Can You Breathe Your Way To Fitness With Oxycise?

There are so many ways to become fit and healthy these days. But for many people young and old, traditional fitness programs involve some sort of medium-to-high impact on the body and its joints. Even if the exerciser doesn’t physically feel this torture, it still exists and will get worse as time passes.

In contrast, Oxycise is a form of non-impact fitness where practitioners engage the power of breathing to create an aerobic workout without joint-shredding impact exercises such as running, aerobics, calisthenics and boxing, to name a few.

Jill Johnson, its creator, claims she reduced her body from a size 16 to a size six in just six months (and lost 50 pounds along the way) by employing a few easy breathing-charged exercises that you can do at home or even in your car without any special equipment.

It employs a powerful diaphragm-centric breathing technique that forces oxygen into your cells in the same way as you experience it when you’re doing high-impact exercises, but without any stress or strain to your joints or your body.

And there are studies to prove the effects of oxygen on the body. Oxygen burns fat.

Despite the no-impact nature of Oxycise, the practice is not recommended for everyone. Because it increases heart rate and circulation, Oxycise should not be performed by those with blood clots or similar conditions. Everyone should check with their doctor before beginning a new fitness program.

If your doctor approves, here are two exercises that Johnson created for adults of all ages, sizes and fitness levels. You can easily fit several repetitions into your daily schedule – Johnson advises two or three.

For the first exercise, all you need is a chair (you can also do this on the floor, a couch, or even your bed). Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of three. After inhaling for a count of three, keep using your diaphragm to exhale completely to a count of three.

Imagine yourself breathing this way through a straw and keep the breath very controlled and deep. Repeat the inhale/exhale process at least 10 times.

You can even do the first exercise on your daily commute to and from work or while you’re standing in line for your morning coffee.

Here’s an important point to remember. Most people who have desk jobs or lead a sedentary lifestyle don’t breathe properly: they breath shallow breaths from the tops of their lungs.

Oxycise requires you to breath deeply from your diaphragm. Imagine yourself trying to bring as much air into your lungs as possible. If it’s been a while (or never) since you’ve done that, you might end up coughing a little as all the air enters your lungs.

The second exercise is a little more challenging than the first. Lie down flat on the floor. You’ll need the hardness of the floor to support your back and pelvis. Lift your knees to your chest and hold them in place with your hands and arms. Stretch out your back and hip flexors for a minute or two before you start the breathing technique.

When you inhale to the count of three, clench your buttock muscles and tilt your pelvis, and do the same movement when you exhale. Repeat the inhale/exhale process at least 10 times.

Remember, you should always confirm with your physician that a new exercise program is safe for you to work into your life, and stop immediately if you feel any pain or discomfort. Finally, exercises that you can do on the couch!