Bodyflex: breathing exercises for weight loss with Marina Korpan, 5 best video lessons

Bodyflex is a breathing exercise that will make your waist slim without dieting or sports. Choose one of three programs and lose excess weight in just 15 minutes a day!

Author: Kristina Lobanovskaya, doctor, practicing nutritionist Article updated: 11/10/2020

Bodyflex gymnastics for weight loss is a popular technique that relieves a person who wants to lose weight from the need to exhaust himself with long-term workouts and diets. Many women and men of different ages have chosen body flex for several reasons. Firstly, classes do not require a lot of time and special conditions. Secondly, they require virtually no special training. Thirdly, regular exercise guarantees not only effective shedding of extra pounds, but also comprehensive health improvement.

Bodyflex breathing system: lose weight in 15 minutes a day

Bodyflex (in English body – “body”, flex – “pull up”, bodyflex – “flexible body”) is a breathing technique for losing weight. The essence of body flex is a combination of a set of exercises (related to stretching of “problem” muscle groups) with diaphragmatic relaxation breathing. It is due to the intense flow of oxygen to the tissues that the process of burning fat deposits is activated. Proper breathing and regular exercise, the recommended duration of which is only 15-20 minutes a day, is the key to a good result.

Bodyflex with Marina Korpan

Marina Korpan is a famous fitness instructor, author of the books “Bodyflex. Breathe and lose weight" and "Oxysize". Lose weight without holding your breath.” She improved the Bodyflex method for weight loss, adding dynamic exercises to it, including those with sports equipment (balls, bands, etc.). In addition, Marina Korpan involved specialists in the field of cardiology, physiology, dietetics, etc. in the research, thanks to whom a system of classes more adapted to various physiological characteristics was developed.

Features of the Marina Korpan system:

• combination of Bodyflex and pranayama;
• Marina Korpan recommends avoiding diets and not changing your diet. However, you need to change your eating habits. For example, stop eating in a hurry and on the go. You need to eat slowly and exactly as much as necessary to satisfy your hunger;
• the author advises eating everything, but with a teaspoon;
• other types of physical activity are undesirable;
• increasing and frequently changing loads is not recommended;
• Missing no more than three days of classes is allowed.

With Greer Childers

Bodyflex gymnastics was developed in 1985 in the USA. Its author, a housewife and mother of three children, Greer Childers, managed to lose five sizes of weight (from 52 to 42) in three months with the help of breathing exercises. The woman not only proved the effectiveness of gymnastics by her own example, but also substantiated its action from a scientific point of view, having studied a lot of research and enlisted the comments of doctors.

The Bodyflex technique has gained popularity thanks to television shows and videos with exercises that Chaiders herself demonstrates, as well as the book “Great Figure in 15 Minutes a Day,” which she authored. Today there are many followers and trainers of the body flex system around the world.

Basic Bodyflex breathing involves five stages

1. Exhale smoothly through the mouth while simultaneously drawing in the abdomen closer to the spine.
2. A sharp inhale through the nose until it stops. At the same time, the lips are closed and the stomach is inflated.
3. Exhale with a deep pronunciation of “Groin” (as if you are trying to exhale all the air and create a vacuum inside the body). The stomach again “sticks” to the spine.
4. Hold your breath for 8-10 seconds while simultaneously drawing in your abdomen as much as possible.
5. Normal breath.

Breathing exercises activate metabolism, improve blood circulation, promote rapid absorption of nutrients, remove toxins, strengthen the immune system, and even help you quit smoking. During classes, intense muscle training occurs, helping to smooth the skin and eliminate cellulite. In addition, body flex develops diaphragmatic breathing.

Benefits of diaphragmatic breathing:

• intensive enrichment of blood with oxygen, as a result of which fat is broken down;
• improving the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems;
• decreased fatigue, tendency to depression, increased resistance to stress;
• massage effect for the lungs and abdominal organs;
• improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• strengthening the abdominal muscles.

The Bodyflex breathing system for weight loss produces an aerobic effect, the effectiveness of which is superior to complex strength loads and running. Breathing exercises allow you to eradicate such a bad habit as smoking.

