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Other/Mixed Breathing: Schools of Thought and Practice, Philosophies, and Science

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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Jess Burchill

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I moved this from another forum to separate out the discussion of breath-related things.

Steve Freides
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I performed week 1, days 3 & 4 on the same day this week, due to taking part in an athletic event this week. Something interesting happened as the session progressed. The session consisted of:

  • 3x5 Dbl 24k Front Squats
  • 5x1/1 24k Bent Press
  • Day 3: 10x5 One-hand swings
  • Deep Breathing Exercises for 3 minutes
  • 3x5 24k Dbl MP
  • Day 4: 20x5 One-hand swings
  • 3x1/1 KB Armbars with 35lb KB
Day 3
  • HR
    • set 3 143bpm
    • set 6 144bpm
    • set 10 142bpm
  • RPE - 2-3
  • Notes: Felt fine. I switched how I was gripping the two bells and really concentrated on tension at the top. Also, gripping the handles harder felt like it improved the movement.
  • Recovery: fast and loose, jogging in place
After the Day 3 sets, I did some deep breathing exercises, followed by a few sets of presses, rested a couple minutes, and then performed Day 4.

Day 4
  • HR
    • set 7 - 76bpm
    • set 13 - 81bpm
    • set 20 - 102bpm
  • RPE - 3
  • Notes: Felt good. Grip started getting a little taxed, but held up fine.
For recovery, I moved less and breathed slower. Fast and loose was used for hands and forearms for 10 seconds or so for each set, but other than that, the movement was minimal and relaxation thru breathing was the focus.

The differences in HR between the two blocks of swings seems quite significant. Not sure how that worked out the way it did. I suppose I felt more in the groove by the second block, although the RPE was about the same.

The breathing exercises I performed after the first block may have contributed to the lower HR. They consisted of 5 slow, deep, circular breaths (use same amount of time inhaling as exhaling), followed by 30 quick "wolf breaths", which consist of short, rapid breathing off the top of your filled lungs by rapidly contracting and relaxing the diaphragm. At the end of the 30th breath, you exhale completely and hold it, scanning your body. When you feel the need to inhale, inhale and hold, while continuing to scan. At the end, you can start the cycle over or return to breathing normally.

I have been experimenting with this technique for a few months and have found it to be a very efficient way for getting centered, focused, and energized.
 
@Jess Burchill front squats and breath control, no doubt.

5 slow, deep, circular breaths (use same amount of time inhaling as exhaling), followed by 30 quick "wolf breaths", which consist of short, rapid breathing off the top of your filled lungs by rapidly contracting and relaxing the diaphragm. At the end of the 30th breath, you exhale completely and hold it, scanning your body. When you feel the need to inhale, inhale and hold, while continuing to scan. At the end, you can start the cycle over or return to breathing normally.

Do you know the physiology behind this method? Why 30? What are you scanning your body for? This is a breathing method to be used while at relative rest, yes? In other words, you should not try to use this particular method directly after, say, a snatch test?

Thanks.
 
Al, just chiming in here. It's possible, once you get practiced, so lower your heart rate, even relatively soon after exercise. As previously mentioned, a part of my breathing practice recommends taking your pulse before and after, and I have routinely sat down and found my pulse higher than I wanted it - if I take it a couple of times, I can definitely, consciously bring it down.

I make it a point of doing the same thing, but focused on breathing, after any stength-endurance exercise. E.g., I've been doing ~2-minute Farmers Walks with a 24 kg kettlebell in each hand. (The walk starts with carrying the bells up a flight of stairs.) As soon as I put the bells down, I make it point to breath only through my nose, and this enforces slower breathing. Somehow, the "natural" tendency, at least for me, is to keep my breathing under control during the exercise and then want to breath more quickly when it's over. I am nose-breathing only for the entire duration of the exercise as well.

-S-
 
Al, the method is from Wim Hof, the Ice Man. Science - Wim Hof, The Iceman - Innerfire
The guy has quite the resume (climbed Mt. Everest in a pair of shorts). He seems to focus on breathing and cold exposure. He was labeled an outlier in the scientific community, so he began (successfully) teaching his methods.

