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I especially love to teach moms the effectiveness of deep breathing exercise! Here, you see Static Tension (ST) Breathing
Here is the Vacuum
Your nervous system is divided into two broad categories of autonomic (which innervates the organs which handle processes automatically, such as digestion) and somatic (which innervates the organs which you can volitionally control, such as biting into a hamburger). Your respiratory system is unique in that it is innervated by both types of nerves. So, it is the link between what you can control and what you can not control. Controlling your breath allows you to control organs which otherwise can not be controlled, such as your heart rate. Clearly, deep breathing exercise warrants further examination. I call the air we breathe Invisible Nutrition (Note that I believe there are actually two forms of invisible nutrition. We will cover the other one later). And since most of us do not practice deep breathing exercise, you are likely malnourished. Consider that you can survive without food for several weeks. You can survive without water for just a few days. but you can survive without air for just a few minutes! So, the invisible nutrition is important. Yet, curiously, most of our attention is on the visible nutrition. Remember this: THE INVISIBLE INFLUENCES THE VISIBLE; NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
Please take a moment to observe how you are breathing right now — or better yet — how were you breathing a few moments ago. If you are like most people, chances are your breath was, and is, quite shallow. Very likely, you were focused on some task, or you were worried about some issue(s). The result of this is malnourishment. Plenty of air is an absolute biological requirement for all humans. And the rhythm is as simple as this: Breathe in; Breathe out. But here is what normally happens: as you are breathing in, something interrupts you (perhaps a child cries, the phone rings, or an email/text drops in), so your inhale is stopped short of completion and you begin to exhale. Then, as you exhale something else grabs your attention. The result is continuous cycles of incomplete inhales and exhales. Now, what do you suppose the impact is on your mind and body?
Back in 1987, during my first days of training in Kung Fu, I remember my instructor speaking of “massaging the internal organs” with deep breathing. Every move of every exercise was coordinated with a concentrated inhale, exhale, or strategic breath-holding. This fascinated me. I later began to understand that the coordinated deep breathing is the key to controlling the tension in the body and mind. It cultivates the continuous flow of hardness and softness which ultimately balances the body. In my experience, most of us are too “hard”, meaning we are too rigid and tense. In fact, it is the rigidity and tension which is at the back of most illness (physical and emotional). Think about that. All day long, something demands your attention. And when there are no demands on your attention, do you fill in the space with texting? Now, I love technology as much or more than most, but it does seem that we are creating our own ADD universe by having to fill every moment of each day with something. Being still and quiet has become foreign to many, in my experience. When you do not take time to breathe, you will become explosive (cranky, short tempered) or you will become implosive (headaches, poor sleep), and very likely you will carry around chronic pain.
So, the solution is to regularly practice deep breathing exercise. This allows you to set aside time to focus on controlling your own universe (After all, your body is your own personal, self-contained universe. It is the only universe over which you have any real control). It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but every minute invested (in fact, every breath invested) yields great benefits. As you practice, you will notice how much calmer you become, and you will also notice how much stronger your immune system becomes. Isn’t that worth the time? To exercise your universe with deep breathing, I recommend you spend at least 5 minutes each morning with BOF/Vacuums and at least 5 minutes with Static Tension (ST) Breathing. Of course, if you can allow more time, then you will improve that much more. One benefit of doing these exercises first thing in the morning is that they stimulate your digestive organs and will likely help you to process your meals, starting with breakfast. Then, later in the day, I recommend you set aside at least 10 minutes for Maximal Active Deep Breathing (MAD Breathing). If MAD Breathing is too much, then you can simply meditate and practice relaxed breathing.
If you would like to learn how to use deep breathing exercises to strengthen your body from the inside out, manage stress and anxiety, and make your body remarkably healthy at any age, click here to join our Daily Therapeutic Training communityYou will receive a new video every single day and can train with me, earning points and having fun while making an important investment in your health and longevity.
…In fact, now is the perfect time! I have been sitting here for quite a while typing. Now I am going to spend time EXPANDING and CONTRACTING my universe. I love how I feel afterwards. Let’s do it together!
To Your Health!
Jeff Wooten, “The Body Mechanic” www.YourBodyMechanic.com
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