So I just got tagged in a post about Japanese actor Miki Ryosuke's Long Breath Diet. Here are some of my thoughts.


What is it?The article claims that this actor's breathing exercise helped him to lose belly fat, and that all you need is just 2 min a day of it.
I'll break this down section by section based on the article's format.
"How It Works"
Your body has 2 main fuel sources.
Physiologically, it's about efficiency. The body can use Fat best when there is abundant Oxygen. Without it, like when you're running hard and gasping for air (lack of Oxygen), the body burns Glucose instead as it breaks down with less effort and less Oxygen.
"What You Should Do"
Think about this as if you were moving your arm in the pool. If you were to swing your arm to the front and stop, you would find your self pushing back in the opposite direction just a little because of the flow of the water from the initial push. Having active muscle control is like doing that with your arm but out of water.
Back to the exercise at hand, in the pointers, you're also pushing using your legs and tensing your butt. In essence, even by just holding this position, you are using large portions of your body's muscles. This will inadvertently burn more calories and use more fuel (Fat in this case) than you sitting in your chair just taking deep breaths.
Which brings me to my next point. 2 min? If you're a couch potato doing 0 min of PA, then sure, 2 min a day is an improvement. My point here is, what is your starting point? In general, no PA is bad. A little PA is better than none. Any subsequent increment is better than a little PA. This applies till you meet the necessary guidelines for maintenance of fitness, which is 150 min a week of moderate to vigorous PA.
In summary, the claims of this article are grossly overstated and key factors like performing the exercise properly are neglected. However, including this in your routine will likely contribute to the strengthening of your muscles and in turn aid in burning fat.



Breathing exercises like this one where you are forced to breathe in and out can benefit conditions like back pain as they actively work the muscles in your trunk. These muscles don't just help you breathe, but also play accessory roles in maintaining your posture.

Now about the whole "more oxygen you use the more fat you burn" statement. Concept wise, it's not wrong, but not totally right. Here's a little more details. 

1. Glucose, which is meant for higher intensity and faster burn, e.g. running
2. Fat, which meant for lower intensity and slower burn, e.g. walking.

By performing this exercise, you are largely using Fat as opposed to Glucose. Most types of low intensity physical activity (PA) e.g. very slow push ups, walking or housework will have similar effects.

Now pay attention to the person in the video as you read the pointers below. Notice that his entire upper body is tensed up. He has active muscle control of his upper body as he moves and breathes.