I was not able to find any details on the method that I outlined above. I only became aware of it through viewing a video on youtube of two men who were practicing his techniques. They outlined the method, performed it, and then jumped in a frozen lake. (I have been using cold showers in place of the lake.) They also advised performing pushups after the exhale, reporting that they could perform significant reps in this fashion with ease. I have not attempted this.

From what I have observed in practicing the technique:
  • The slow deep breathing, with a full exchange of air, opens up the lungs to their full capacity, rather than utilizing the top 3rd (chest breathing)
  • The 30 quick breaths feel like it floods the body with oxygen.
  • Exhaling fully, I am able to hold my breath for quite some time comfortably after performing them
  • The numbers, 5 deep breaths, 30 quick breaths, seem to be guidelines.
  • After performing the method, cold exposure is quite invigorating, and can held for a much longer period of time than when I do not perform the method
  • Using the technique prior to meditation has been quite productive, as I am able to get into a much deeper state of relaxation in a minimal amount of time
Regarding the scan, it is a body awareness drill. Focus on one area (usually abdomen/navel), and then move the focus throughout the body. I have been exposed to this practice through martial arts and meditation, but have not had this level of success the scan prior to implementing this method.

I usually perform the drill in the morning and/or evening. I have done this seated and while walking with little change in perceived efficacy. My goal in implementing during training was to slow my heart rate down.
Also, I breath in through the nose, exhale through the mouth. The tip of the tongue is pressed up into the soft pallet throughout.
 
Jess, interesting. I read about Hof years ago, but haven't since then. I use cold baths myself, but only in the warmer weather. This time of year, I just keep the house in the low-mid 60s, with a lot of pushback ;]

With respect to blood gases, are you trying to oxygenate the blood, or carbon dioxygenate it?
 
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Al, I am attempting to oxygenate the blood and basically improve the efficiency of the cardiac system. It seems like the quick breathing produces an abundance of oxygen in the system, and exhaling fully and holding it allows the body to relax while it regulates the O2.

What is interesting about this is that when you stop breathing for a moment and relax in that hyper-oxygenated state, it is as if a strain has been taken off the body and the nervous system. It feels as if that time allows the CNS to ramp up the energy that is there, kind of like removing the resistance from a motor and allowing it to spin freely.

I could be way off here. This is just my perception of internal processes, but it seems to be beneficial and worth exploring further.

Could you recommend a good book on exercise physiology? I have some catching up to do!
 
Jess, I am not sure that what you feel is not excess CO2 buffering out H+, rather than excess O2 increasing mitochondrial function. I have no way of knowing, but there is some research that suggests that O2 is never really short, it is just unusable for other reasons.

You will not find this discussed in any ex phys text that I ever studied, beyond a cursory review of A&P ;] What is it that you want to read up on?
 
@Jess Burchill, following on what Al said, look up the Bohr effect. O2 _requires_ CO2 to be released from its hemoglobin bond and used by the cells.

-S-
 
Al,
I am interested in learning about the bodies energy systems and their relationships in regards to athletic training. I have been absorbing a great deal of information regarding programming (strength), but have become increasingly aware of how much my knowledge base is lacking in regards to A&P. Getting at least a fundamental understanding of what is happening in the body before/during/after training, seems like it would be beneficial.
 
Jess, the short version is this: any undergrad ex phy text will provide a pretty good overview. I used Wilmore, Costill, and Kenney in my studies, and have also heard good things about it from other sources. I see that they have a new edition (6th) on amazon, but have dropped Dr Costill from the roster of authors. I have no idea what that means.

You might also begin with a grad level text: Powers & Howley (another amazon search will get you there). The longer version is, read up on basic biology and physiology first. Then, (or concurrently) read the aforementioned texts to discover how exercise training specifically affects those biological systems. Then, read a basic biochem text. Then, dive into the research literature. Oh, I forgot basic chem... ;]
 
@Steve Freides question: you use a method that (among other things) increases CO2 in the blood? Do you know what Wim Hof is doing when he advises slow deep breaths for 30 reps, followed by something like a max push up set... and the report that users perform more work?
 
I haven't looked into the Wim Hof thing except a quick read to see that involved both big inhales and big exhales. But, yes, it makes sense that if his protocol increases blood CO2, more work could be done.

