Uddiyana bandha is a type of belly lift or upward lift lock. In this yoga pose, the practitioner holds their breath immediately after exhaling while lifting the abdominal wall inward upwards.
The whole process creates a vacuum in your chest cavity that allows blood to circulate better to all abdominal organs.
It is very important to activate the Uddiyana bandha (abdominal lock). It will fill you with energy, especially in the abdomen.
How to do it
You need to concentrate and focus on your abdomen. After exhaling, you simply lift your abdomen towards your spine and lift your ribcage up to hold your breath.
There are two postures to try, the first is standing and the second is sitting.
Standing position: First, straighten your spine. Then, bend your knees slightly, keeping about a foot apart from your knees. Lean forward slightly and place your hands on your thighs, above your knees. Take a few deep breaths and relax.
Seated position: Sitting in yoga postures such as lotus pose or simple sitting. Feel comfortable with the asana. Place your hands on the lower thighs, above the kneecaps. Take a few deep breaths to allow the blood to flow properly and breathe throughout your body.
Focus on your abdomen, exhale completely, and hold your breath. Now, tighten the belly button part, tuck in the spine, and lift towards the chest cavity or heart center, holding your breath. Hold it for a few seconds and gently lower it according to your comfort level. All of these processes are carried out at the same time.
Note. If you find it difficult to stretch or lift your abdomen, you can try doing a simulated inhalation and closing your mouth and nose.
The easiest way to do this is to stand. If you're a beginner, try doing it standing up, as it's easier to concentrate and control your abdominal muscles when you're standing.
Morning is the best time to practice so you can start the day preparing your stomach for better digestion and other functions.
If you are having difficulties while in Uddiyana Bandha, then it could be these reasons.
Difficulty concentrating: Uddiyana Bandha needs to focus on her abdomen. Even a slight distraction can prevent us from doing it properly. Try to avoid all distractions and focus on your abdomen.
Not exhaling enough: You need to exhale completely. The more you exhale, the more lift you get. Therefore, in order to gain the full ability to lift the abdomen, you must exhale fully.
Hold your breath: During a simulated inhalation, even a little inhalation will prevent you from lifting your abdomen. So, remember to hold your breath completely. At the same time, straining our abdomen will also prevent us from doing this movement.
Contraindications and precautions
- If you have high blood pressure problems, you should not practice. Practicing it can quickly raise your blood pressure.
- Women should not practice this trick during pregnancy. It can adversely affect the health of the fetus and the mother.
- Practicing on an empty stomach, if you do it after a meal, can cause stomach pain and indigestion.
Uddiyana Bandha的好处
1. Uddiyana Bandha mainly uses the muscles of the abdominal area. It's like exercising your abdominal muscles. Thus, it strengthens the abdominal muscles and diaphragm. This exercise massages the abdominal muscles, heart, and lungs to make these muscles function better. It increases the digestive fire in the body. As a result, it improves digestion and cleanses our body of toxins.
2. The brain becomes clearer as the Uddiyana Bandha practice increases blood circulation throughout the body and brain. At the same time, this practice mainly helps to gain a younger brain and body. In other words, you feel younger physically and mentally. Therefore, practice makes you younger.