Are You a Chest Breather? How This Hidden Habit Weakens Your Core

If you’ve ever wondered why your core feels weak — or why it’s so hard to reconnect with those deep foundational core muscles — your breathing might be the quiet culprit.

Most people never think about how they breathe. It’s automatic… until it’s not. Over time, many of us shift into a pattern called chest breathing, and this seemingly small change can have a surprisingly big impact on your core strength.

Let’s walk through why this happens, how to identify it, and what you can do to rebuild a healthier, more supportive breath pattern.

How Chest Breathing Sneaks In

We don’t consciously choose to become chest breathers. It just happens.

Stress, tension, sitting for long hours, pregnancy, aging, or simply never being taught how to breathe well can gradually shift the way we move air in and out of our bodies.

Babies breathe perfectly — if you’ve ever watched a sleeping child, their belly gently rises and falls. Their diaphragm is doing the job it was designed to do. But as adults, many of us lose this natural pattern and start breathing up into the chest instead of down into the belly.

And when that happens, the diaphragm isn’t doing its job… and your core can’t either.

A Quick Test: Are You a Chest Breather?

Try this simple self-check right now:

• Place one hand on your chest
  
  
• Place the other hand on your belly
  
  
• Breathe normally — don’t overthink it
  
  
• Notice which hand moves more
  
  

If the hand on your chest moves first or moves the most, you’re likely chest breathing.
If the belly hand rises more — great, that’s a diaphragmatic (belly) breath.

This isn’t about being “right” or “wrong.” It’s about awareness — and awareness is the first step to rebuilding your deep core foundation.

Why Chest Breathing Deactivates Your Core

Your diaphragm is one of the four key muscles of your deep core system. When it doesn’t move well, the entire foundation becomes harder to access.

Chest breathing:

• Limits diaphragm movement
  
  
• Creates tension in the upper body
  
  
• Increases stress signals
  
  
• Reduces core stability
  
  
• Makes reconnecting to deep abdominal muscles much harder
• Tightens the pelvic floor so it doesn’t work properly–anyone leak a little when you sneeze, cough, run or jump?
  
  

Even people who exercise regularly or practice yoga may unknowingly rely on chest breathing — especially when they’re stressed, thinking hard, or rushing through their day.

Restoring Your Core Starts With Restoring Your Breath

The good news?
You can retrain your breath — and when you do, your core will respond.

Here’s how to practice:

1. Inhale through your nose
   Allow your diaphragm to drop and your belly to gently “balloon” outward.
   
   
2. Exhale:  Blow out like you’re blowing through a straw.   Long, slow, forceful, or steady — whatever helps you release tension.  The straw actually helps lift & engage those lower core components (hello lower pooch!)
   
   
3. Stay curious, not critical
   Even trained experts chest breathe when stressed (yes…even we are experts in stress & chest breathing😂 ).
   
   

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about returning your breath to the automatic pattern your body was designed to use.

Why This Matters for Your Core Reconnection Journey

If you’re working on rebuilding strength, reconnecting with your deep core, or recovering after injury or pregnancy, breathing is step one. You can’t access your deepest support system if your diaphragm isn’t involved.

By restoring belly breathing, you:

• Lift the stress off your body
  
  
• Reduce upper-body tension
  
  
• Improve core activation (whether you’re sitting at work, driving the car, doing laundry or lifting like a boss)
  
  
• Create a more stable, steady foundation
  
  
• Make every movement — from workouts to daily tasks — more supported
  
  

Your breath is your first core muscle. Reconnect there, and the rest of your core will follow–automatically!  Watch this Quick Clip to discover more on chest breathing affecting your core.

Ready to get started on unlocking the power of your core? Get your Core Fix Here.

About Us: Jessica Midkiff and Tracy Hill are Doctors of Physical Therapy & Certified Master Neuro Coaches.  We blend body & brain science to get to the root of what hold you back, and bring you simple & sustainable solutions in your health so you can move, feel & live more BEST™.