Kumbhaka Pranayama: Types, Steps, Benefits, and Precautions
- Sep 12, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 25
Breathwork to develop your internal and external breath retention capacity.
By PRANA EDITORS | Updated: April 24, 2025
In everyday life, the breath moves continuously in a cycle of inhalation and exhalation. Breath retention, on the other hand, is rare. It usually happens involuntarily during moments of physical exertion, intense focus, or strong emotional responses like shock, fear, or surprise. As a result, most people have little experience with consciously holding the breath and can sustain it only for a few seconds.
Yet breath retention is a core component of yogic practices—not only in pranayama, but also in mudras, meditations, and bandhas. In fact, classical texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika use the word kumbhaka as a synonym for pranayama. Even Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, states that “Pranayama is kumbhaka.” All of this quietly reminds us of the essential role that breath retention plays in spiritual development.
However, breath retention is a skill, and when attempted without proper preparation, it can strain both the body and mind. That’s why yogis approach it gradually, with progressive training. In the sections that follow, we’ll guide through how to do this safely—step by step, and breath by breath.
What is Kumbhaka Pranayama?
The term Kumbhaka comes from the Sanskrit word kumbha, meaning “pot.” In yoga, the pot represents the belly, which naturally expands with inhalation and contracts with exhalation.
When you hold your breath after inhaling, the pot is considered full. In yoga, this is known as antara kumbhaka, or internal breath retention.
Likewise, when you hold your breath after exhaling, the pot is said to be empty. This is called bahya kumbhaka, or external breath retention.
In yoga philosophy, these two phases of the breath represent fullness and emptiness, containment and release, retaining life force within and resting in stillness without it.
While kumbhaka literally means “breath retention,” the term Kumbhaka Pranayama refers to a set of breathing techniques designed to safely and gradually develop this capacity. In essence, these practices train you to hold the breath after inhalation, after exhalation, or both.
When should you practice Kumbhaka Pranayama?
It’s not advisable to dive straight into kumbhaka if you’re new to yoga or breathwork.
Breath retention is one of the most subtle and delicate skills in yoga, so it needs to be approached with care. Without proper training, it can create tension in the mind and body, disrupt your natural breathing rhythm, or even cause unnecessary strain on the nervous system.
That’s why it’s important to build a strong foundation first, so that when you do begin practicing kumbhaka, it feels steady, safe, and natural. Here is a safe progression to approach it:
Master Deep Inhalation (Puraka Pranayama): Begin with slow, deep inhalations. Work towards making inhalation twice as long as exhalation (a 2:1 ratio).
Master Deep Exhalation (Rechaka Pranayama): Next, shift your focus to slow, deep exhalations. Work towards making exhalation twice as long as the inhalation (1:2).
Establish Equal Breathing: Once you are comfortable with the above, practice breathing in and out evenly. Work toward a steady 10-count inhale and exhale (10:10).
Learn Antara Kumbhaka (Internal Retention): After mastering even breathing, start practicing internal breath retention. Start by holding the breath for just one second or two seconds and gradually build up to a comfortable 10-second retention.
Add Bahya Kumbhaka (External Retention): After you can retain the breath internally for 10 seconds should, you can start practicing retention after exhalation (Bahya Kumbhaka). But it’s advisable to approach this stage slowly and mindfully.
Sama Vritti (Box Breathing): Lastly, practice Square or Box Breathing, where you inhale, hold, exhale, and hold for equal lengths (a1:1:1:1 ratio).
As you can see, each step in this progression prepares you for the next, but more importantly, it allows your respiratory and nervous system to strengthen and adapt at a healthy pace. It starts with the simpler parts of the breath cycle (inhale-exhale) and gradually evolves into more complex breathing patterns.
Best Posture for Kumbhaka Pranayama
Kumbhaka should only be practiced in a seated, meditation posture, such as Sukhasana (Easy Pose), Siddhasana (Adept Pose), or Padmasana (Lotus Pose). If you have lower back pain, you can sit in kneeling poses like Virasana (Hero Pose) or use a meditation bench.
Kumbhaka can also be practiced lying down in Savasana (Corpse Pose), but if you do so, it’s important to modify the reclining posture by placing a lean pranayama bolster or firm pillows pr cushions under the back and head to elevate the upper body and open the shoulders and chest (see image).
How to Practice Antara Kumbhaka Pranayama
As mentioned earlier, there are two types of Kumbhaka Pranayama: internal (Antara) and external (Bahya). We’ll start with the steps to practice Antara Kumbhaka first:
Posture: Sit in Sukhasana, with the spine tall and shoulders relaxed.
Inhale: Breathe in slowly to a mental count of 8.
Retain: After inhaling, lower your chin towards the chest as much as you can, without strain. Hold the breath for 4 counts (half the length of your inhale). Maintain a firm grip on the diaphragm and intercostal muscles (the small muscles between your ribs).
Exhale: Exhale slowly to a count of 8.
Rest: Take three to four normal breaths before starting the next round.
Repeat: Continue alternating between practice and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Conclude: After your final round, rest in Savasana until breathing normalizes.
When you start your pranayama training, the duration of the in-breath and out-breath should be equal (Sama Vritti), and the period of breath retention should be 1/2 . For example, if you inhale for eight counts, retain the breath for four counts, and exhale for eight counts (a 8:4:8 rhythm).
