| Breathing is the source of life: if breathing stops, | | | | per breath. On average, if you do deep and slow |
| do does life. On average, an adult breathe 16-18 | | | | breathing, you can reduce the rate of breathing |
| times per minutes, each time about 500ml of air | | | | to 9 times per minutes, taking more than 2000ml |
| exchanged in the lungs. When breathing in from | | | | of air per inhale. This will in effect, reduce the |
| the outside air, oxygen content is about 21% | | | | number of times where the 150 ml of air in the |
| while carbon dioxide is 0.03%. On the other hand, | | | | Ineffective Retention going back into the lung. |
| breathing out produces about 16.5% oxygen and | | | | This means that only 1350ml of residual air going |
| 4.5% carbon dioxide. | | | | back into the lung exchange, but fresh air |
| Based on the average of 16-18 breath per | | | | exchanged is more than 18000ml per minute! |
| minutes, it can be estimated that the volume of | | | | This increases oxygen intake significantly. Blood |
| air exchanged in the lungs is about 8000-9000ml. | | | | circulation and metabolism rate will increase, and |
| From this, the content of both oxygen and | | | | immune system will be enhanced through deep, |
| carbon dioxide exchanged can also be calculated. | | | | abdominal breathing! |
| In calculating the air exchanged, there's a factor | | | | This is another proof to show that Tai Chi |
| that needs to be considered: there's about 150ml | | | | Breathing has its scientific logic and reason for |
| of air left in the Ineffective Retention. | | | | improving your health conditions and mental |
| What is Ineffective Retention? | | | | well-being. However, the data above showed how |
| Ineffective Retention refers to the space | | | | health can be improved by deep abdominal |
| between the lungs and the nose, that is, the | | | | breathing alone only. |
| space in the nasal, throat, trachea, and bronchus | | | | My system involves 5 Steps of Tai Chi Breathing, |
| which contains residual air of about 150ml. The | | | | and abdominal breathing is only Step 2 of the |
| residual air in Ineffective Retention has more | | | | whole system, and on its on, has shown such |
| carbon dioxide and lesser oxygen compared to | | | | tremendous effect on your body health. What |
| the air outside. | | | | about other steps? And if you are interested in |
| Each inhale of 500ml of air from the outside will | | | | learning how to do Tai Chi Breathing correctly, and |
| include this 150ml residual air in the Ineffective | | | | to make it your habit, go to my website under |
| Retention. This means the effective oxygen | | | | my signature and find out how. |
| content in each inhale is in fact lesser than 21%! | | | | And may the Energy of Tai Chi be with you! :) |
| This means, for every minute, you will be taking | | | | Breathing cheerfully, |
| in about 2400-2700ml of residual air in the | | | | C. Guan Soo |
| Ineffective Retention space! | | | | Copyright (C) 2005 C. Guan Soo |
| Active air volume in the lungs is very important. | | | | *************** Note *************** |
| Thus, through deep breathing, achieved through | | | | You may distribute or publish this article freely |
| abdominal breathing - the air exchange in the lungs | | | | provide you do not make any changes or |
| can be increased to 2000-6000ml, and at times, | | | | alteration on the article content, or remove my |
| exceeding 6000ml! | | | | name and website from the article. Thank you! |
| And with deep breathing, which takes longer time | | | | |