Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing for coming down after exercise, if you are fitting this around other people
4 · 1 · 4 · 1 breathing: barely any hold, for people who dislike holding.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 1, out for 4, hold 1. The shape stays the same every round. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Start with what's physical. Everything else can wait.
Why it can help
Because nothing changes from round to round, the exercise stops being interesting — and that is exactly what you want at a difficult moment.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 5s |
| Hold again | 1s | 9s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after a long drive, to shake off the alertness
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.