-S-
 
Moreover, @Steve Freides, how much of an effect do you think that diaphragmatic and respiratory muscle adaptation have on this equation, independent of CO2 function? I.e; if an individual increases the strength and capacity of these muscles, they might also act as (I think) huge buffers for pH balance, as compared to before training.
 
@aciampa, the theory in a nutshell is that nothing good and lots of bad comes from chronic, low-level hyperventilation, and that many, perhaps even most, people breath this way - poorly.

If you subscribe to the theory that we have enough O2 and that we simply can't use it well enough, then the strength of your diaphragm and related muscles is less important than your ability to relax them completely. To be completely honest here, the origins of the protocol are in improving the health of sick people, not in improving athletic performance, but we are exploring the athletic performance aspect of our approach to breathing now. I can say that there is absolutely a connection between learning how to relax your diaphragm and raising your blood CO2 through our protocols - it won't work if you carry tension there so you figure that out pretty early on in the process, I hope.

For me, I can vouch for the fact my endurance is certainly improved, but this isn't a simple discussion; what I can say for sure has improved is my work capacity at a low percentage of perceived effort. Whether that translates into "max" kinds of effort isn't something I can confirm, but if I am able to keep a calm, nose-only breathing style while exerting myself pretty hard, that's certainly worth something. My theory is that it's simply better oxygen utilization. At some point in the process, the ability to take in my oxygen probably matters but I haven't found that to be important in my own training; more to the point, when I get to that point, where I feel like I need to take in more oxygen, I'm pretty much done with whatever activity I've been doing - that's my "red line" that I try not to cross over when it comes to endurance activities.

One fascinating thing, although at the moment we have only a single student to confirm it, is hematocrit - one of our students in Europe, an MMA fighter, if memory serves, reports an increased hematocrit and the only thing he attributes to is this breathing practice. He's someone who has trained at a high level for a long time. I haven't had my annual physical in a couple of years :) and am looking forward to see if this might be happening to me as well.

-S-
 
@aciampa @Steve Freides
Thank you both for all your feedback and recommendations. I have got some catching up to do ;)

Here is a link to a video of someone who has been practicing Wim's method for several years. Apparently Wim has modified the method over the years in regards to how he is applying tension/relaxation during the inhale/exhale. (It appears I was initiated with an earlier variation.)


Another video from a different practitioner who offers a pretty in-depth analysis, demonstration of the method, and his observations.


The following was taken from an article online. It outlines the method, but doesn't delve into the science.

The Method

The Wim Hof Method is similar toTummo(inner heat) Meditation and Pranayama (yogic breathing). Yet it is something else entirely. While Wim has studied yoga and meditation for many years, this technique primordially comes from what he terms ‘cold hard nature’. By subjecting himself to the bitter conditions of nature, he learned to withstand the extreme forces of cold, heat and fear. If you learn this method or technique correctly, it will empower you do to the same.

The first part is a breathing exercise which can be likened to controlled hyperventilation. This is, of course, an oxymoron. Hyperventilation is something which happens involuntarily. But just imagine the breathing part, without any of stress triggers that normally cause this way of breathing. The image will consist of rapid breathing that makes one languid, invigorates one, makes one high on oxygen. One mechanism of this practice is the complete oxygenation of your blood and cells.

1) Get comfortable and close your eyes
Sit in a meditation posture, whatever is most comfortable for you. Make sure you can expand your lungs freely without feeling any constriction. It is recommended to do this practice right after waking up since your stomach is still empty.

2) Warm Up
Inhale deeply. Really draw the breath in until you feel a slight pressure from inside your chest on your solar plexus. Hold this for a moment and then exhale completely. Push the air out as much as you can. Hold this for a moment. Repeat this warm up round 15 times.

3) 30 Power Breaths
Imagine you’re blowing up a balloon. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth in short but powerful bursts. The belly is pulled inward when you are breathing out and is pulled outward when you are breathing in. Keep a steady pace and use your midriff fully. Close your eyes and do this around 30 times or until you feel your body is saturated with oxygen. Symptoms could be light-headedness, tingling sensations in the body, electrical surges of energy.

