Functional Breathing Reset Sequence
Assess, slow, mobilise, and retrain the mechanics of everyday breathing
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 7
- Confidence
- 99%
The reset starts with non-judgmental breath awareness: one hand rests on the belly and one on the chest while the practitioner observes airflow and movement without deliberately correcting either. Box breathing then slows the respiratory pattern and creates enough composure to work deliberately. A hand beneath the nostrils supplies tactile feedback so airflow can become quieter, gentler, and slightly reduced, producing manageable air hunger. Simple overhead reaches and seated twists mobilise the ribs and intercostal muscles. Finally, the practitioner releases habitual abdominal bracing and directs a quiet nasal inhale into a 360-degree expansion around the belly, sides, and back while keeping the shoulders relaxed. Repeated practice is intended to restore efficient nasal and diaphragmatic breathing as the everyday baseline.
Origin
Extracted from Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal during Mike Maher's guided functional-breathing demonstration.
Core principles
- 01Assess breathing before trying to change it
- 02Slow the breathing pattern before retraining mechanics
- 03Create space for the ribs and diaphragm to move
- 04Practise nasal and 360-degree diaphragmatic breathing consistently
- 05Use feedback from the hands and body rather than forcing volume
How to run it
- 1
Check breath awareness
Place one hand on the belly and the other on the chest. Breathe naturally through the nose and observe sound, pace, and which hand moves without trying to correct anything.
Pro tip Treat this as a baseline measurement rather than a performance test.
Watch out Trying to manufacture a perfect breath defeats the assessment.
- 2
Slow with a box pattern
Inhale through the nose, hold, exhale through the nose, and hold again for equal counts. Use comfortable counts and let the cycle reduce frantic breathing.
Pro tip Begin with four counts per phase and increase only if it remains easy.
Watch out Do not strain through long holds.
- 3
Reduce the airflow
Hold a hand beneath the nostrils and feel the air contacting it. Gradually make the nasal airflow quieter, smoother, and gentler until a mild or medium air hunger appears.
Pro tip Imagine turning down the volume on an old stereo.
Watch out Avoid pushing into desperate or highly stressful air hunger.
- 4
Mobilise the rib cage
Reach overhead as though picking apples, coordinating the reach with a nasal inhale. Add gentle seated twists on the exhale to move the ribs and intercostal muscles.
Pro tip Use a comfortable range and prioritise smooth movement.
Watch out Do not force mobility or twist into pain.
- 5
Release abdominal bracing
Notice whether you are habitually sucking in the abdomen and consciously let it soften. This creates room for the diaphragm to descend.
Pro tip Check for unconscious bracing while sitting, standing, and speaking.
Watch out Do not push the abdomen out forcefully.
- 6
Practise 360-degree breathing
Place the hands around the sides of the lower ribs and inhale quietly through the nose. Feel expansion around the belly, sides, and back while the shoulders remain relatively still, then allow the diaphragm to return on the exhale.
Pro tip Imagine a balloon expanding throughout the lower torso.
Watch out Avoid replacing upper-chest breathing with exaggerated belly movement.
- 7
Repeat and reassess
Practise the sequence consistently and return to breath awareness to observe changes in pace, sound, and movement. Use the results to choose which component needs more attention.
Pro tip Short daily sessions are more useful than sporadic intensive practice.
Watch out Seek medical advice if obstruction or respiratory symptoms persist.
In the wild
After hours hunched over a laptop, a worker notices loud upper-chest breathing. He observes his baseline, completes several comfortable box-breathing rounds, reduces airflow against his hand, reaches and twists gently, then releases his abdomen and practises lower-rib expansion.
→ His breath becomes quieter and the lower torso moves more freely.
A habitual mouth-breather performs the awareness and airflow exercises before bed, mobilises the rib cage, and finishes with quiet nasal diaphragmatic breathing. She records how open her nose feels and whether she wakes with a dry mouth.
→ She establishes a repeatable pre-sleep routine and gathers feedback about her breathing baseline.
Common mistakes
Changing the breath during assessment
Breath awareness is intended to reveal the current pattern; conscious correction hides the pattern being measured.
Forcing a giant belly breath
The goal is comfortable 360-degree expansion, not aggressively pushing the abdomen outward or taking the largest possible inhale.
Ignoring posture and rib mobility
Breathing mechanics cannot be retrained solely through timing if the abdomen remains braced and the rib cage remains restricted.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people who habitually mouth-breathe, hold in their abdomen, breathe noisily, or spend long periods compressed at a desk.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal as self-treatment for unexplained breathlessness, severe nasal obstruction, or conditions requiring clinical respiratory care.
From the transcript
“So the benefit of that exercise is just to get a sense of how you are feeling.”
“Now an exercise like that, you could do that for 10 or 15 minutes in the morning and the evening. And by creating an air…”
“So what we've got there, just a quick reminder, we've got breath awareness to check in. Then we do some box breathing to slow things…”
From the episode
Why You’ve Been Breathing Wrong Most Of Your Life - Breathing Expert Mike Maher