← EXERCISE LIBRARYPranayama
Cooling Breath
SitaliInhaling through a rolled tongue and exhaling through the nose. The air passes over a wet surface, which is why it is traditionally practised in heat and after strong effort.
- 01Sit upright with the spine tall and the shoulders down.
- 02Roll the sides of the tongue up into a tube and let the tip protrude slightly past the lips.
- 03Inhale slowly through the tongue for a count of 4, drawing air across the wet surface of the tongue.
- 04Draw the tongue in, close the mouth, and exhale through the nose for a count of 6.
- 05Complete 8 to 12 rounds, then rest.
- 06Finish with 5 normal nasal breaths before moving on.
- 01Sip the air in slowly — a fast inhale defeats the cooling effect on the tongue.
- 02In through the tongue, out through the nose. Never the reverse.
- 03Keep the jaw soft. Only the tongue is doing anything.
- 01Exhaling back through the mouth, which dries the tongue and mouth out over successive rounds.
- 02Inhaling hard and fast, which is sharp on the throat and loses the slow airflow the practice depends on.
- 03Practising in cold air or when already chilled — the sensation of cooling is real, so use it when you are hot, not when you are not.
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.