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Myofascial breathwork: a regenerative bodywork approach
Robert K. King
Myofascial breathwork describes a
somatic protocol which attempts to
normalize dysfunctional fascial
regions, globally and locally, while
combining sensitive touch with
client breathwork to alter
dehydrated, compressed connective
tissues. This author has noted a
parallel with the early work of
Wilhelm Reich on character
armoring (Reich 1933), and more
recently, the insightful ‘three fists’
concepts of Philip Latey, DO, as
outlined in The Muscular Manifesto
(Latey 1979) and Journal of
Bodywork and Movement Therapies
(Latey 1996).
In the author’s clinical practice,
myofascial breathwork is performed
Robert K. King
2918 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
Correspondence to: Robert K. King
Tel: +1 773 477 9444, ext. 220;
Fax: +1 773 477 7256;
E-mail: bob@csmt.com
...........................................
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2002)
6(4), 224^225
# 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
doi: 10.1054/jbmt.2001.0256, available online at
http://www.idealibrary.com on
J O U R NAL O F B O DY W O R K AN D MOV E M E N T TH E R API E S OC TOBER 20 02
Shane B 1997 Vitamin C pharmacokinetics:
it’s dj vu all over again. American
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1061–1062
Shetty AK, Steele RW, Silas V, Dehne R
1998 A boy with a limp. Lancet
351: 182
Simons DG, Travell JG, Simons LS 1999
Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain
and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point
Manual, Volume 1. Upper Half of
Body, 2nd edn. Williams & Wilkins,
Baltimore
Spallholz JE, Boylan LM, Driskell JA
1999 Nutrition: Chemistry and Biology,
in 75–90 min sessions. This includes
close attention being paid to client
issues, explanation of the work,
discussion of mutually agreed upon
outcomes, and the use of supportive
themes, images, archetypes, and
symbols. Client agendas might
include working through a lack of
self-esteem; optimizing health for
athletics; reducing an ‘asthmatic
wheeze’; moving beyond chronic or
ancient woundedness; addiction
recovery; smoking cessation; or even
support for insomnia or panic
attacks. In most cases, twice-weekly
sessions are suggested over the
course of one month. The primary
goal of a series of 10 myofascial
breathwork applications is the
optimal rehabilitation, control, and
enhancement of respiratory
function, a body system with
voluntary and involuntary activity,
which directly impacts cellular
oxygenation, the body’s self-healing
capacity, as well as connective tissue
health and integrity.
Therapeutic protocols are
determined after the client interview,
and assessment of respiratory, and
postural patterns of function and
dysfunction. Releasing the accessory
224
2nd edn. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton,
FL
Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 1997
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Philadelphia, PA
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John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, NY
Weil A 2000 Vitamin C: a change of
heart? Dr. Andrew Weil’s Self
Healing, p5
Whitney EN, Cataldo CB, Rolfes SR 1994
Understanding Normal and Clinical
Nutrition, 4th edn. West Publishing
Company, St Paul
muscles of inhalation is often a first
priority. For example, the upper
trapezius, scalenes, levator scapula
and sternocleidomastoid often
perpetuate ‘fight or flight’ upper
chest breathing patterns, while
seriously compromising the
functional integrity of the
diaphragm (D’Alonzo & Krachman
1997, Nixon 1986, Nixon &
Freeman 1988). Clients are asked to
experiment with ‘pump handle’ and
‘bucket handle’ breathing patterns,
osteopathic terms denoting various
components of three-dimensional
breathing (Chaitow & DeLany
2000). This form of enhanced
respiration allows for antero-
posterior, superior-inferior, and
bilateral expansion of the thoracic
cage, simultaneously, during the
inspiratory phase of respiration.
Clinical applications of
myofascial breathwork proceed with
slow, deliberate, digital sculpting of
the soft tissues, while working
through light clothing or directly on
skin. Supine, prone, and sidelying
positions are employed. Gradual
tapering off allows for a quieting of
kinetic reverberation that deep
tissue breathwork often initiates.

Session closure includes self-
stabilization exercises, and home
practice of breathwork on a daily
basis.
Thixotropic changes in connective
tissue are enhanced by two client
behaviors which are essential to the
success of myofascial breathwork.