Recommendations

1. Required condition: exercise on an empty stomach (no earlier than three hours after your last meal). You are allowed to drink 200 ml of water or unsweetened tea.
2. After training, you can eat no earlier than half an hour later.
3. Ventilate the room before training.
4. Exercise in comfortable, preferably sportswear, that will not interfere with stretching.
5. There should be a watch next to you (optionally, on your phone) to control the duration of the workout.
6. Once a week, measure your waist, hips and legs.
7. You don’t have to go on a strict diet, but to lose weight using the Bodyflex breathing system, it is still recommended to switch to proper nutrition. Try to eat small meals (4-6 times a day), exclude fast food from your diet, minimize the amount of flour, fatty and sweet foods, drink 2 liters of clean water without gas daily.
8. To lose weight, exercises must be performed daily until you achieve the desired shape. To maintain weight, you should exercise 2-3 times a week.
9. You should not increase the duration of exercise, otherwise it may have a negative impact on your body.

Categories of Bodyflex exercises

The Bodyflex breathing system involves performing three types of exercises.

1. Isotonic: aimed at working individual muscle groups and increasing the elasticity of tendons.
2. Isometric: aimed at increasing muscle strength.
3. Stretching: aimed at increasing muscle elasticity, making the body plastic and flexible. Requires preliminary warm-up.

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Useful tips

It is important to note that the trainer is categorically against strict diets. The main rule of losing weight with Marina Korpan is regularity of exercise. Only with systematic exercise is it possible to tone muscles and speed up metabolism. It doesn’t matter at all how intense the classes are, only regularity and technique matter.

Training should be done in the morning before breakfast. If you can’t do this after waking up, then the minimum time for exercise is 2-3 hours after eating. This starts the process of energy consumption and speeds up metabolism.

During classes, you should not starve or strictly limit yourself in food. Thanks to exercise, the body expends a large amount of energy and calories. To avoid loss of strength, it is necessary to replenish them. It is best to reduce the amount of high-calorie foods such as sweets and baked goods.

Expert opinion

Yulia Mikhailova

Nutrition expert

Mastering the principles of aerobic respiration takes time. Therefore, you should not be upset if nothing worked the first time. Daily practice will help you hone your skills. Only after mastering aerobic breathing can you begin training with the bodyflex complex.

With Larisa Agapova

Larisa Agapova is the author of the universal complex methodology Bodyflex Plus, the basis of which is the classic Bodyflex. The difference between Agapova’s technique is that it is adapted for people with different physiological characteristics and health conditions. The methodology includes several courses: “Course for men”, “Office gymnastics”, “Basic course”, “Advanced course”. Agapova disputes the fact that Bodyflex was developed by the American Greer Childers, arguing that the technique was actively used in the USSR long before Childers’ discovery.

Exercises

Preparatory pose

All exercises begin with this pose. She resembles a person who is about to sit down on a chair. In this case, the back should be straight.

Spread your legs 30 cm apart, bend your knees. Tilt your body forward. Place your hands on your legs (above your knees). Look ahead.

After you have pulled in your stomach and held your breath, perform one or another exercise from the complex. Squeeze your muscles until you tremble, without relaxing your stomach. While performing each exercise while holding your breath, count to ten.

For face, neck

a lion

It will help get rid of a double chin and make your cheeks smaller. From the preparatory pose, after holding your breath, raise your head. Then stick out your tongue to its maximum length, opening your eyes wide.

Ugly grimace

Effective for tightening neck muscles. Raise your head up, looking at the ceiling. Push your lower jaw forward, trying to form the letter “o” with your lips.

Ugly grimace while standing

Similar to the previous exercise, only move your arms back parallel to the floor, lifting them up as much as possible. The back should be straight.

Repeat each exercise 5 times.

For chest, waist, abdomen, hips, buttocks, legs

Diamond

It will help tighten the inner arms and round the biceps.

Clasp your hands in front of you. Keep your elbows straight, parallel to the floor. Inhale and exhale. Then, keeping your elbows straight, begin to press your fingers against each other.

