Bodyflex

Unshakable statistics reflect an increasingly sad picture of our time: the number of people suffering from overweight and obesity in the civilized world is increasing. More than a quarter of women (more precisely, 28%, almost a third! ) have every reason to worry and seek help from experts to lose weight. After all, extra pounds threaten and damage all organs and systems, often leading to the development of both chronic and incurable diseases. But in the end, instead of getting a free consultation at a weight loss clinic at least once, many prefer to either ignore the problem or treat it traditionally. Yes, yes, we should strictly call any weight loss practices that are not prescribed by professional doctors.

Some follow strict diets, some exhaust themselves with high-intensity exercise, and some take drugs to lose weight. Another separate trend has begun to gain popularity among those who want to lose weight - bodyflex breathing exercises. These exotic supporters are sure that it is enough to do special exercises with special breathing to lose weight.

So what is bodyflex? Is it really effective? After all, if so, then maybe it was worth promoting it more actively to the masses? Let's see more in this article.

Basic principles of breathing exercises

A set of Bodyflex exercises (from the English "body" - body, "flex" - flexible) is a weight loss system that combines poses from yoga, stretching, Pilates and special deep "diaphragmatic" breathing. Due to the increase in oxygen saturation of cells, metabolic processes are accelerated, fat burning is activated and weight loss is achieved.

The author of the technique, American housewife Greer Childers, claims that in this way she was able to lose 20 kg, and also improved the condition of her skin and increased her body tone. He explains that breathing techniques are based on the balance of oxygen intake and carbon dioxide production. Thanks to this, there is a slight increase in blood pressure, increased sweating, and certain chemical reactions are triggered that help speed up metabolism and the breakdown of fat molecules. Greer Childers also says that you don't need to change your diet and other weight loss methods. All you have to do is breathe properly.

Breathing exercises have the following basic principles:

• you need to calm down, slow down your breathing, concentrate on it;
• take a slow deep breath, feel how the lungs expand from the intake of oxygen;
• curl your lips into a tube, breathe slowly;
• keep your lips closed and take a strong sharp breath through your nose. In this case, the stomach should be inflated and protrude as much as possible;
• open your lips and breathe out through your mouth with a "groin" sound. The lungs should be as empty as possible, and the stomach should adhere to the inner wall of the spine;
• it is necessary to pull back the stomach as much as possible, directing the muscle contraction from the bottom up, towards the ribs. You need to stay in this position for 8-10 seconds;
• Breathing exercises are done during this period.

Opinions of supporters of the technique are different. But in most cases, their opinions are unanimous - breathing exercises can be an addition to a course of weight loss, proper nutrition and psychotherapy to improve eating habits. But as an independent tool for getting rid of extra pounds, bodyflex, unfortunately, cannot give noticeable and, most importantly, stable results.

What happens to the body

The creator of the technique, Greer Childers, promises the following positive effects on the body:

• acceleration of metabolism, metabolic processes;
• improvement of well-being, relief from fatigue, apathy;
• improved blood circulation;
• increase in energy level, tone;
• removal of waste and toxins due to increased sweating;
• reduction of fat around the organs (visceral);
• strengthen the immune system, increase resistance to viruses and infections;
• strengthening of the muscle corset, especially the abdominal muscles (due to diaphragmatic deep breathing);
• improving the work of internal organs.

Regular exercise really helps to saturate the brain with oxygen. Proponents of the system note an increase in performance and an increase in mental abilities. In addition, deep breathing can help fight smoking. But the interest in bodyflex stems from the question of its effectiveness, especially for weight loss. Let's continue the topic. . .

10 sets of breathing exercises for weight loss

A similar breathing technique has been used in Indian culture for many years, called uddiyana bandha.

When performing the exercises, the main thing is to combine them with the basic principles of breathing:

1. After pulling in the stomach, you need to take a pose without breathing. Fix it in 8-10 seconds.
2. At the end of this period, you need to take a deep breath and move to the next pose.

If you are interested in the intricacies of this technique, today the Internet is full of special video lessons and whole courses where this technique is explained in detail. Let's look at a set of basic exercises.

Diamond training

The Diamond exercise is designed to strengthen the arm muscles and reduce fat deposits in the shoulders and arms. Technique:

1. You need to take the starting position: stand straight, spread your legs shoulder width apart, bring your arms in front of you. Keep your elbows high and touch your fingertips at chest level.
2. Breathe in, take a deep breath with a "groin" sound. Pull your stomach. Note the delay.
3. While holding your breath, press your fingertips together, resisting this effort. Tension should be felt in the forearm and shoulder area.

