FITNESS BREATHWORK
FITNESS BREATH
| TECHNIQUE | RATIO | WHEN | PURPOSE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock N Roll | 4 IN 6 EX | Beginners / AM | Horizontal training |
| Cat Cow | 4 IN 6 EX | Beginners / AM | Horizontal training |
| Stacked Low Belly | 5 IN 5 EX w/2.5-10# weight or book | Beginners | Horizontal training |
| Cadence A | 4 IN 4 EX | AM / Pre Workout | Readiness, conscious breath |
| Cadence B | 4 IN 4 H 4 EX | AM / Pre Workout | Readiness, conscious breath |
| Relaxation | 4 IN 7 H 8 EX | Stress / PM | Gain control over body |
| Pranyama | 3 IN 3 H 6 EX 3 H | Stress / AM / PM | Yogic breath “prana” vital force |
| Tactical | 2 IN 8 H 4 EX | PM | Slowed or stopped breathing |
| Coherent | 4 IN 4 H 6 EX 2 H | Stress | Induces calm |
| Box or Square | 4 IN 4 H 4 EX 4 H | AM / PM | Mental clarity (unbeatable mind) |
| Superventilation (Wim Hof Method) | 1 IN ½ EX 30 - 40x, Max Retention Hold | AM / Pre Workout | Control immune system, controlled hyperventilation |
| Apnea | 5 IN 20 H 10 EX | 3x Per Day | Induce readiness, calm |
| Recovery Breath | 5 Mouth:Mouth 5 Nose:Mouth 5 Nose:Nose | Post Workout | Down Regulate |
Breath Measurements
- BOLT (one-time breath hold)
- CO2 Retention screen
- Shoulder Mobility
- Acidity - pH strips
- Finger pulse oximeter
- Resting heart rate
BOLT = “Body Oxygen Level Test”
- Resting for about 10 minutes
- Take small breath in thru nose then out thru nose - plug your nose and hold your breath
- Relax into the breath - at first sign of definite desire to breath check time
- Accurate tool for measuring breath volume
- Ideal breath score for a healthy individual is about :40
- Lower the bolt = greater the breathing volume = the more breathlessness you’ll experience during exercise
How it Works
- Breath hold measures how much CO2 your body is able to tolerate
- Higher bolt score means you’re able to hold calmer breathing during rest and lighter breathing during exercise
- Improved tolerance to CO2 means you’re able to achieve higher VO2 Max/performance
Fun facts on the breath…
- Aging is associated with progressive decline in lung function
- 20% of the oxygen you breathe is used by your brain
- Average adult breathes 10-15 times per minute, but during exercise up to 5x as much - that means 40-50 breaths