Tag: breathing workout

Can You Really Relax Your Way to Getting In Better Shape?

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The best way to get in shape may be to spend more time doing
less.

A new and growing body of research, clinical studies and just
plain old experience shows that spending LESS time exercising —
including shorter exercise sessions, less time spent “working”
in each session, and greater time spent recuperating – boosts
your fitness, resiliency and health.

If you read my last blog post, this may sound familiar to you,
because we discussed how you can relax your way to being more
productive. Yes it’s true: the best way to get more done may be
to spend more time doing less.

This definitely goes for exercise. And I’ve been a proponent for
shorter, more “pulsing” type exercise sessions for years now.

I was literally forced into taking more of a pulsing or interval
approach to my training – by my asthma.

As you may know, one of the reasons I really got into breathing
exercises and dynamic energy principles was because I suffered
from moderate to severe asthma (which unfortunately went
undiagnosed for years). I found out the hard way that following
the typical approach to aerobic or cardio activity – which is
to exercise at a steady-state, “aerobic” level for a decent
length of time – was the exact opposite of how you should
exercise if you have asthma.

So, I was forced to change my paradigm. I read and studied the
ins and outs of interval training, adapted it to my situation,
and discovered that I actually got into BETTER shape – with
shorter workouts…more time between workouts (because interval
training is meant to be intense, your body needs more time
between sessions to recover)…and with less actual “work” or
exercise in each workout!

But how can this be? Why is an interval or pulsing approach to
training so results-producing and efficient?

First, let me give you some basics on what interval training
actually is.

Interval training consists of interspersing brief periods of
intense activity with periods of lower intensity activity or
rest.

A boxing match is a great example of intervals: The boxers box
for three minutes, then go to their respective corners for a
one minute rest. They repeat this cycle for 12 rounds.

Interval training arrived on the fitness and sports training
scene in a big way about 25 to 30 years ago. Over time, it has
been proved that a program of intervals, interspersed with
adequate rest periods, is the fastest and most efficient way
to build both anaerobic and aerobic (endurance) capacities.

Here are a few examples of interval training:

– Doing 100-yard sprints interspersed with walking;
– Running up a hill, then walking down;
– Biking for 2 minutes at an accelerated rate of speed, then
slowing down to an easy rate for 2 minutes;
– Walking fast for five minutes interspersed with walking
slowly for five minutes.

Interval training is applicable to just about any activity or
exercise you can think of. Here are a few variations to get
you thinking:

– Lifting weights: Perform an exercise for a certain number
of repetitions (a set); then rest for one to two minutes
between sets before repeating;
– Calisthenics: Perform push-ups or body weight squats for a
certain number of repetitions, or for a certain period of time
(a set); then rest for one minute before repeating;
– Boxing, Kick Boxing: Hit the heavy bag for three-minute
rounds interspersed with one-minute rest periods.

Why is incorporating interval training in your fitness routine
so beneficial? Interval training and its variations are
recognized as the most efficient way to achieve cardiovascular
fitness. Your heart and lungs work hard during the interval.
Then they work even harder during the beginning of the rest
period.

You’re basically pushing your heart, lungs and involved muscles
to new levels of effort – with each interval, and each interval
workout, you literally expand the capacity of your
cardio-pulmonary system. This is so important not only for
fitness, but for your health and longevity.

Here’s another benefit to this type of training:

Performing a series of intervals accelerates fat burning and
weight loss. It also accelerates muscle growth by taxing or
stressing the muscles more intensely, and by stimulating the
release of growth hormone.

And here’s where the “relax to get more fit” comes in:

Incorporating intervals into your fitness regimen reduces the
time required for you to achieve a training effect. Each workout
is shorter. And within each workout, you are actually “working”
much much less than you would doing steady state activity, such
as jogging, doing the elliptical, doing an aerobics class, etc.

And, you get fitter faster.

One last, important point:

You should enjoy your fitness routine. With a properly
structured exercise session, you should feel good when you
finish. You’ll have a warm feeling of tiredness or fatigue – a
”good” tired. You’ll feel great because you’ve moved that body
and completed the most important “to do” of the day.

I’ll have some more pointers for you on my own approach – that
makes interval training even more effective – in my next post.

