Visualization and pranayama techniques have catapulted mime Hayward Coleman to the top of his profession. Of the four types of respiration, mimes use abdominal breathing to effect the stillness of a mannequin. He tells of one mime who describes abdominal breathing as circular breathing, in which he not only breathes subtly into the abdomen but also takes in small amounts of air and rebreathes the old air. Another type of respiration is chest breathing, which mimes use to express emotions emanating from the heart, such as a lover's sigh. The weakest, shallowest form of breathing is clavicular breathing, in which the shoulders move up and down.
Mimes use it to express laughing and crying.
The fourth type of respiration, complete breathing, combines the other three. Specifically, the poetic gesture is a lyrical arm movement done in conjunction with the breath. An example would be to inhale and raise the arm in front of the body, then exhale and lower it. This give the impression of wiping an imaginary screen. According to Coleman, anyone who uses the poetic gesture is using Marceau's style of mime.