Breathe like you mean it: Linking Movement and Breath in Yoga
A couple of days ago, I had just finished a vinyasa class and was covered in sweat (the happy kind), feeling the post-Savasana peace when a new student popped up from the far corner of the room like a joyful chipmunk and declared:
“Well, that was an awesome workout!”
It made me smile. Because technically, sure, muscles were firing, and my heart was pumping. But what I just experienced didn’t feel like a workout. It felt like something deeper. More focused. More intentional. A moving meditation.
So, why should a yoga flow feel different from a HIIT circuit or a set of heavy squats?
The breath.
Don’t We Already Know How to Breathe?
Yes, but also no…
Breathing is mostly automatic, governed by your autonomic nervous system (that same backstage crew that manages your heartbeat and digestion). You breathe all day and night without thinking about it.
But yoga flips the spotlight. From the very first inhale, you’re invited to pay attention. To listen. To ride the wave of your own breath and, eventually, to control it. This is where Pranayama comes in.
Pranayama: Your Breath, But Make It Intentional
Pranayama is the practice of regulating and expanding the breath. And while that might sound about as exciting as watching paint dry at first, it’s actually the thing that turns yoga from just movement into something transformational.
Different pranayama techniques have different effects: some energize, some ground, some help you focus, some melt you into your mat like a sleepy baby. In vinyasa yoga, the breath we lean on most is Ujjayi.
Ujjayi Breath: Darth Vader chills out
Ujjayi (pronounced: oo-jai-ee) means “victorious breath,” though it’s also called “ocean breath” for the soft wave-like sound it makes. If you’ve ever heard someone in class breathing like a relaxed but powerful sea dragon, that’s ujjayi.
Here’s how to do it:
- Inhale through your nose.
- Exhale also through your nose, but gently constrict the back of your throat (like you're fogging up a mirror, but with your mouth closed).
You should hear a subtle hissing or wave sound, like distant ocean waves or a gentle Darth Vader moment.
This breath acts as both soundtrack and metronome. It keeps your nervous system steady, your focus sharp, and your mind anchored in the now.
Why Link Breath to Movement?
Good question. Let’s say you’re doing a bicep curl: you probably exhale as you lift, inhale as you lower. That’s functional breathing. It supports the action, but it’s not the star of the show.
In yoga, the breath is the star. Movement follows the breath, not the other way around.
Think of it like a dance where the breath leads. You inhale to rise, to open, to stretch into space. You exhale to fold, to ground, to surrender. Each inhale and exhale becomes a cue. A rhythm. A way to turn effort into ease.
And when your breath is steady, your mind follows. You stop performing the pose and start experiencing it.
Breathe First, Then Move
Here’s the simplest way to think of it:
In a typical workout, you move and breathe.
In yoga, you breathe to move.
This breath-first approach does more than make things feel smoother. It:
- Enhances your body awareness
- Keeps your nervous system calm (even when fear wants to win as you shift for one legged crow!)
- Builds focus and presence
- Turns your practice into something meditative, even in the middle of a sweaty flow
Don’t Forget to Breathe (Intentionally!)
The next time you’re on your mat, don’t just chase the shape. Chase the breath. Let it guide you, hold you, pace you. Your ujjayi breath isn’t background noise, it’s the heart of your practice.
And if you’re ever tempted to treat yoga like a workout, that’s okay. But try this little switch: breathe first, move second, and see what shifts. Spoiler alert: it might just turn into more than a workout.
If this article made you hold your breath (oops!) and you’re curious to dive deeper into linking breath with movement, check out my No Bullshit Yoga Pose Library!
You’ll find over 90 yoga poses broken down with modifications for both beginners and seasoned ninjas, plus a dedicated section on Pranayama to help you breathe with purpose, not just by accident