Only your fingertips should touch each other. There is no need to lower your elbows, otherwise other muscles will be involved. The pose should be held for the same 8-10 seconds.

Pull your arms back

This exercise helps to strengthen the shoulder girdle, arm muscles and forearms. The technique is basically similar to the previous exercise:

• after holding your breath, you should pull your arms straight back;
• Tension should be felt in the biceps region;
• hold this position for 8-10 seconds.

Each exercise should be repeated 2-4-6 times, the number of repetitions depends on the level of physical fitness and endurance. You can complete this pose with dumbbells or a fitness band. If you put in a little more effort, the effect will be more noticeable.

Side stretch

Lateral stretching helps to strengthen the muscles of the side surface of the body and reduce the size of the waist. The procedure is as follows:

• initial standing position, legs spread shoulder width apart;
• The left foot should be placed on the toe, the right hand should be raised;
• take a deep breath, pull in your stomach;
• put your right hand close to your ear, bend a little. You should feel tension in the lower back.

The exercise should be done within 8 seconds. After that, you need to change your arm and leg. It is important to monitor the position of your back, it is not recommended to bend or bend excessively in the lower back. The arm should not be bent, but straight.

Simple press

An effective exercise to reduce the volume of the abdomen is "Simple Press". It helps to strengthen the abdominal and neck muscles.

• starting position: lying on the back, legs bent at the knees;
• after exhaling, you should raise your shoulder blades from the floor and hold this position for 8-10 seconds.

There should be a distance between the chin and the chest, otherwise the load on the neck will increase undesirably. You should stretch your arms forward and raise your shoulder blades as high as possible.

Horizontal scissors

Horizontal scissors strengthen the muscles of the lower abdomen, quadriceps, inner and upper thighs.

• starting position: lying on your back, pressing firmly on the lower back;
• exhale, pull the stomach from the bottom up, direct it under the ribs;
• while holding, raise your legs and perform horizontal scissors for 8-10 seconds.

Your toes should be pulled up. The range of movements is small, the exercise should be performed slowly. It is not recommended to lift your head off the floor, as this can undesirably increase the load on the neck muscles.

Vertical scissors

Vertical scissors help to strengthen the abdominal muscles, the lower abs are especially actively involved in the work. In addition, work is done on the thigh muscles.

• starting position: lying on your back, pressing firmly on the lower back;
• you need to take a deep breath, pull your stomach;
• without raising your back, raise your legs 30-40 cm from the floor;
• Make a vertical transition of the legs while holding like scissors.

When exercising, the lower back should be pressed. If it comes out, you need to lower your legs a little.

Boat

The lifeboat exercise helps stretch and strengthen the inner thigh muscles.

• starting position - sitting on the hips, legs as far apart as possible;
• inhale, draw into the stomach;
• lean forward and stabilize this position.

It is recommended to perform the exercise slowly, without sudden movements. In this position, you should keep your back straight and pull your toes towards you. You should feel tension in your calves and hamstrings.

Pretzel

The "pretzel" exercise helps strengthen the outer thigh muscles and shape the lower back. The creator of the Bodyflex system says that this pose significantly reduces the size of the waist and hips.

• starting position: sitting on the floor, legs extended;
• cross your left leg over your right and place it on your leg;
• the foot of the left leg should be next to the knee of the right leg;
• breathe in, pull your stomach in;
• turn to the bent left leg, close the knee with the right hand;
• hold for ten seconds.

The bent knee should be pulled towards the chest, and the waist should be bent as much as possible.

dog

"Dog" exercise is designed to strengthen the inner and outer muscles of the thigh and improve the mobility of the hip joints. Proponents of Bodyflex note that the volume of the hips and "pants" area is reduced.

• starting position - standing on knees and hands;
• you need to take a deep breath, pull your stomach;
• raise your left leg bent at the knee, at an angle of 90 degrees;
• hold the position for 10 seconds.

You should do at least four repetitions: two on each leg. You should not raise your head while exercising: it is better to look at the floor in front of your palms. This will relieve the tension in your neck.

cat

"Cat" exercise helps to relax, stretch the muscles and strengthen the back muscles.

