5 Essential Areas to Stretch to Increase Your Breath Capacity

Written by Remington Steele, Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach & Philanthropist

Remington Steele is an Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach, and the visionary founder of Breathe With Rem and We Are The Village – Teen Moms. A philanthropist and author of Breathe With Me, Remington’s work is rooted in healing, empowerment, and generational transformation.

Breathing deeply isn’t just about filling your lungs, it’s about unlocking the full potential of your body, mind, and performance. As an expert breath practitioner, I’ve seen how targeted stretching can instantly create more room for air, reduce tension, and transform everything from athletic endurance to daily calm. In this article, we’ll explore five essential areas of your body that, when stretched correctly, can expand your breath capacity and elevate your vitality in ways you never imagined. Lace up, lean in, and prepare to breathe more deeper, your best breath is just a stretch away.

1. Relax your open throat and neck muscles

Tension in the throat and neck creates a chokehold on your breathing, and by extension, your entire core. To release it, gently tilt your head back so the base of your skull rests between your shoulder blades, drop your shoulders down, and allow your mouth to fall open. This simple stretch unlocks the jaw, softens the muscles around the larynx and ears, and creates more room for the windpipe to expand on each inhale, drawing in significantly more oxygen with less effort. Remarkably, this openness in the upper airway sends a ripple of relaxation through the fascia and connective tissue that links all the way down to the pelvic floor, making it softer and more responsive, an essential advantage in labor and delivery. By practicing this stretch regularly, you transform shallow, constricted breaths into deep, full inhales that support both daily performance and the power of birth.

This releases the jaw and face muscles

This releases the jaw and face muscles by first allowing your lower jaw to drop lightly open, teeth slightly apart, and gently adjusting your tongue to rest comfortably against the roof of your mouth as your neck lengthens. As the muscles around your cheeks, temples, and jaw soften, you may notice a warm, melting sensation spreading from beneath your cheekbones toward your ears and down into your neck. It’s common to feel an urge to swallow as the hyoid and surrounding tissues release, which helps reset tension in the throat and upper chest. This facial relaxation isn’t isolated, the masseter and buccinator muscles connect through fascia to the shoulders and down into the thoracic diaphragm, so loosening the face eases strain throughout your core. With practice, you’ll sense how a slackened jaw and unguarded cheeks open space for a deeper, fuller inhale and a more effortless, expansive breath cycle.

It also opens your throat and clavicles

When you relax your head back and allow gravity to gently pull your skull toward your spine, you’ll feel an immediate softening at the base of your neck and under your jaw. As your head drifts back, notice how the space just above your collarbones naturally widens, like a door swinging open, without any effort from your arms or shoulders. This gravity-assisted traction lifts and separates the clavicles, creating a tangible hollow beneath them. You may feel a subtle stretch radiate into your upper pectorals and the soft tissues around your sternum, opening the front of your chest in all directions.

Because our bodies are three-dimensional, this release doesn’t just occur side to side, it unfolds front-to-back and top-to-bottom as well. The fascial sheets that link your clavicles to your sternum, upper ribs, and deep neck musculature begin to ease, allowing the airway and esophagus to rest in a more neutral, tension-free alignment. As these connective tissues soften, your lungs gain room to expand not only laterally but also into the upper chest and the area beneath the collarbones. Over time, this creates a fuller, more spherical rib-cage expansion on each inhale, transforming shallow, two-dimensional breaths into rich, three-dimensional inhalations that fill the entire front body.

Practice this by simply tilting your head back, no extra movement required, then pausing to breathe into the new space you’ve created. Feel the ripple of release from your clavicles into your chest, throat, and even the upper abdomen, and you'll tap into a powerful gateway for deeper, more effortless breathing.

2. Open your chest and belly

Creating space in both your chest and abdomen is essential for full, unhindered breathing, and targeted backbends are one of the most effective ways to achieve it.

