FIVE IN FIVE

BREATHE BETTER IN FIVE DAYS

Unlock the full potential of your breath in this transformative 5-day e-course led by Dr. Belisa. Breathing is fundamental to both physical and mental health, and many of us are unknowingly breathing inefficiently due to stress and modern habits. In this course, you'll learn how to retrain your breath to improve mood, digestion, performance, and overall vitality.

Through daily videos and a supplemental e-book, Dr. Belisa will guide you through a series of exercises and techniques to enhance your "Breathing IQ"—a measure of how effectively you inhale and exhale. With a focus on diaphragmatic breathing, posture, and rib cage mobility, this course will help you cultivate a deeper, more natural breathing pattern that supports better health and performance.

Each day, you'll:

  • Day 1: Understand the impact of breathing on health and assess your Breathing IQ.

  • Day 2: Learn five stretches to activate your diaphragm and enhance breathing.

  • Day 3: Refine techniques and troubleshoot common mistakes.

  • Day 4: Integrate exercises into a daily routine for long-term health.

  • Day 5: Reassess your Breathing IQ and track improvements.

Start your journey to better health by mastering the art of breath!

DAILY COURSE OVERVIEW

Day 1: The Foundation of Proper Breathing

On Day 1, Dr. Belisa introduces the fundamental concept of Breathing IQ, explaining how your breath directly affects overall health, mood, digestion, and stress levels. You’ll learn how many people breathe inefficiently due to stress and modern habits, often without realizing it. Dr. Belisa compares breath mechanics to posture and gait, emphasizing the role of the diaphragm in proper breathing. The day concludes with a simple assessment of your Breathing IQ to understand where you currently stand, setting the stage for improvement over the next few days.

Key Points:

  • Introduction to Breathing IQ and its impact on health.

  • Understanding dysfunctional breathing and its effects.

  • Initial assessment of your Breathing IQ.

  • Commitment to a series of exercises over the next four days.

Day 2: The Big Five – Exercises to Activate the Diaphragm

On Day 2, Dr. Belisa introduces The Big Five, a set of five targeted stretches designed to improve lung capacity and activate the diaphragm. These exercises focus on diaphragmatic breathing and rib cage mobility, two essential components of a high Breathing IQ. Dr. Belisa explains that effective breathing starts in the middle of the body and encourages wide inhales and narrow exhales. You’ll engage in exercises like Rock and Roll, Diaphragm Extensions, Cat Cow, Intercostal Stretch, and Twist to retrain your body’s natural breathing patterns.

Key Points:

  • Introduction to five stretches that enhance lung capacity.

  • Focus on diaphragmatic breathing and rib cage mobility.

  • Practice exercises designed to improve Breathing IQ.

  • Reinforcement of optimal breathing mechanics (wide inhales, narrow exhales).

Day 3: Troubleshooting and Refining Breathing Techniques

On Day 3, Dr. Belisa helps you troubleshoot and refine the breathing techniques learned on Day 2. She identifies common mistakes and offers adjustments for each exercise. Emphasis is placed on engaging the diaphragm, maintaining proper posture, and ensuring full-body involvement in each breath, not just focusing on the shoulders. You will learn how to use gravity and body movement to aid diaphragm function, and how to deepen your awareness of breathing during the exercises.

Key Points:

  • Refine techniques learned on Day 2.

  • Address common mistakes and provide solutions.

  • Focus on diaphragm engagement, proper posture, and full-body breathing.

  • Tips for ensuring correct form and deeper breathing.

Day 4: Integrating Techniques into a Daily Routine

Day 4 focuses on integrating all the techniques you've learned into a cohesive breathing sequence. Dr. Belisa guides you through the Rock and Roll, Diaphragm Extensions, Cat Cow, Intercostal Stretch, and Twist exercises as a complete routine that enhances your lung capacity and improves your Breathing IQ. This practice is designed to be done daily, promoting long-term respiratory health, especially as lung function naturally declines with age. Dr. Belisa also shares tips for advancing your practice, such as increasing inhalation volume and focusing on deeper stretches. She reassures participants about common challenges like dizziness or paradoxical breathing and encourages patience during the process.

Key Points:

  • Integrate exercises into a complete daily routine.

  • Learn tips for advancing your breathing practice.

  • Practice techniques that enhance lung function and overall health.

  • Address common challenges and reassure participants to be patient.

Day 5: Retesting and Tracking Progress

On Day 5, Dr. Belisa guides you through retaking the Breathing IQ test, using the techniques learned over the past days. You’ll warm up with the breathing sequence before assessing your breath mechanics, paying attention to breath depth and ribcage expansion. Using a measuring tape, you will track your progress by measuring the expansion of your ribcage during inhalation and exhalation. Dr. Belisa offers personalized advice based on body type and progress, emphasizing the importance of self-coaching and consistent practice. She encourages you to integrate breathing exercises into your daily life and suggests teaching others as a way to solidify your understanding.

Key Points:

  • Retake the Breathing IQ test to measure progress.

  • Track improvements in ribcage expansion and breath depth.

  • Get personalized advice for continued success.

  • Learn how to incorporate breathing exercises into your daily routine.

  • Teach others to reinforce your knowledge and skills.