• starting position - standing on knees and palms;
• it is necessary to breathe, hold and pull on the stomach as much as possible;
• roll your back, bend your head down, relax your neck.

Hold the pose for ten seconds. It is important not to bend too much or raise your head. This exercise is especially useful for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle - it increases blood circulation and relieves muscle tension.

Who is not suitable for the breathing method?

The creator of the method, Greer Childers, confidently states that bodyflex is suitable for losing weight in the abdomen and sides, strengthening the body and increasing the overall tone. But professional doctors warn supporters of this method: there is a long list of contraindications that you should be familiar with.

Contraindications

Bodyflex is a specialized program that may not be suitable for everyone. There are a number of contraindications. These include:

1. Hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiovascular dystonia.
2. Cardiovascular diseases of congenital or acquired nature.
3. Chronic or acute diseases of internal organs.
4. Chronic diseases in remission.
5. Serious diseases of the organs of vision.
6. Gastrointestinal tract disorders: unstable stool, flatulence, diarrhea.
7. Disturbance of hormonal levels and work of the endocrine system.
8. Diabetes.
9. Oncology.
10. Postoperative rehabilitation: This breathing practice is prohibited for one year after spinal surgery.
11. Disorders of the thyroid gland.
12. Phlebeurism.

As you can see, the list of very serious contraindications is quite extensive. Obviously, only weight loss experts can consider all this - then recommend bodyflex or not. In general, long-term world experience in the fight against obesity shows that complex methods of weight loss (transition to proper nutrition with the help of psychotherapy) are superior to all other methods. This is what allows the widest audience not only to achieve maximum results in a healthy way, but also - which is always very important for anyone who wants to lose weight - to keep them for a long time.

Opinions of experts and doctors

Opinions about the Bodyflex weight loss method differ, there are clear supporters and opponents everywhere. Experts positively and almost unconditionally allow the use of the bodyflex breathing system in only a few cases:

1. For women after childbirth, to strengthen the abdominal muscles, in the first month. During this period, classic exercises and contractions are usually contraindicated, and deep diaphragmatic breathing will slightly strengthen the abdominal muscles.
2. After a stroke, people can breathe while lying down, especially if there is atrophy of the limbs.
3. People with arthritis are allowed to do simple exercises to strengthen their muscles, but they should avoid putting stress on their joints as much as possible.
4. Breathing according to the Bodyflex system will help with a runny nose and clear the airways. In this case, it is better to practice in the bath with the addition of aromatic oils.

For beginners, it is better to use the "bodyflex for beginners" system. Of course, it is better to start it after consulting a doctor. If the lessons themselves are under the guidance of a professional trainer, it will give an optimal result. As a last resort, you can carefully study the sensitive video tutorials on your own.

Advantages of the Bodyflex system

The following advantages are highlighted:

• there is a decrease in the volume of the abdomen and strengthening of the abdominal muscles;
• the complex is suitable for beginners, patients with heavy weight, does not require physical training;
• deep diaphragmatic breathing improves the functioning of the respiratory system and helps to relieve shortness of breath;
• there is a decrease in appetite;
• There is an improvement in well-being, increased energy and vitality.

According to Greer Childers, the creator of this breathing practice, you can feel good results after just two weeks of practice. However, other people's opinions on this matter are very different, so you should not trust anyone here; The only people whose feedback will really matter to us are the weight loss experts.

Features of the Bodyflex system

Like any weight loss system, bodyflex has its own characteristics:

• the exercise is carried out at least 2-2, 5 hours after eating, because with diaphragmatic breathing there is an active movement of the stomach - "pull-up" and with a full stomach it is at least useless;
• regularity of lessons (daily - at least 15 minutes);
• the need to ventilate the room before class;
• active oxygen saturation of the brain can cause dizziness and fainting. This phenomenon is especially common among beginners. Therefore, it is better to conduct the first training under the guidance of at least an expert;
• exercises are not effective for people with a normal body mass index;
• these breathing and physical exercises should forever become a part of life and become an integral part of it, because after stopping, all the lost kilograms will quickly return.

You can add to this list that deep breaths ensure hyperventilation of the lungs, which often ends with a critical decrease in blood acidity and fainting, and holding your breath while breathing, on the contrary, causes hypoxia (this is a low amount of oxygen, the consequences of which are manyirreversible changes in vital organs). Does the body need this contrast? Will it hurt him? The answers, as you already know, can only be given by a qualified weight loss specialist.