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Breathing and dynamic exercises, like those in the Secret
Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II are naturally interval
in nature. They give you a surefire way
to target, develop and maximize the work performed by your
lungs, as well as the structures that support proper breathing.

If you’re serious about improving your physical condition and
health, you should make it a point to focus on expanding
your vital capacity and ability to breathe properly. Dynamic
breathing exercise will help you get fit more quickly. And it
provides the foundation for robust health and longevity. Read
more about it by clicking here.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

How the Wrong Type of Exercise Can Set You Back

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Here is the second in a three-part series on the 5 most critical
mistakes people typically make when starting a fitness or weight
loss program – AND how to avoid them so you stay on the fast track
to radiant health and fitness.

MISTAKE #2: WORKOUTS THAT LAST TOO LONG

This mistake could also be described as, “Doing too much too soon”.

When beginning a new fitness program, most people have a lot of
enthusiasm. So much enthusiasm, in fact, that they are prepared
to take drastic action to get their body into shape.

They typically begin with a high volume and intensity of activity,
such as long sessions of walking, running, lifting weights, doing
aerobics, or whatever their chosen activity is.

This approach is guaranteed to lead to undue post-workout muscle
soreness, excessive tightness in the muscles, joint pain, and
possibly even injury.

Also, long exercise or training sessions involving high volumes
and/or intensities usually mean sacrificing quality for quantity.
This leads to a focus on fatigue as the determiner of a “good”
workout, versus assessing how you feel as a result of a sequence
of workouts.

These long, fatigue producing sessions lead to a rapid decrease
in motivation. Pretty soon, that initial enthusiasm wanes and
excuses for not being able to work out start cropping up.

A better (and healthier) approach is to focus on the quality of
your workouts.

Focus on fewer exercises or modalities of training. Make a more
intense and focused effort at each of them. Until you have built
a solid base, keep your workouts short, say 30 minutes to one
hour maximum. The reality is, you can achieve excellent results
with only 30 minutes a day of training.

You need to give your body the chance to adapt to any new level
or type of activity. So begin rationally. Don’t do too much
too soon. Plan on doing less than you think you can handle.
Build up consistently.

In order to experience a training effect, your body only needs
to experience stress that is slightly greater than what it
normally encounters. There’s no need to kill yourself with mega
long workouts.

When scheduling your workouts, plan on exercising for an amount
of time you know you can fit into your schedule. Exercising for
an hour or two per day may seem impossible. What about 15
minutes? Is that doable?

Yes, “Only 15 Minutes Per Day” has become a cliché. But it’s a
good place to start if you haven’t been doing anything. Once you
get going and begin to experience the benefits of even 15 minutes
of focused activity, you will naturally want to do more.

You’ll make more time in your schedule for exercising because you
want to, not because you think you have to or ought to.

MISTAKE #3: FOLLOWING A ONE-DIMENSIONAL FITNESS PROGRAM

When beginning an exercise program, people often take up one
particular type of exercise and become immersed in it. They focus
all or nearly all of their time and energy on this one activity.
They don’t complement it with supplementary modalities that
balance and enhance the core activity.

Here are a couple of examples:

-The runner or cyclist with puny, underdeveloped torso and arms,
because he or she doesn’t do any strength training;
-The body builder with the impressive physique who can’t walk up
a flight of stairs without getting winded, because he or she
never does any aerobic activity.

Imbalances in training lead to imbalances in the body’s
development, muscle and joint problems, and overuse injuries
caused by repetitive motion.

Insufficient diversity can also lead to boredom and stagnation.
It deprives your body and mind of the variety that’s conducive
to growth and development.

To get the most from your fitness program, strive for a balance
between the following activities:

-Deep breathing and visualization for mental rehearsal, stress
management, and health;

-Strength training for development of strong muscles and bones,
good posture, and improved capacity to handle the activities of
daily living;

-Stretching for flexibility, avoidance of injury, and relaxation;

-Aerobic activities (or “cardio”) to improve aerobic capacity
and heart health, enhance recovery from strength training
workouts, and get yourself moving.

As you plan your fitness program, seek to integrate each of these
elements. You can include all of them (or some subset) within
each workout. Or you can include them over the course of a
series of workouts performed over a week or so.

