As a working rule, the following principles apply in our yoga practice: an emphasis on long inhalation and holding the breath after inhalation intensifies the effects of the posture in the chest area an emphasis on long exhalation and holding the breath after exhalation intensifies the effects of the posture in the abdominal area the forward-bending poses lend themselves to holding the breath following exhalation, while the backward-bending poses lend themselves to holding the breath following inhalation