Poses like Seated Cow, Wheel, Camel, or Cobra gently arch the spine and lift the sternum, simultaneously stretching the intercostal muscles, abdominal wall, and hip flexors. This multifaceted extension doesn’t just feel expansive, it retrains your body to carry itself in an open, gravity-aligned posture that naturally invites deeper inhales and more complete exhales. Below, we’ll explore how to perform each of these stretches safely and mindfully, and the specific sensations you should look for as your chest and belly unlock.

The ribcage should spread not bulge

In any of these backbend stretches, your goal is to spread the ribcage rather than force it to bulge. When you relax into the pose, softening your intercostals and letting the joints glide, your ribs fan outward and upward in a smooth, three-dimensional expansion that creates genuine space for the lungs. If you instead brace your core or hunch your lower ribs forward, the chest “bulges” in a rigid, two-dimensional puff that actually restricts deeper breathing and can compress the diaphragm. Think of spreading the ribs like opening a flower, gentle, balanced, and surrendering to gravity. Tension makes them stick out, relaxation lets them truly open.

An arched back can stretch the belly

When you gently arch your spine, whether in Seated Cow, Camel, or Cobra, and allow your head to relax back, gravity becomes your partner in stretching the belly. As the chest lifts and the front of the torso opens, the abdominal wall lengthens without effort, creating space for the diaphragm to fully descend on the inhale. You’ll feel the stretch radiate from the bottom edge of your ribcage down along the soft curve of your abdomen to the front point of your pelvis, like a gentle pull that runs the full length of your core. The weight of your head pulling backward deepens this natural curve, coaxing the belly to expand against resistance rather than bulge from tension. This gravity-assisted arching not only softens tight hip flexors and psoas muscles but also invites a three-dimensional extension of the entire front body, unlocking profound breath capacity with nothing more than a mindful release.

You will also stretch the diaphragm

When you arch the spine and relax into that backbend, you’re not just lengthening skin and muscle, you’re directly stretching the diaphragm itself. As the front body opens, the dome-shaped muscle is gently pulled downward and taut, increasing its resting length and elasticity. This enhanced mobility allows the diaphragm to contract and flatten more fully on each inhale, boosting lung volume and oxygen uptake while reducing the work of breathing. Over time, a regularly stretched diaphragm improves core stability, supports more efficient lymphatic drainage, and helps regulate the vagus nerve for better stress resilience. In short, stretching the diaphragm transforms it from a passive participant into a powerful engine of breath, health, and vitality.

3. Remember the sides of the body

True breath expansion happens in three dimensions, our lungs wrap around the torso, reaching into the flanks and under the armpits, not just front to back. Simple side bends or a gate pose stretch the intercostals and latissimus fibers beneath the arms, creating a gentle widening from armpit to lower ribs. This side-body release lets your lungs inflate fully into the flanks, enhancing lateral diaphragm movement and opening space for deeper, more nourishing breaths.

The lungs are 3D

Our lungs are not flat organs tucked neatly in the front of the chest, they curve around the body, filling the sides of the ribcage and extending toward the hip flexors below. When these lateral regions remain tight, lung tissue can’t fully expand into the flanks, limiting breath volume and diaphragm movement. By incorporating side-body stretches, like lateral lunges, triangle pose, or gentle standing side bends, you create space along the outer ribcage and waistline, allowing air to flow into the lower lobes that sit just above the hip flexors. This three-dimensional opening not only enhances oxygen uptake but also supports better posture, core stability, and a more resilient breath pattern that truly fills every corner of the torso.

Stretching your armpits will open the ribcage even more

Few people realize that the tissues under the arms, your armpits, are the missing link to three-dimensional breath expansion. The latissimus dorsi, teres major, and pectoral fibers all converge there, anchoring the ribcage to the shoulder blade and spine. When you gently stretch the armpits, by reaching one arm overhead and leaning to the opposite side or threading the arm through a doorway stretch, you free those muscular attachments, allowing the ribs to fan open laterally and the lungs to fill more completely. Neglecting this area can lead to chronic tightness, poor shoulder mobility, and, over time, conditions like frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), which further restricts breathing and upper-body function. By giving attention to your armpits, you not only enhance your breath capacity but also protect your shoulder health and overall vitality.