You can also structure cycles in your program. Within each cycle,
emphasize one of these areas as your priority. Do enough in
the other areas to maintain. This is great way of keeping
yourself fresh and keeping your body guessing.

Many people think they should select aerobic activities as their
primary focus. Aerobic capacity is important, and regular doses
of steady state activities, such as running, cycling, swimming
and walking are beneficial. However, too much of this type of
activity can cause your body to lose muscle.

A better way is to incorporate intervals or “pulsing” into
your program. (I’ve written about this before in past blog posts).

Resistance training should be the foundation of your fitness
program. Building strength helps you function better in daily
life. It promotes better posture and is very effective at reducing
the risk (and even reversing the effects) of osteoporosis.

Studies have shown that strength training has a more dramatic
effect on body composition changes – that is, putting on lean
body weight and losing fat – than aerobic activity.

Stretching should also be a priority, especially when you are
first starting out. Properly done, stretching helps you learn
about and establish control over your body. It promotes
flexibility which enables you to move more fluidly and freely.
It also helps avoid injuries and relieves nagging aches and pains.

We’ll conclude this series with Mistakes #4 and 5 – and how to
avoid them – in the next post.

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

Avoid These Critical Mistakes…and Get Off to a Rip-Roaring Start This Year

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Happy New Year!

As I sit here typing, I’m thinking about my goals and plans for this
year. And I have already taken action this morning to get me moving
toward several goals in important areas of my life.

I know I feel better when I get off to a good start, be it the
beginning of a day, the beginning of a project….or the beginning
of a new year. In that spirit, I would like to share some thoughts
to help you get off to a great start this year: the 5 most critical
mistakes people typically make when starting a fitness or weight
loss program.

And, more importantly, I will tell you how to avoid these.

These mistakes commonly derail fitness programs, leaving the person
with a feeling of failure and frustration. This in turn makes it
that much harder to get going again.

The good news: these mistakes are avoidable. Avoid them and you’ll
find yourself on the fast track to radiant health and fitness.

MISTAKE #1: NO GOAL

When it comes to planning and beginning an exercise program, most
people don’t focus on what they really want. They know they need
to “lose some weight” or “get in shape”. They may have been
encouraged (or even warned) by their doctor to get more active, eat
better and lose some weight.

But most folks do not take the next step to set a specific goal,
or set of goals, that will attract and energize them.

Instead, they set off on a “get into shape” program without
identifying what exactly that means to them. Consequently, they
meander through various routines and diets. They often jump on the
latest fads.

They may lose a few pounds, but the pounds invariably pile back on
as they lose motivation.

Does this sound familiar to you? If so, don’t feel bad.

The same thing has happened to all of us at one time or another.

When this happens, you lose out on the feelings of achievement,
success and vibrant health that come from a rationally structured
fitness routine.

Having a specific goal or set of goals is the critical starting
point to a successful fitness regimen.

It’s best to focus on one major goal. This should be the one
thing above all that, if achieved, represents true success to
you. For example, your primary goal may be to lose 20 pounds
by the end of the year.

Then articulate two to three minor goals that support your major
goal. For example, you could set interim weight loss goals you
wish to achieve at the end of each month. Or you could set
activity goals, such as building up to walk or run for 30 minutes
straight.

Write down your major and supporting goals and review them
frequently, preferably every day. This is a key point. There is
tremendous power in seeing your goals in writing and saying them
out loud to yourself on a regular basis. This keeps them top of
mind and helps you stay focused.

Once you have established your goals, create a general plan for
how you will achieve them. Decide which activities you want to
focus on, such as walking or running, lifting weights or doing
bodyweight exercises, and so on. Also decide on which days per
week you will train, and at what time of day.

Be specific on this, but also be prepared to make course corrections
along the way as you assess how your plan is working.

A big boost to the success of your fitness program is to record
your activities.

Keep a simple log of your workouts and what you eat. Record not
only what you have done (the process), but also your results,
such as recording your weight once per week.

Recording your activities and progress helps you maintain focus and
momentum. It’s very satisfying to record a successful day during
which you completed your planned workout and followed your nutrition
plan.

