Weekend Wisdom

BreathingIs It Really That Important?

This weeks Weekend Wisdom is covering breathing. Yes! Breathing! You re probably thinking I dont need to read this! I already know how to breaththis will just be a waste of my time, Im breathing right now. Yes, I know youre breathing, about 25,000 breaths a day! But are you really breathing? My clients are always hearing me preach about their breathing while we train! Go ahead and take a second away from reading this article and place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Now just breathe how you normally do throughout the day. If the hand on your belly isnt moving and the one on your chest is, it means youre not utilizing the full capacity of your lungs; Not allowing every little cell in your body a chance to get the oxygen they truly need! Theres an article written by L. Frank Baum and he quotes his grandfather. His grandfather called him over and asked him to count the number of times he had breathed in one minute. After he did so, his grandfather said Son, we are born with our quota of breathes. The slower you breathe, the longer you live! Without getting to scientific, the next section is going to put some substance on what his grandfather told him. Shallow breathing (hand on your chest moves first) causes our blood quality to be more acidic, meaning it is providing a better environment for the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to operate. Everybodys heard of the fight or flight reflex. In short, the SNS is partly responsible for that reflex and therefore emits adrenaline. Adrenaline plays a role in anxiety attacks and feeling angry. These two feelings have the effect of tensing our muscles. Although the fight or flight reflex is a natural mechanism our body has to keep us safe in times of need, it isnt meant to be a constant condition that we induce by shallow breathing. When we are belly breathing (hand on your belly moves first), we are activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). Blood is more alkaline and therefore more neutral. Side note: The SNS utilizes sodium so nerve impulses can travel quicker, allowing impulses to jump the synapses (gaps between nerve endings). The PNS utilizes potassium Have you ever wondered why doctors taking care of patients with heart conditions prescribe a low sodium diet and want an increase in potassium? So what does all that mean? If you notice youre breathing is shallow and your chest is the only part moving while you inhale, then youre causing a lot more stress on your body than if you were to be belly breathing. A meta-analysis in 2005 reported that deep-breathing techniques were extremely effective in handling depression, anxiety, and stress-related conditions. How Does This Translate to Exercise or Performance? First lets look at what proper breathing can do for us: Reduce fatigue More stamina Faster recovery Improved mental clarity Relaxed alertness Increased productivity Less aches & pains Conserved strength for important moments

Looking at all these benefits from breathing properly, you can easily see breathing can not only help your day-to-day function and quality of life, but can also help an athlete take his/her game to the next level!

Weekend Wisdom
Breathing Techniques Without listing a page full of breathing exercises, the simplest way to work on proper breathing is simply by breathing properly: 1. Lye on the floor with feet on the wall (knees bent at a 90). 2. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. 3. Relax your body! 4. Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds (7 if you can make it that long), making the hand on your belly rise first. 5. Pause for 1-2 seconds. 6. Exhale through your nose for 5-7 seconds. 7. REPEAT for a minimum of 10 times. Once you master the technique while lying with your feet up, progress to sitting, standing, and then eventually walking, etc. To end this article, think back to the quote used from a previous article, Son, we are born with our quota of breathes. The slower you breathe, the longer you live!

Shawn Johnson | MS CSCS FMS Owner | Head Trainer

BRINGING OUT THE ELITE IN YOU.