ECHO|ECHO Pre-Dive Routine
Good mobility is crucial to access depth. Increase your lung capacity by stretching your chest, ribcage and intercostals and strengthening your diaphragm. Full and empty lung stretches will also help to prepare you for diving below residual volume. Prepare your body and mind to go deeper by making these exercises part of your daily pre-dive routine.
1. Neck stretch, side to side, diagonal and forward (not back).
2. Seated side bend – lift the ribs out of the hips, look up to hand (or to floor to release neck).
3. Seated cat cow – slow, juicy spine mobiliser.
4. Spinal rotation / upper thoracic twist.
5. Uddiyana Bandha (full exhale and fold, rise and lock the glottis).
6. Sufi rotations (stir the spine in the hips).
7. Full exhale, tummy roll. Inhale arms in dolphin and hold breath on full lungs until the urge to breathe dissipates.
8. Thread the needle.
9. Cat Cow.
10. Puppy pose (forehead on mat or chin for extra).
11. Child’s pose with left & right reach - ribcage stretches.
12. Back extension over ball/frame/wheel – optional box breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, repeat).