Documenting the less successful days is also important. This helps
you identify trends in your behavior. For example, you may find
yourself missing workouts every Friday for three weeks in a row.
You realize that, by Friday, you are usually tired and worn out
from the hectic week. You are coming up with excuses not to work
out.

Realizing this, you can take action. You can make Friday a recovery
day (a day when you don’t work out). This allows you to follow your
own natural rhythms, and sets you up for a successful and energetic
workout on Saturday or Sunday.

When reviewing your progress and setbacks, keep in mind you are
only competing with yourself, not with anyone else – and NOT
woth anyone else’s idea of what you should be doing. Progress at
a pace that makes sense for you. You’ll enjoy the process more
and will be pleasantly surprised at how much you can achieve.

Mistakes #2 and 3 will be coming along in my next blog post.

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

Jump Start Your Fitness Program From the Inside Out

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How balanced is your health and fitness program?

Are you hitting all the important areas, such as strength, stamina,
flexibility, and diet.

It’s easy to get into a rut when you’ve been exercising for
awhile. And if you haven’t been exercising, you will probably
re-start your program doing pretty much the same things you were
doing before.

In my experience, most people tend toward a certain type of
exercise which dominates their training time and energy.

The two major camps are strength training versus aerobics. Seems
like many people either run, work out on the elliptical or
treadmill, or do aerobics or zumba or whatever the latest fad
is…or they tend to hit the weights.Sometimes a little
stretching is thrown in for good measure.

It’s important to ensure some balance and variety in your
training.

After all, variety is the spice of life. If you keep doing the
same type of workout, over and over again, you get diminishing
(or even disappearing) results.

You will also get bored. Which means it’s more likely you will
quit your program, especially when you hit the inevitable
plateaus.

On the other hand, when you have some balance in your training,
you’ll find that you are more enthusiastic about it. Changing
the combination or order of elements in your workout can add a
wonderful dimension. The variety keeps you (and your body)
guessing and craving more.

When it comes to fitness and health programs, one area most
people ignore is their breathing.

You should devote part of your time to the cultivation of
breath control and power. Making a small investment of time in
dynamic energy exercises – like the ones I teach you in “The
Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II”
(http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html)
will enhance the results you get from exercise, as well as your
internal energy and focus.

Breathing is the direct and instantaneous way to tap into the
life force, the vital energy that flows through each of us.

Performed properly, deep breathing coupled with dynamic
exercises is a powerful method for accessing and flowing your
internal power.

Doing these exercises strengthens your body from the inside
out, and has a more profound and lasting effect.

From a purely practical standpoint, this type of dynamic deep
breathing helps develop breath control, expand the capacity
of the lungs, and build stamina. It improves posture. It also
develops the diaphragm, abdominal and other core muscles in
such way that they are strong and coordinated – a key to
developing power for movement, as in athletics, martial arts,
even activities of daily living.

This type of dynamic exercise creates harmony between the breath
and the physical. Not only are you strengthening the muscles
associated with breathing. You also are creating and
increasing a sense of harmony and relaxation across both mind
and body.

It’s health-giving and life-extending, and I strongly encourage
you to tap into the benefits that await you from investing just
a few minutes a day – or a few minutes at the start of your
regular workouts.

To learn more, visit
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html

You Can Do It!

Karen_signature

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2013

How to Make HIT Training Work For You

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How would you like to spend less time exercising…do less exercising when you are working out…and still get great results? How would you like an approach to fitness, getting in shape, losing fat that can actually fit into your schedule, no matter how hectic your schedule is?

In my last tip, I discussed the comeback of HIT training. Actually, it’s more like an ongoing cycle. HIT training seems to periodically cycle up and down in terms of attention, number of adherents, etc.

In today’s society, everyone from parents to executives to business owners to students are busy. So the prospect of trading long, boring cardio sessions of 45 minutes to an hour, three to four times per week…(the traditional area people focus on) for two or three short, 20 minute workouts per week…is a no-brainer for many people!

The trick to keeping your workouts short, yet still achieving good results, is to (1) exercise with sufficiently high intensity, to the point where you are really huffing and puffing; and (2) focus most of your efforts on certain types of exercises.

To point #1: Obviously this means pushing yourself. However, to work at a sufficiently high level of intensity necessitates using an interval, or pulsing, approach.