The first component is optimal
rehydration of the connective tissue
system. Clients in the author’s
practice are required to drink (and
document the consumption of ) eight
full glasses of water, for the 3 days
prior to, and throughout, the
sequential application of manual
therapy. The author’s clinical
experience suggests that increased
hydration diminishes post-treatment
soreness and enhances general
wellbeing. Connective tissue
rehydration seems to be essential for
the process of physiological tissue
transformation to occur. Since the
ground substance of connective
tissue is bathed within a highly
aquatic environment (Juhan 1987),
water intake prior to and
throughout myofascial breathwork
seems to contribute significantly to
therapeutic success. Aside from
being a general good health habit,
the author has found that increased
water consumption can help
counteract the ‘stringy’, gnarled feel
of apparently dehydrated fascia.
Beneficial tissue changes are usually
palpable.
The second client component for
enhanced soft tissue release centers
upon the client’s utilization of three-
dimensional (i.e. diaphragmatic)
breathing during the myofascial
applications. When consciously
performed, clinical experience has
shown this method of breathing to
help soften areas of restriction and
armoring. Breathing outward
(anteriorly) using a ‘hovering
sternum’ visualization is an effective
technique. Breathing deliberately
and directly into fascial fixations,
J O U R NAL O F B O DY W O R K AN D MOV E M E N T TH E R API E S OC TOBER 20 02
Connective tissue perspectives: Part 2
and tension blocks, not only
activates the client within the
healing process, it also allows for a
deeper interactive tissue engagement
between the client and the therapist.
Clients are often surprised at their
ability to accommodate manual
pressure applied to areas of somatic
dysfunction when three-dimensional
breathwork is included. This wave-
like breath response encourages
‘letting go’ and a softening of
connective tissue plasticity. It is the
author’s experience that collagenous
fascial build up, often found around
the lower sternum, xyphoid process,
costal arch, and superior rectus
abdominis attachments, appear to
respond well to such breathing
techniques, facilitating the reduction
of fascial fixations, while palpably
improving circulation in areas
of gritty fascial build up
(Chila 1997).
A myofascial breathwork session
in this region might involve the
following methodology:
. assessment of respiration; a tape
measure is used at the xyphoid
process to record thoracic
circumference changes during the
respiratory cycle
. palpation of the upper ribs
during the respiratory cycle and
gentle release of the scalenes,
upper trapezius, and
sternocleidomastoid to
discourage upper chest breathing
patterns, as does a greater focus
on exhalation phase (Chaitow et
al. 2001)
. vibratory, rhythmic compression
on the thoracic cage for
purposes of tissue warming
and ‘springing’ of areas of
intercostal rigidity
. a soft, mounded hand, employing
metacarpophalangeal extension
into dense collagenous deposits,
especially at the sterno-costal
articulations at ribs 5
225
and 6. Slow, lingering digital
sculpting seems capable of
enhancing the thixotropic
transformation of fascial bind
and restriction
. focused use of breathing into
gnarled areas, such as the
three intercostal layers between
ribs 4, 5, and 6 seems capable
of improving the client’s
ability to belly breathe,
without undue effort, or the
evoking of habitual patterns
of strain.
Myofascial breathwork utilizes
the connective tissue system to
optimally enhance respiratory
function. Connective tissue
changes are essential in support of
this goal.
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Chaitow L, DeLany J 2000 Cliinical
Application of Neuromuscular
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Chaitow L, Bradley D, Gilbert C 2001
Breathing Pattern Disorders, Churchill
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Chila A 1997 Fascial-Ligamentous Release.
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D’Alonzo G, Krachman S 1997 Respiratory
system. In: Ward R (ed) Foundations for
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Wilkins, Baltimore
Juhan D 1987 Job’s body: a handbook for
bodywork. Station Hill Press, Barrytown
NY
Latey P 1979 The Muscular Manifesto,
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Latey P 1996 Feelings, muscles and
movement. Journal of Bodywork and
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Nixon PGF 1986 Exhaustion: cardiac
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Physiotherapy, May 72: 129–139
Nixon PGF, Freeman LJ 1988 The ‘think
test’: a further technique to elicit
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Reich W 1933 Character analysis. Noonday
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