After every round, take three to four normal breaths before attempting breath retention again. As you progress, reduce the resting breaths between rounds from three to two to one and zero. This is what your progressive practice should look like:
8:4:8 ratio with 3 normal breaths between rounds
8:4:8 ratio with 2 normal breaths between rounds
8:4:8 ratio with 1 normal breaths between rounds
Once you can maintain an 8:4:8 ratio on successive breaths for five minutes, you can progress to increasing the duration of breath retention from 4 to 5, implying an 8:5:8 ratio. Follow the same process as before–start with three normal breaths between rounds, then 2, then 1, and 0.
When you can maintain the 8:5:8 ratio, increase the duration of breath retention to 6 (8:6:8 ratio). Keep progressing in this manner until you reach 8:8:8, meaning you are able to breathe continuously for five minutes using eight counts for inhalation, internal breath retention, and exhalation.
From this point onwards you can continue with 9:9:9, 10:10:10, and beyond. This stage-wise progression may feel slow and repetitive, but it is the safest way build a steady increase in breath retention capacity without straining the lungs and nervous system.
How to Practice Bahya Kumbhaka Pranayama
Enhancing your external capacity is similar to Antara Kumbhaka Pranayama, except now you hold your breath post-exhalation instead of post-inhalation. You practice it using the steps mentioned in the pervious section, but you'll be holding your breath after exhalation instead of after inhalation.
Here are the steps:
Posture: Assume Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
Inhale: Inhale for 8 counts
Internal Retention: Hold your breath for 2 or 4 counts.
Exhale: Exhale for 8 counts.
External Retention: Hold your breath for 2 or 4 counts.
Rest: Take three (or four) normal breaths.
Repeat: Attempt one more cycle with breath retention.
Duration: Continue alternating between practice and rest for 5 minutes.
Conclude: Rest in Corpse Pose and breathe naturally.
As you may have noticed, we are now working with all four parts of the breath cycle. Inhalation, internal retention, and exhalation are of equal duration. Based on your capacity, external retention can be 1/2 or 1/4th the duration inhalation and exhalation, and the rest period can be three or four normal breaths.
The practice progression is the same as described in the previous exercise, meaning you first reduce the rest period between rounds to zero, followed by increasing the duration of breath retention by one count, i.e., from 8:4:8 to 8:5:8. Keep at it until you can breathe with an 8:8:8:8 (Box Breathing) count for 5 to 10 minutes without any strain or discomfort. Once this is achieved, you can safely incorporate kumbhaka pranayama into yoga breathing techniques like Surya Bhedana and Nadi Shodhana.
Editor’s note: Remember, these counts are for reference only. You can adjust the number and pace of counting to suit your comfort level, but it’s crucial to maintain the ratio. |
Kumbhaka Pranayama Benefits
Some of the key benefits of practicing Kumbhaka Pranayama include:
Increases Lung Capacity: Kumbhaka gradually strengthens the lungs, improves breath-holding ability, and enhances overall respiratory efficiency.
Builds Breath Awareness: By focusing on the pauses between breaths, kumbhaka deepens awareness of the breath—an essential skill for pranayama and meditation.
Strengthens the Respiratory Muscles: Regular practice tones the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles, leading to smoother, steadier breathing even outside of practice.
Calms the Nerves: Slow and conscious breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to reduce stress, lower anxiety levels, and promote a sense of calm.
Improves Mental Focus: Regularly practicing kumbhaka sharpens concentration, increases mental stamina, and builds greater emotional resilience over time.
Deepens Meditation: Kumbhaka slows down the breath and quiets the mind, making it easier to enter deeper meditative states and experience greater inner absorption.
Supports Energy Flow: In yogic terms, breath retention clears energetic blockages and prepares the body for advanced practices like bandhas and Kundalini awakening.
These physical and mental benefits of kumbhaka only scratch the surface of its true purpose in yoga. Kumbhaka isn’t just about holding the breath—it’s about pausing the fluctuations of the mind and experiencing the deeper stillness that underlies all conscious experience.
However, these deeper spiritual ideas deserves their own thoughtful exploration. In a future editorial or Substack article, we might deep-dive into the symbolic and energetic significance of kumbhaka—and why it has long been revered across yogic texts and Eastern spiritual traditions.
Safety and Precautions
While kumbhaka pranayama has many benefits, it is not for everyone, especially those with underlying medical conditions. According to yoga sources, breath retention is contraindicated in the following:
Nasal congestion, sinus issues, and ENT infections
Lung disease and respiratory conditions
Cardiovascular conditions and blood pressure issues
Nervous system disorders
Clinical anxiety and panic disorders
Migraines, Epilepsy, and Vertigo
Pregnancy
These are the widely recognized precautions, but other contraindications may apply. If you have any medical conditions or health concerns, consult a physician, certified yoga instructor, or respiratory therapist to check if both versions of Kumbhaka Pranayama are safe and appropriate for you.
Final Thoughts + What to Read Next
This practice guide marks the end of the first section of our Learning Pranayama Series, which included started with Belly Breathing and covered the different parts of the breath cycle. In the next section, we’ll explore beginner-friendly pranayamas, such as Ujjayi Breathing.
If you’ve found our content helpful, consider supporting our work by sharing it with your community or making a one-time or monthly donation. You can also join our newsletter to receive updates, practice tips, and breathing exercises—delivered straight to your inbox.
Before you go, here are some articles that may interest you:
How to Practice Diaphragmatic or Belly Breathing (First in the Series)
Anuloma Pranayama: Prolonged Exhalation (Previous in the Series)
Best Acupressure Mats on the Market (Self-Care tools)
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