Interval Training involves working hard for a short period of time, followed by either a complete rest or a slower pace of the target activity. For example, you run at a good clip for five minutes (the work interval), then run more slowly or walk for five minutes (the rest interval). That’s one set.

Or, you perform repetitions of a compound movement, such as a squat or pushup or bench press, and push yourself to momentary muscular failure (that is, you can’t do another repetition without cheating, breaking down in form, or your movement becomes super slow). Then you rest. That’s one set.

Put together a sufficient number of sets of high intensity effort, and you’ve got yourself a super workout! And the good news is, you only need about 20 minutes to complete such as workout. In fact, if you are really pushing yourself, you probably won’t want to do more than 20 minutes!

I think people shy away from high intensity training because they associate it with highly intense levels of effort and think it is too tough for them to do. But the truth is, just about anyone can successfully adapt this type of training, no matter their present level of fitness.

The key is to set the intensity and duration of your work interval at a level sufficient to push yourself — but not push yourself over the edge.

Just about every activity I can think of lends itself to interval training. It just takes a little creativity.

For example, strength training is naturally interval in nature. You perform sets of repetitions of exercises, interspersed with rest periods.

Walking and running are also naturals for intervals. Simply walk or run faster for a period of time, interspersed with periods of walking or running more slowly.

Certain breathing exercises are interval in nature. Typically, each exercise is done for a certain number of repetitions.  You pause briefly (rest interval) and move on to the next one. Also, breathing floods your system with oxygen, creating immediate surges in energy levels and metabolism.

Now, to point #2: Notice that the type of exercising – walking, sprinting, resistance training – as well as the types of exercises – squats, pushups, bench press – I discuss are either full body movement OR compound exercises.

Compound exercises involve multiple body parts. They tend to be the most effective exercises because they involve the large muscle groups, such as quads, gluts, chest and back. These muscles require more energy and focus to work hard. Focusing on them means you can train your entire body with fewer movements.

In addition, compound exercises make much more significant demands on your entire system, especially if you push yourself…meaning more calories burned not only during exercise, but post-exercise.

In fact, a short but high intensity exercise session, focused on as few as five exercises, can actually elevate your metabolism for 24 to 48 hours AFTER the exercise session.

Imagine what this could mean to your efforts to get into better shape, burn off some fat, or get stronger?

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. In the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program, you have a complete, fat burning and muscle toning program at your fingertips. When you perform the core set of exercises in the program, you combine the power of deep breathing, intensity and focus with compound movements activating the large muscles of your body. This combination is a powerhouse when it comes to activating the fat-burning potential of your body.

For more information, or to download your own copy of the program, go to http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/metabolism.html.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

Relaxation and Power: Make It Work For You

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In any athletic endeavour, you must first learn how to relax before you can develop optimal power.

When you try to move faster, or hit harder, by excessive effort, you actually sabotage your efforts and move more slowly. You also move less efficiently, so you tire more quickly.

The same holds for academic or work-related activities.

When you try too hard to concentrate or focus, you may find your mind actually wanders more than usual. And you find the task at hand more difficult to do, meaning you tire of it more quickly.

On the other hand, when you first relax, and tell yourself that your project or task will be fun – or that at least it will be satisfying to complete and get over with – you find yourself becoming immersed in the project. You effortlessly concentrate. You lose track of time. And, before you know it, you have finished it.

Time to kick back and have a cold one!

Well, guess what. This natural paradigm of effective performance applies to the most elemental activity you perform every second of every day: your breathing.

And putting this principle to work, along with some focused attention on your breathing, can help you harness the most fundamental source of power in your body.

When you first begin to work on your breathing, you should focus on learning how to breathe more completely. Ironically, you don’t breathe more fully and completely by trying harder. You actually breathe better when you are relaxed.

You open up your breathing by loosening the structures that support healthy breathing, and learning how to relax through deep breathing. This is the heart of the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume I: Invigorate and Rejuvenate.

Just a few minutes of these types of exercises will have you relaxed yet focused, calm yet full of quiet energy. They’re great to do at the end of the day, or any time you need a little de-stressing or a pick-me-up.

