← EXERCISE LIBRARYPranayama
Equal Breathing
Sama VrittiInhale and exhale matched to the same count. The simplest way to slow and regularise the breath rate, and the standard entry point before any ratio work.
- 01Sit upright on a cushion or chair with the spine tall, hands resting on the thighs.
- 02Breathe through the nose and count the natural length of your own exhale for several breaths to find a comfortable baseline, usually four.
- 03Set inhale and exhale to that same count, for example inhale 4, exhale 4, with no pause at either end.
- 04Hold that ratio for 5 minutes, roughly 40 to 50 rounds at a count of four.
- 05If 4:4 stays easy for the full 5 minutes across several sessions, move to 5:5 and later 6:6 — never lengthen to the point of gasping on the next inhale.
- 06Finish by dropping the count and letting the breath find its own rhythm for one minute.
- 01Same in, same out — nothing clever, just even.
- 02If the next inhale arrives early or urgent, your count is too long.
- 03Silent breath. If it is audible you are working too hard.
- 01Chasing a long count too early, which turns a down-regulating practice into a strain drill and defeats the point.
- 02Snatching a quick top-up breath at the end of the exhale, which breaks the ratio and signals the count needs shortening.
- 03Holding at the top or bottom — this is a continuous practice, and added retention makes it a different exercise.
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.