Stretch your intercostals

The intercostal muscles, those slender fibers nestled between each rib, are the unsung heroes of breathing mobility. When they’re tight, your ribcage becomes a rigid cylinder, forcing you into shallow, chest-only breaths that limit oxygen intake and overwork the diaphragm. By gently side-bending or placing your hand against a wall and rotating away, you can feel each intercostal lengthen as your ribs spread apart. This targeted release restores the natural accordion-like action of your chest, enabling fuller, deeper inhalations and effortless exhalations. Prioritizing intercostal flexibility not only amplifies your breath capacity but also supports better posture, core stability, and a more resilient respiratory system.

4. Your lungs extend into your back, too

Most people don’t realize that the posterior lobes of your lungs sit deep beneath your shoulder blades and along your spine, and when this area is tight, you’re literally leaving oxygen on the table. Freeing this back-body space with targeted stretches like gentle thoracic extensions over a foam roller, seated cat–cow variations, or hugging your arms around your torso for a backbend sends a ripple of length through the rib-spine connection. As those fascial and muscular restrictions melt away, you open a whole new chamber for air, letting each inhale flood not just the front and sides, but the often-overlooked back of your lungs for truly three-dimensional breathing.

What is quad breathing?

Quad Breathing is a mindful technique that divides your torso, front or back, into four distinct “quadrants” and guides your breath into each section in turn. Imagine the back of your ribcage split into upper-left, upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right zones, with each inhale, you consciously direct air into one quadrant, pausing briefly to feel it expand before moving on to the next. This intentional mapping not only increases oxygen delivery to often-neglected posterior lung lobes, but also stretches the fascia and muscles that encase those areas. By practicing Quad Breathing on your back, you teach your body to open and mobilize the entire back-body breathing chamber, unlocking deeper, more balanced inhalations and laying the foundation for truly three-dimensional breath.

Laying on your belly, find the breath in the back of your lungs

Begin by lying face down on a firm surface, arms relaxed by your sides or gently extended overhead, and allow your forehead to rest softly on the ground. Close your eyes and simply observe where your back naturally rises first with each inhale. Without forcing or directing, invite your awareness to shift into the spaces beneath your shoulder blades, along your mid‐back, and near your lower ribs. Notice the gentle lift against the floor and how those areas soften on the exhale. Continue for several breaths, gently letting curiosity guide you as you discover exactly where and how the back of your lungs wants to expand. This self‐guided exploration helps you harness the often‐overlooked back‐body breath with ease and intention.

Forward folds and half lifts

Hinging at the hips, fold forward with a straight spine, hands resting on shins, blocks, or the floor, as you exhale. Feel the stretch travel up your posterior chain, creating space along the length of your spine and beneath your ribs. On the inhale, lift halfway up into a “flat back,” drawing the crown of your head forward and extending your sternum toward the ground, you’ll notice a gentle opening in the back of your lungs as the thoracic spine lengthens. Flowing between these two positions, fold on the exhale, half lift on the inhale, teaches your back‐body muscles and fascia to soften and re-extend with each breath. Over time, this dynamic stretch not only increases spinal mobility but also enlarges the space for your posterior lung lobes to expand, deepening your ability to draw air into the full three-dimensional length of your torso.

Your spine’s fluidity matters

Your spine is the central pillar of your breath, its ability to bend, twist, and extend directly impacts how fully your lungs can inflate. When each vertebra moves freely, the rib attachments along the thoracic spine can glide and open, creating space for air to flow into both the front and back lung fields. A fluid spine also ensures the diaphragm has room to descend on the inhale and recoil on the exhale without restriction. Conversely, stiffness in the vertebrae or surrounding fascia compresses the chest cavity, forcing you into shallow breaths that starve your body of oxygen and disrupt core stability. Prioritizing spinal mobility, through gentle twists, extensions, and mindful movement, unlocks a dynamic breathing chamber, elevating everything from posture and performance to relaxation and resilience.