Pulling the leg back

Kneel down, resting on your elbows and palms of your hands. Extend one leg, resting your toe on the floor. Inhale and exhale. As you pull in your stomach, lift your leg high. Squeeze your buttocks at the same time.

Side stretch

Place your left elbow on your left knee. With your right foot, stretch your toe to the right, and with your right hand, to the left. At the same time, do not lift your right foot off the floor, and do not bend your right arm at the elbow, hold it above your head. Do everything while holding your breath.

Abdominal Press

Lie on your back, bend your knees, spread your legs to the sides. Raise your hands up, don't raise your head. As you inhale and exhale, pull your arms up. The shoulders and shoulder blades should be lifted off the floor.

Scissors

Trains the lower abdominals.

While lying down, extend your legs straight. Place your hands under your buttocks. Inhale and exhale. Then lift your legs off the floor about 10 cm, quickly making horizontal crosses with your legs.

Seiko ("Doe" in Japanese)

Tightens the thighs and helps get rid of orange peel.

Get on all fours. Place your left leg to the side at a right angle to your body. Inhale and exhale. When pulling your stomach in, lift your leg up and pull it forward towards your head. The position of the toe does not matter, the main thing is to raise the leg as high as possible without bending it at the knee.

Boat

Tightens the inner thighs.

Sit with your legs spread out to the sides. Pull your socks towards you. Place your hands behind your back and lean on them. After inhaling and exhaling, bend your body towards the floor, “walk” forward with your hands, stretching your thigh muscles. Don't bend your knees.

Pretzel

Tightens the outer thighs, reduces waist size, and relieves tension in the lower back.

Sitting on the floor, bend your knees. The left leg should be higher than the right. Hold your left knee with your right hand and your back with your left hand. Inhale and exhale. Then pull your leg towards your chest and at the same time turn your body in the opposite direction.

Hamstring stretch

Tightens the back of the thighs.

While lying down, raise your legs perpendicular to your body. Point your toes down. With your hands, grab the front of your calves. Inhale and exhale, then slowly pull your legs towards your chest.

Cat

Affects the entire abdominal and thigh area.

Get on all fours. The back should be straight. Look straight ahead. Inhale and exhale, then lower your head and arch your back at the same time.

These exercises should be performed 3 times.

Breathing technique

The special practice of diaphragmatic breathing is the basis of bodyflex, without which the weight loss effect cannot be achieved. Diaphragmatic breathing is breathing from the belly. When you inhale and exhale, it is not the chest that moves, but the stomach. Start with a simple test that will show you the necessary breathing technique. Lie on your back with a book on your stomach. If you breathe as usual, the book will remain motionless. But you need to try to inhale and exhale so that the book moves. Now you can begin to master Greer's five-step breathing technique.

The test exercise while lying down can be replaced with belly breathing in a standing position.

Each bodyflex exercise will include five stages of breathing. Start with volleyball pose:

• feet - 40 cm wide and turned forward, knees slightly bent;
• the shoulders are relaxed, the body is slightly tilted forward;
• hands rest on the thighs of the legs.

The main pose for breathing in bodyflex is the “volleyball pose”

Five stages of breathing:

1. Remove the air from your lungs. To do this, exhale slowly through your mouth, pursing your lips as if pronouncing the sound “o”.
2. Inhale from your belly. In the bodyflex system, this is done through the nose, with the mouth closed. Try to inhale as deeply as possible to fill your lungs.
3. Exhale sharply. The lips pronounce “groin”, air is quickly released through the mouth.
4. Hold your breath. Lower your head and pull your stomach in as much as possible. Count to yourself from one to eight. At number “8”, proceed to the next step.
5. Restore your breathing. Get into the starting position, relax your shoulder and abdominal muscles, and inhale calmly through your nose.

After a short pause, repeat the five-step breathing cycle again.

