Diaphragm question

Sometimes I get a tight cramp in my diaphragm when doing certain movements that involve rounding the torso.  For example it happens sometimes if I'm holding my knees tight to the torso while rolling on my spine or in the hollowman (?)  position or certain yoga positions.    I can resolve it by quick short breaths and trying to straighten my spine.

 

i would like to avoid getting this cramp.   It's just awful to experience.

 

 

Any suggestions?

 

 

I think that's just something that happens...  It should go away with time as you build up more strength.

usually shallow breathing is what causes these cramps. I have only experienced this running, when breathing becomes sporadic. And this happens when you are just pushing yourself beyond your conditioning level. As the previous poster said, should go away as you build more strength/conditioning... 

 

It it hurts stop.

I am wondering if it's a conditioning issue or a flexibilty issue.   When doing cat/cow  I can feel my sternum slide into my chest during the end point of cat and that's when I get the diaphragm cramp.

Ok, I just read a different thread where MattProulx said something about there being a difference between shortening the distance between the sternum and the pelvic bone  and simply sucking in the belly.     I think this is the issue I'm having.  

 

In yoga (as in CAT/COW type moves) my belly can hollow out something crazy which does end up giving me the cramp.  I'm going to play around with this....

Thanks ya'll!

Sucking in the belly on the exhale is ok. I am sure there are many benefits to this also. But by no means should you hold your stomach in while doing strength training. It limits the amount of air you can inhale because your organs are being pushed up, therefore your diaphragm cannot pull down to open the lungs to full capacity, thereby shortening your productivity.