Results of exercises using the Bodyflex system

The quantity and quality of changes in the body that you can expect from using the Bodyflex system actually depends not directly on the regularity of exercises, but also primarily on maintaining moderation in nutrition and the individual characteristics of your body.

That is, the effect of the technique itself on weight loss can be considered helpful. First of all, it is not he who removes excess water and melts fat, but dietary restrictions and regular exercise. So, is it worth unfairly exaggerating his role in your victories?

Three rules for a good result

There are three rules that can increase the effectiveness of training. These include:

1. Regularity of training.At the same time, their duration is not important, the main thing is every day.
2. It is better to exercise on an empty stomach.It is best in the morning, immediately after waking up or two to three hours after the last meal.
3. Avoid strict diets.The creator of the method recommends giving up fast food and reducing portions of fatty, fried and salty foods.

These rules can slightly speed up the appearance of results. However, we should not forget about the possible contraindications given above, an effective list, and, of course, the decisive role of the consulting doctor - a qualified weight loss specialist.

Expert opinion

Bodyflex is a system of breathing exercises that is often considered an alternative to the gym method for weight loss. The author of the method is American housewife Greer Childers, who wrote the book "Get a beautiful figure in 15 minutes a day. "In it, she described her postpartum weight loss experience using breathing practices derived from yoga approaches.

Bodyflex involves exercises with a special breathing pattern. It is believed that adipose tissue is oxidized by oxygen - therefore, such breathing should be deeper and more intense. The main principles of Bodyflex include:

1. Regular exercises for special deep breathing in special poses - "diamond", "lion pose", "boat", etc.
2. Exercises should be done regularly, a break or stop not only causes weight loss to stop, but also relapse.
3. Exercises should be done no later than 2 hours after eating, the next time you can eat only more than 0. 5 hours after the end of the exercise.
4. Changes in nutrition and diet, for example, adding more fiber to the daily menu, are recommended.
5. Constant volume measurements, body weight.

The materials devoted to Bodyflex are quite contradictory. Unfortunately, there is no physiological or biochemical justification of the mechanism of action of this method in any of the articles.

On the one hand, adipose tissue is actually oxidized by oxygen, which is eventually delivered by hemoglobin in the blood. On the other hand, this oxidation does not occur directly, but under the influence of a cascade of enzymes. In addition, in a healthy person, blood hemoglobin is saturated with 85-95% oxygen, and even if this figure is increased to 100%, the difference in the absolute amount of oxygen entering will not be significant.

In addition, oxygen is a universal oxidizing agent, so if it directly affects it, it will affect not only fats, but also all proteins, carbohydrates and cell membranes (mainly composed of phospholipid fats), which would lead to inevitable destructive consequences for the body. Therefore, it is not possible to directly interpret the effect of bodyflex with the increase in oxygen content and its movement.

At the same time, there are actually studies that show a certain effect of the lungs and breathing on fat tissue - but not directly, but indirectly. For example, during the initial breakdown, fat produces glycerol alcohol molecules and fatty acid molecules that can enter the blood and circulate there for some time. Recent studies have shown that fatty acid levels in the pulmonary artery (carrying blood from the heart to the lungs) are significantly higher than in the pulmonary vein (carrying blood back from the lungs to the heart). This suggests that some fatty acids are oxidized directly in the lung tissue; breathing can actually affect this process.

Deep, intense breathing can also activate the diaphragm and respiratory muscles, which in turn increases the body's energy expenditure and can slightly increase the basal metabolic rate. In addition, breathing practices can have a beneficial effect on the emotional state, allowing the practice to reduce stress and thereby indirectly affect emotional eating behavior.

Thus, the bodyflex system can in some cases have a beneficial effect on body weight at the level of other aerobic physical activity - but not directly due to oxygen saturation, as noted by its authors, but as an integrated approach to changing nutrition, physical activity. and lifestyle. However, there are a number of contraindications for bodyflex:

• pregnancy;
• severe heart failure;
• glaucoma;
• hernias;
• tachycardia, other types of arrhythmia;
• oncology;
• bronchial asthma and other lung diseases.

Also, you should not practice bodyflex alone at the initial stage, because intense breathing causes a significant decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can cause dizziness, disorientation and other side effects. It's worth weighing the pros and cons before you start. If you are using bodyflex, it is more likely as a support system for changing your diet and lifestyle.