In this instructional video, Reena Vokoun, founder of PassionFit, introduces mindfulness through two specific breathing methods—diaphragmatic (belly) breathing and lateral (core‑engaged) breathing. She explains the physiological basis of each technique, provides step‑by‑step guidance on how to perform them (inhale through the nose, expand the belly or engage the core, exhale through the mouth, and avoid breath‑holding), and highlights practical moments to apply them, such as while driving, cooking, at a desk, after workouts, or during Pilates, barre, and yoga sessions. Vokoun emphasizes that even a few minutes of these practices can markedly reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve posture and spinal elongation. The video concludes with a friendly call‑to‑action to subscribe, like, and share.
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Hi guys, my name is Reena Vokoun and I'm the founder of PassionFit. Today I wanted to take some time to talk to you guys about the concept of mindfulness and specifically breathing. As human beings, it is so essential for us to be able to breathe throughout our day to help us to relax and stay calm and centered. Oftentimes we take shallow breaths that stem from the chest when we're feeling anxious or stressed. So diaphragmatic breathing allows us to really expand our belly and use our diaphragm to get oxygen flowing and blood flowing through our body. We expand the belly, fill it with air on the inhale through the nose, and then we exhale through the mouth and we pull that belly back in. So if you want to try a couple of deep breaths, expand the belly out, inhaling through your nose, and then pull the belly in and exhale through your mouth. This is great to do when you are driving in your car in traffic, when you're cooking in your kitchen, or maybe when you're sitting at your desk at work and you just need to calm your mind down a little bit. It's also great to do after a great workout. The other type of breathing is lateral breathing, which is where you're tucking in your core and keeping it engaged the entire time, but you're still able to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This type of breathing is often used during a Pilates workout or a barre-inspired workout or even yoga. It allows you to keep your core engaged so that you can really extend and elongate your spine and leverage your upper and lower body in ways that stem from your center, but then it allows you to keep your breath flowing. You never ever want to hold your breath whether you're working out or doing any other types of activities. So feel free to try these different types of breathing, even if you spend a few minutes in your day. It's really going to make a huge difference in helping you to feel relaxed and calm and better manage your stress. Thanks for tuning in, guys. Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel, like, comment, or share with your family and friends. Thanks so much, and I'll be back with more mindfulness videos soon. Take care.
