Boobs, Bras and Breathing

I hope you’ve been enjoying my Tips On Breathing series. I decided to add a sixth installment, as today’s topic is so important and, all too often, completely overlooked!

Today in my vlog, I share some important concerns for women with big breasts. I have been a therapist for many women who have had chronic head, neck, upper back and arm pain and other physical challenges resulting from the fact that they carry around the equivalent of a couple of dumbbells on their chests!

Here’s some of the most common issues I’ve had to address as a therapist to resolve these conditions:

Flexibility

Many of these women were too tight in the abdominal muscles, hip flexors, chest and neck and the anterior and posterior cervical muscles as well as the levator scapulae and upper trapezius. Commonly, they have a rigid thoracic kyphosis (curve), and need to do a fair bit of corrective stretching, mobilizing and exercise to restore their balance and alleviate pain.

Many of them were mothers who’d developed a compensatory pattern or posture from holding children in front of them or on their hip. This contributes to excessive tightening in the chest and, often, a functional scoliosis due to the lateral shift of the hips that’s created when holding a child to the side.

My book, How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy!, has a comprehensive section on stretching, which includes the 20 most important stretch tests you can do to identify tight muscles. The test results will direct you to do the stretch to counterbalance the tightness with optimal flexibility.

Muscle Imbalance

Deadlift with Pull Exercise

Women with boobs of any size can create lots of problems in their breathing patterns and posture by over-emphasizing abdominal conditioning relative to the use of their pulling muscles.

Excessive use of the crunch and the many variations of the crunch pull the chest down and the head forward, which can compromise a woman’s thoracic outlet as well as disrupt her ability to breathe efficiently.

As I share in my vlog, it is very important for women in general, and particularly those with larger breasts, to regularly engage in pulling exercises to keep their extensor muscles strong and maintain good, upright posture.

There are many functional pulling exercises offered in my book, How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy!

Tight Bras

As I share in my vlog, the tension created by bra straps is very high compared to the normal loads placed on the breathing muscles during inhalation. I explain the concept of light elastic forces so women can get a clear understanding of the dangers of keeping their bras too tight.

So, what exactly IS too tight?

If you take your bra off and can see lines in the mirror from where the straps were, you are VERY likely to be overloading your breathing muscles enough to create problems! Another issue: Some women are wearing bras that are too small for them. They may have fit at one point, but if a woman gains weight and doesn’t up-size her bra, she is flirting with the PainTeacher.

The Human Energy Field

I close my vlog by explaining the importance of wearing bras made from natural fibers, not synthetic materials. I am very sensitive to subtle energies. After many years of tai chi, qigong and meditation, I have developed the ability to see and feel what happens when others or I wear synthetic clothing.

Anything other than clothing or bras made from natural fibers disrupts the human energy field. Essentially, that leads to “energetic confusion,” which is what you could call any disease as well.

You really aren’t saving money by buying synthetic clothing when you consider anything that disrupts your energy field is putting stress on your body and may contribute to weakening your overall ability to stay healthy in the long run.

I hope you enjoy my vlog today!

Overview:

• 3:00 – Explanation of the effect light elastic forces have on the body
• 5:50 – The Inner Unit
• 7:25 – Good posture
• 8:45 – All about bras!
• 10:55 – The consequences of wearing a bra that is too tight
• 11:25 – Hyperventilation Syndrome
• 12:50 – What to do to keep yourself healthy and pain-free if you do have big boobs
• 14:00 – Why it is important to wear bras made of natural fibers

RESOURCES:

1. How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!
2. The Golf Biomechanic’s Manual
3. The Tennis Biomechanic’s Manual
4. Scientific Core Conditioning correspondence course available in DVD or online versions
5. Swiss Ball Exercises For Better Abs, Buns and Backs DVD