Question

Why there is abdominothoracic respiration in males?

Answer 1

I do not think there is such a reason because when you learn martial arts or TaiChi which is part of it, the first thing that you are taught about is the respiration by using the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle underneath the last real rib and above the estomach. Pushing this muscle up and down causes your lungs to expand and contract. Singers are also taught to use this muscle to sing properly instead of the thoracic muscles which involves the ribs. The misunderstanding comes from the idea women breathe with their ribs. They use to when they wore those horrible corsets and they could not use the diaphragm because they were so tight, so you could see their chest coming up and down by respiration with thorax. Men uses this kind of respiration more than women, it comes natural to them. The truth is, that the correct way to breath is by diaphragm.