, relaxing my belly doesn't put any strain on anything. But when I'm sitting up and I relax my belly, thirty years of heavy built-up abdominal muscles hang down and pull on my diaphragm, causing a tremendous dangling tension. This causes my breathing to become extremely laboured and shallow, like a dog panting. It really feels like someone has tied a huge lead weight around my diaphragm and lungs and the weight is just hanging there, dragging everything down. I guess my diaphragm never had to get used to holding the weight of my abdomen, because I always supported those muscles myself by keeping them tensed. If I tighten my belly up, it's like someone put their hand under the weight and lifted it up, releasing the tension (ironically). Breathing becomes easy again, but of course now I can't really meditate because I'm not completely relaxed.
Obviously I've got a problem here. I don't expect that over the next two weeks before the retreat I'll be able to build up thirty years' worth of strength in my diaphragm to hold the weight of all those hanging abdominal muscles, and the shallow breathing is distracting to say the least (and after a while the lack of sufficient fresh air makes me panic and gasp). On the other hand, if I keep my belly tight the whole time to support my diaphragm like I normally do in my everyday life, then not only can I not be completely relaxed, but I'm continuing to let my diaphragm be weak and nothing will ever get better.
Theoretically I guess I could just tell the teachers that I want to do the retreat lying down because that's physically the only way I can do it, but I do realise that that's just me running away from a problem that probably needs to be dealt with in a more direct way. They're probably right that I need to learn to sit up, but I'm not sure how I'm going to swing it in two weeks' time.
So what I'm hoping is that one of you had a similar problem and managed to overcome it, or someone has an innovative idea to help me get some breathing strength, that doesn't involve using my abdominal muscles to help support the breath.
Ready for your suggestions.
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Re: Abdominal tension vs. shallow breathing - need advice
Sun, September 30, 2007 - 3:16 AMThere are three types of muscular contractions - Isometric, Concentric, and Ecentric
You've been practicing isometric contractions all these years, but probably not enough of the other. Isometric contractions are where the muscle contracts against itself - as in holding your stomach.
So, at minimum, you probably need to strengthen your abs using Contentric - when the muscle is shortening, and Ecentric - when the muscle is lengthening, to bring it into balance. That's one possibility. That's counterintuitive, I know, but it's almost certain.
Flexibility is another possibility - you need to stretch the stomach muscles like any other.
Also, all muscles work in opposition to one another. The easiest way to visualize this - when your bicep is contracting - shortening while you pick something up, the tricep is lengthening, and vice versa. So, you need to train your opposing muscle groups - in this case, mostly your back. However, it's not limited to the back. Abs are actually relatively complex to bring into balance with each other.
And there is a specific ratio for each opposing muscle groups in order to minimize pain and injury. For instance, quad to hamstring ratio is 3/2.
I would recommend that you get yourself one of those muscle charts - because there are numerous muscles, and attachments in the abdominal area. Seeing the skin pulled back may help you identify which muscles feel stronger than the others, and perhaps make it easier to train.
and nothing has been better for me than yoga to bring me into muscular balance.
namaste -
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Re: Abdominal tension vs. shallow breathing - need advice
Sun, September 30, 2007 - 7:58 AMI think I mostly follow what you're saying, but you're right, I should get a muscle chart and have a look. Someone in the meditation community suggested my yoga teacher might be able to suggest specific asanas for this problem, which I also hadn't thought of, and which complements what you're saying here. Thank you very much for your advice - it's probably a good idea for me to get my head around what muscles we're talking about before I proceed further.
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Re: Abdominal tension vs. shallow breathing - need advice
Mon, October 1, 2007 - 6:23 AMA sort of a compromise is to do (at least some of?) the meditation sitting in a chair - preferrably without using the back. Is this easier for you than sitting in one of the meditation postures (with yours legs under you in one way or another)?
