If diaphragmatic breathing is best, why can I barely get any air without using..

[juntjoo]

... my ribs while properly sitting with back straight? If I allow my rib cage to rise I get more air which feels better. My abdomen is pretty tight so inhaling just there doesn't get me much. Is air volume less relevant than I think?

And if you're supposed to contract your abdomen til the end of exhalation, how do you let it release while inhaling without suddenly dropping out or jerkily incrementally? The beginning of inhaling for me is a struggle to keep it smooth at my abdomen?

[stillpointdancer]

... my ribs while properly sitting with back straight? If I allow my rib cage to rise I get more air which feels better. My abdomen is pretty tight so inhaling just there doesn't get me much. Is air volume less relevant than I think?

And if you're supposed to contract your abdomen til the end of exhalation, how do you let it release while inhaling without suddenly dropping out or jerkily incrementally? The beginning of inhaling for me is a struggle to keep it smooth at my abdomen?

On the whole, it's best to develop a relaxed way of breathing for meditation, rather than any 'best' way. I tried for months to do it the diaphragmatic way, which is how you breath when asleep, but could never master it enough to use in meditation. 'Best' should be whichever way helps in meditation, so I do a few deep breaths at the start, and then just relax into the meditation, and let breathing get on by itself, unless doing a mindfulness of breathing meditation.

[juntjoo]

... my ribs while properly sitting with back straight? If I allow my rib cage to rise I get more air which feels better. My abdomen is pretty tight so inhaling just there doesn't get me much. Is air volume less relevant than I think?

And if you're supposed to contract your abdomen til the end of exhalation, how do you let it release while inhaling without suddenly dropping out or jerkily incrementally? The beginning of inhaling for me is a struggle to keep it smooth at my abdomen?

On the whole, it's best to develop a relaxed way of breathing for meditation, rather than any 'best' way. I tried for months to do it the diaphragmatic way, which is how you breath when asleep, but could never master it enough to use in meditation. 'Best' should be whichever way helps in meditation, so I do a few deep breaths at the start, and then just relax into the meditation, and let breathing get on by itself, unless doing a mindfulness of breathing meditation.

Thank you