Video: Marina Korpan explains how to breathe with the diaphragm in bodyflex

I can attest that diaphragmatic breathing is a great thing. And you will notice the weight loss effect. I’ve been running for three years, and now I’m preparing for a half marathon. When I started running, there was a problem: I couldn’t increase the pace, I immediately became out of breath. But I came across advice from an experienced marathon runner. He wrote on his blog that as soon as he doesn’t have enough breath or wants to run faster, he switches to belly breathing. I tried to breathe with my stomach and on the same day I set a personal record - my morning run increased from 5 to 7 kilometers. The plateau effect has been overcome. Then I stopped being afraid of long runs. But the main surprise awaited me after a couple of weeks of this “diaphragmatic running”. I completely got rid of extra centimeters in the lower part of my figure. The most problematic areas - thighs, buttocks, stomach - stopped worrying me. I highly recommend breathing with your stomach sometimes during fitness, running, walking. This gives an additional weight loss effect.

For pregnant

Classic Bodyflex, based on breathing exercises, is strictly prohibited for pregnant women. Both Greer Childers and Marina Korpan emphasize this. The fact is that they require too much tension on the abdominal wall and can cause serious harm to the baby and the expectant mother. However, women during pregnancy can practice using the Oxysize method, which does not involve holding your breath. In addition, pregnant women can perform light stretching exercises without putting stress on the pelvis.

Rules for a good result

The following recommendations will help you achieve the desired result:

1. Systematic exercise is required.
2. Loads should be regular.
3. The right choice of exercises.
4. All muscle groups are involved.

Bodyflex does not become boring; you can do it all the time. This technique will always allow you to stay slim.

To achieve the desired result, systematic exercise is necessary.

Advice! The original technique rationally combines beneficial breathing exercises and stretching.

Oxysize or bodyflex?

Remember that the effectiveness of both methods depends on the individual characteristics of the body, regularity of exercise and lifestyle. When choosing a system, be guided, in addition to indications and contraindications, by personal preferences. After all, the emotions you experience during classes also affect the result.

1. The specifics of the Bodyflex system provide for many contraindications due to the technique of holding the breath (which is, moreover, noisy - sharp inhalations and exhalations). Oxysize is a universal silent breathing exercise.
2. The main rule of both systems is systematic training.
3. Oxysize is more suitable for women who want to get rid of belly fat. Body flex works better for thigh fat.
4. Oxysize (provided you avoid overexertion and holding your breath) has no contraindications.
5. The principle of Bodyflex gymnastics is holding your breath and performing the exercise “while inhaling.” The Oxysize principle involves performing an exercise and then breathing correctly.
6. Oxysize can be practiced without time limits. Bodyflex provides a strict limit: the duration of one lesson should be no more than 25 minutes, but not less than 15 minutes.
7. The body flex rule is to exercise on an empty stomach. Oxysize allows for training at any time.
8. In terms of weight loss, Bodyflex and Oxysize are ineffective for people with good physical fitness, whose muscles are accustomed to regular physical activity.
9. Taking antidepressants and contraceptives can reduce the effect of exercising on the Bodyflex system.

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How to organize classes for a beginner

In order to properly organize bodyflex classes, you do not need to purchase special equipment. However, according to reviews from those losing weight, it is better to buy a gymnastics mat, which helps to avoid slipping when exercises are performed on the floor. A beginner will only need desire and a little time to master the lessons. People who have achieved results recommend following the following rules:

1. Choose comfortable clothes for training. It should not constrain the body or restrict movement; you should not choose clothes that are too warm - even though the exercises are static, a person sweats a lot while doing them.
2. If daily workouts are performed via video, then arrange a suitable place in front of the TV or computer.
3. Choose a complex that will help reduce body volume in problem areas. During your first lessons, you need to focus on basic exercises.
4. Get a timer that will signal the start and end of lessons.

Contraindications

Before starting exercise, be sure to consult with your physician.

• Pregnancy.
• Heart failure, arrhythmia, hypertension, frequent fluctuations in blood pressure.
• Postoperative period.
• Severe forms of myopia, retinal detachment.
• Chronic diseases in the acute stage.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Intracranial pressure.
• Various hernias.
• Enlarged thyroid gland and other endocrine disorders.
• Tumors of any kind, including benign ones.

Even if you are absolutely healthy and have no contraindications to exercise, be prepared for slight dizziness during your first workouts. This occurs due to the abundance of oxygen entering the body, to which the body adapts gradually.

If during training you feel severe dizziness, headache or nosebleeds, stop training immediately and consult a doctor.