← EXERCISE LIBRARYPranayama
Skull-Shining Breath
KapalabhatiA kriya of sharp active exhales driven by the abdominal wall with passive inhales between. Vigorous, demanding on the abdomen, and carries real contraindications.
- 01Sit upright with the spine stacked and hands on the knees; this is not practised lying down.
- 02Inhale to about three quarters full through the nose.
- 03Exhale by snapping the lower abdomen sharply inward, pushing a short burst of air out through the nose, then let the abdomen release so the inhale happens on its own without effort.
- 04Perform a first round of 20 to 30 strokes at roughly one per second, keeping every stroke the same size.
- 05Stop, breathe normally for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat for a maximum of 3 rounds in a session as a beginner.
- 06Finish seated and still for a minute, letting the breath return to its own rate before standing.
- 01The exhale is the only active part. The inhale is a rebound, not a pull.
- 02Chest and shoulders stay quiet — all movement is below the navel.
- 03Stop the round the moment the strokes lose their sharpness.
- 01Practising it at all during pregnancy, with uncontrolled hypertension, glaucoma or raised eye pressure, epilepsy, an abdominal or inguinal hernia, active reflux, or after recent abdominal, chest or eye surgery — this practice is not appropriate in any of those situations.
- 02Pushing through dizziness or tingling in the hands and face, which is a sign of low CO2 from the pace and volume, not a sign of progress. Stop and breathe normally.
- 03Actively sucking the inhale in as well, which doubles the work, raises the rate uncontrollably and is how most people over-breathe themselves light-headed.
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.