← EXERCISE LIBRARYPranayama
Crocodile Breathing
MakarasanaDiaphragmatic breathing done face down, where the floor blocks the belly and forces the movement into the lower ribs and back. The clearest feedback tool for a low breath.
- 01Lie prone with the forehead resting on stacked hands or a folded blanket so the neck stays neutral and the airway is clear.
- 02Let the legs be straight and slightly apart with the toes turned in or out, whichever lets the low back settle.
- 03Inhale through the nose and direct the breath into the lower back and side ribs — the floor will stop the belly from expanding forward.
- 04Exhale through the nose slowly, feeling the back ribs settle back down.
- 05Continue for 5 to 10 minutes at around six breaths per minute, keeping the shoulders and glutes completely passive.
- 06Finish by rolling to one side and sitting up slowly rather than pushing straight up.
- 01Fill the back of the ribcage, not the front.
- 02You should feel the low back and sides rise, and almost nothing at the chest.
- 03Shoulders heavy on the floor. They are not part of this.
- 01Turning the head to one side and staying there for ten minutes, which loads the neck — rest the forehead down instead.
- 02Pushing the breath so hard the low back arches, which is spinal extension rather than rib expansion.
- 03Practising it prone in late pregnancy or with a condition that makes lying face down uncomfortable — do the same drill supine or side-lying instead.
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.