4) Scan your body
During the 30 power breaths, delve into your body and become aware of it as possible. Trace your awareness up and down your body and use your intuition as to what parts lack energy and what parts are overflowing. Scan for any blockage between the two. Try to send energy/warmth to those blockages. Then release them deeper and deeper. Tremors, traumas and emotional releases can come up. It can be likened to kundalini rising. Feel the whole body fill up with warmth and love. Feel the negativity burn away.

Often people report swirling colors and other visual imagery during this exercise. Once you encounter them, go into them, embrace them, merge with them. Get to know this inner world and how it correlates to the feeling of tension or blockages in your body.

5) The Hold
After the the 30 rapid succession of breath cycles, draw the breath in once more and fill the lungs to maximum capacity without using too much force. Then push all of the air out and hold for as long as you can. Draw the chin in a bit so as to prevent air from coming in again. Really relax and open all energy channels in your body. Notice how all the oxygen is spreading around in your body. Hold the breath until you experience the gasp reflex on the top of your chest.

6) Recovery Breath
Inhale to full capacity. Feel your chest expanding. Release any tension in the solar plexus. When you are at full capacity, hold the breath once more. Drop the chin to the chest and hold this for around 15 seconds. Notice that you can direct the energy with your awareness. Use this time to scan the body and see where there is no color, tension or blockages. Feel the edges of this tension, go into it, move the energy towards this black hole. Feel the constrictions burning away, the dark places fill with light. Relax the body deeper as you move further inward, let everything go. Your body knows better than you do. After 15 seconds you have completed the first round.



Start this practice with one or two rounds. Try to do it daily and add two more rounds in a few days. After you feel more comfortable with holding your breath you can start to add exercises and stretches. Work up to a minimum of 15 minutes or 6 rounds with exercises. You can do this practice for how long it pleases you.

If you feel dizziness or pain, get out of the posture and lie on your back. Breathe easily again and stop this practice session.

Reserve at least 5 minutes after this practice to relax and scan the body.

Summary
  1. 30 times balloon blowing
  2. Breathe in fully
  3. Breath out fully and hold until gasp reflex
  4. Inhale fully and hold for 10-15 seconds.
  5. Repeat until finished
  6. Take 5 minutes to relax and scan your body
 
@aciampa, the theory in a nutshell is that nothing good and lots of bad comes from chronic, low-level hyperventilation, and that many, perhaps even most, people breath this way - poorly.

Agreed.

If you subscribe to the theory that we have enough O2 and that we simply can't use it well enough, then the strength of your diaphragm and related muscles is less important than your ability to relax them completely.

The strength and capacity of the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles speaks to their ability to both buffer acids from other muscles (and as the result of stress hormones) and use lactate for fuel, as these are highly oxidative tissues.

To be completely honest here, the origins of the protocol are in improving the health of sick people, not in improving athletic performance, but we are exploring the athletic performance aspect of our approach to breathing now.

This is where a large part of my interest is as well.

I can say that there is absolutely a connection between learning how to relax your diaphragm and raising your blood CO2 through our protocols - it won't work if you carry tension there so you figure that out pretty early on in the process, I hope.

Why are you trying to raise your blood CO2, in the case of health and not exercise performance?

For me, I can vouch for the fact my endurance is certainly improved, but this isn't a simple discussion; what I can say for sure has improved is my work capacity at a low percentage of perceived effort.

No Sir, it isn't!

Whether that translates into "max" kinds of effort isn't something I can confirm, but if I am able to keep a calm, nose-only breathing style while exerting myself pretty hard, that's certainly worth something. My theory is that it's simply better oxygen utilization. At some point in the process, the ability to take in my oxygen probably matters but I haven't found that to be important in my own training; more to the point, when I get to that point, where I feel like I need to take in more oxygen, I'm pretty much done with whatever activity I've been doing - that's my "red line" that I try not to cross over when it comes to endurance activities.

I am not convinced that we need to nasal breathe, beyond its use as a beginner's training drill (like breathing through the straws). Once you have control of your respiratory muscles, the only benefit to nasal breathing is the filtering of the air that passes through it, rather than the mouth. But I have no strong opinion on this. Your thoughts?

Great discussion!
 
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