← EXERCISE LIBRARYPranayama
Box Breathing
Four equal phases — inhale, hold, exhale, hold — repeated on a fixed count. A modern tactical breathing drill that imposes a slow, regular breath rate under a simple structure.
- 01Sit upright in a chair or on the floor, feet grounded, hands resting on the thighs.
- 02Inhale through the nose for a count of 4.
- 03Hold the breath in, without clamping the throat or bearing down, for a count of 4.
- 04Exhale through the nose for a count of 4, then hold the breath out for a count of 4.
- 05Repeat for 5 minutes, roughly 18 to 20 rounds at a 4-count; keep the count at 4 rather than progressing to 5 or 6 until 4 is entirely comfortable.
- 06Finish by dropping the holds and breathing freely for one minute.
- 01Four sides, same length. Draw the square in your head if it helps.
- 02The hold is relaxed — air is sitting there, you are not gripping it.
- 03If you come out of a hold gasping, drop the count.
- 01Bearing down against a closed throat during the holds, which raises pressure unnecessarily and is felt in the head and eyes.
- 02Chasing long counts. Extended retentions should never be forced, and this drill works fine at a 4-count indefinitely.
- 03Practising it while driving or in the water, where any light-headedness from the retention phases becomes a real hazard.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.