are there any guidelines for the Coordination of breathing with movement and what is the purpose of it?

In general you exhale when your movements open or move away from your center and inhale as the movements close inward toward your center.

When everything is coordinated, intent with breath with movement, you can generate maximum force.

What about with weight lifters? On say the clean and jerk you will see Olympic level lifters hold their breath on the push.

I understand the feeling, you get a kind of springiness in your belly, that can help you push.

Is this kind of breathing not advisable in fighting, because fighting is more cardio intense?

There is danger of the valsalva maneuver leading to a drop in blood pressure and unconsciousness when you hold your breath on exertion.

Because of the sustained inta-abdominal pressure that occurs when you hold your breath, you stabilize your torso and increase your force output.

It's probably not advisable to hold the breath during exertion when fighting, at least for very long, the gains in force are offset by the potential for fainting.

Hi guys :o) First post here, so your patience much appreciated: -

As a beginner in Wu Hao Tai Ji; my teacher is telling me to avoid synchronising lung breathing with any expansive/contractile movement..."just breathe when you need to, naturally"! That sounds fine, what could be easier ??? but I find it incredibly difficult not to fall into a pattern of exhaling on pushing/expansive moves and inhaling in retracting. My teacher is telling me that Tai Ji breathing is something altogether different, involving separating bone from muscle, using intention. Anyone able to clarify/comment on this for me ?

Hi John,

Most of my Taijiquan teachers also recommended breathing naturally during forms practice.

If you fall into a pattern without conscious control, it is natural.

I'm not sure what you mean by "separating bone from muscle," it sounds painful.

The majority of my teachers too have recommended "Natural Breathing".
In keeping it simple, not holding the breath has been agreed apon by all my instuctors.

A few instructors have stated that in the Yang Family expanding movements accompany an inhale and contracting movements go with an exhale for application- so as to not get the wind knocked out during applications.


My understanding is that Chen Family is just the opposite. Also the exhale accompanies a "Heh" sound and the inhale keeps the abdomen full and relaxed.

"separating bone from muscle" does sound painful, but probally has some hidden, cryptic and esoteric meaning that "your teacher" knows.
Personally I am not too sophiticated, very bright or sober and require everything to be real and very low literacy.
one great "teacher" of mine was a child psychiatrist (the only teacher that could really understand me) she was able to help me see with the "c"s: Consistant, Concise, Concreate, Clear and Complete.
now I am a see'er
TCB