5. Holding the breath stretches the muscles

Pausing at the top of your inhale isn’t just a moment of stillness, it’s a powerful stretch for the entire breathing apparatus. When you hold the breath briefly, the diaphragm remains fully contracted and the intercostal muscles stay widened, creating sustained tension that gently elongates and opens the chest, ribs, and soft tissues. This intentional pause also stimulates the fascia around the lungs and spine, teaching the body to remain present in expanded space without collapsing. As you learn to find comfort in this stillness, you build endurance in both muscle and mind, laying the groundwork for deeper, more resilient breaths in every aspect of your life.

The power of the pause

The brief pause at the top of your inhale physically stretches and strengthens the diaphragm and intercostals, expanding your chest capacity with each breath. Mentally and emotionally, it cultivates calm focus, activating the parasympathetic system to dissolve anxiety and anchor you in presence. Spiritually, this deliberate stillness becomes a gateway to mindful awareness, uniting mind, body, and breath into a single moment of resilience and grace.

The peace we have during our pause matters

The peace you cultivate in that brief inhalation pause ripples through your entire system, when you allow the breath to rest, your nervous system interprets it as a signal of safety, inviting muscles to soften, the heartbeat to slow, and the mind to settle into clarity. This sanctified stillness replaces reactivity with presence, creating an internal oasis where every cell can recalibrate and rejuvenate.

For laboring parents, this moment of calm is nothing short of transformative. When you pause at the crest of your inhale and welcome peace, you give your body permission to release resistance in the pelvic floor and your baby’s descent happens with more grace. In the eye of a contraction’s storm, that shared stillness becomes a refuge, supporting both parent and child to move through birth with anchored presence and compassionate connection.

Tension begets tension, Relaxation begets relaxation

Tension begets tension

When you brace against a contraction, holding your breath, clenching your jaw, or tightening your core, you send an urgent “danger” signal through your nervous system that only amplifies the stress response. This spike in cortisol and adrenaline stiffens muscles from head to toe, compresses your ribcage, and inhibits diaphragmatic movement, making each subsequent breath shallower and more forced. In this cascade, tension feeds itself, the tighter you get, the less room your lungs have, the more your body panics, and the cycle spirals. Recognizing this self-reinforcing loop is the first step toward breaking free from its grip.

Relaxation begets relaxation

Conversely, when you choose to surrender, dropping your shoulders, releasing your jaw, and breathing into the belly, you activate the parasympathetic “rest and repair” system and lower stress hormones. This ease flows through the fascia, unwinding restrictive patterns in the ribcage and pelvic floor, and signals to your brain that you are safe and supported. With each gentle exhale, you reinforce a state of calm, making it easier to relax further on the next breath. In this virtuous cycle, a single moment of true relaxation becomes the catalyst for deeper ease, resilience, and harmony in both body and mind.

Finding the right practitioner for you

When you’re ready to deepen your practice, seek out a practitioner whose expertise aligns with your goals, whether that’s a yoga instructor to guide you through mindful backbends, a certified breath coach to personalize your respiratory techniques, a mindfulness teacher to help you cultivate present-moment awareness, or a dedicated stretch coach to unlock every corner of your fascia. Ideally, you’ll find someone who weaves all these modalities together, just like I do, to offer a truly integrated approach. Together, we’ll assess your needs, tailor stretches and breathwork to your body, and support your journey toward greater capacity, calm, and vitality.

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Read more from Remington Steele

Remington Steele, Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach & Philanthropist

Remington Steele is an Intuitive Breath Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Coach, and the visionary founder of Breathe With Rem and We Are The Village – Teen Moms. A philanthropist and author of Breathe With Me, Remington’s work is rooted in healing, empowerment, and generational transformation. As a former teen mother herself, she has turned her personal journey into a mission to guide others through intentional breathing, holistic wellness, and community-centered care.