Once you have learned the elements of complete breathing, and how to breathe in a relaxed manner, your next step is to increase your lung capacity and power, as well as strengthen your torso area – the area of the body that supports breathing, posture and a healthy spine.

By combining breathing techniques with certain types of movement, you are able to enhance internal energy and lung power, while at the same time strengthening your core muscles.

You also have to focus while doing these types of exercises. So they are wonderful at helping improve your concentration and ability to focus and get things done throughout the day.

These are the exercises that make up the Dynamic Energy Routine, which is in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 2.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check these programs out. I’m positive you can benefit from these wonderful exercises.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

The Power of Being In the Moment

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There is a concept in traditional martial arts called “beginner’s mind”. The Japanese word for this is “soshin”.

As a beginner, the first time you do something you really have to concentrate and focus in order to do it correctly.

The idea of soshin is to continue to be like a beginner when p erforming various tasks. No matter how trivial a task is, retain the mindfulness of a beginner when performing it.

Have you ever engaged in some kind of creative work, or have you ever become so engrossed in doing something, like playing and laughing with your kids, that you lost all track of time?

This happened because you were living in the moment. You truly felt more alive and energized by doing it.

It’s an incredible feeling, almost a state of flow.

This is one of the things I love about the martial arts…and one of the reasons I highly recommend it for kids and adults.

During hard training, you have to concentrate 100% on the instructor’s commands and on your movements. When sparring or fighting, you have to be totally focused on your opponent and your own strategy and tactics.

During these times, I lose all sense of obligations and responsibilites outside of the training hall.

I stop worrying about what needs to get done, or the latest problem or issue. Although these things await me, for the moment I can just …. be. And enjoy!

Performing conscious breathing, or other types of breathing exercises, can help you create these moments of presence.

When you focus on your breathing and on how your body feels in response to the breathing, you are in the moment.

And at least for this moment, you forget about responsibilities, issues, and demands.

You stop dwelling on health problems or aches and pains. And you help yourself to relax and feel calmer, more centered, and more in control…regardless of what is going on around you.

Breathing exercises and being in the moment are not instant cures for all that ails you. But awareness of your breathing and of the present moment can help you lead a calmer, more relaxed and healthier life. It can imbue everything you do with more power.

I encourage you to put these concepts to work by making them a regular part of your life.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

http://www.BestBreathingExercises.comcom

P.S. Discover how you can use your breathing to enter a state of effortless flow and power with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate. The movements coupled with complete breathing will invigorate, rejuvenate and relax your body, mind and spirit. Pick up your own program CD’s at the Best Breathing Exercises website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

Three Steps to Breathing – and Living! – On Purpose

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If you want to live bigger and better, with more energy and enthusiasm, vim and vigor, all you need to do is…breathe.

Your breathing practice can be as simple as 10 deep, complete breaths in the morning when you first wake up.

If you integrate conscious, focused breathing with your physical exercise, you are furthering your mastery of your breathing…AND transforming your exercise sessions into something a whole lot more powerful and beneficial.

And, if you invest a little time in learning various types of breathing techniques, you will have a tool and a resource you can use to enhance your health, improve your stamina and power, and increase your mental focus and clarity.

Unfortunately, most people don’t even bother with the first step: doing some deep breathing every day.

An even smaller percentage get to steps 2 and 3.

You may think you don’t have the time to learn such things. Or you may be concerned that, in order to correctly perform breathing exercises, you have to be at a certain level of physical fitness.

Perhaps you’re worried you will have to twist your body into contorted positions or chant or something.

I’m not making this up! These are objections I have actually heard from people.

This is part of what motivated me to make proper breathing instruction and breathing exercises more accessible to people, including those who may not be interested in doing yoga or learning chi kung or tai chi, but would still like the benefits of such practices.

A lot of information on breathing and energy practices make it all seem so esoteric and so mysterious that you need a degree in Chinese medicine, or advanced abilities as a yogi, to fully understand and benefit.

Not so!

The first, very accessible step, is to learn a few basic techniques.

Then apply your breathing skills to every day situations, such as: exercising; sitting in traffic; sitting in a boring meeting; relaxing and calming yourself before bedtime.

Here’s an excellent question from a Dear Reader:

Hey Karen,

I faithfully practice outside every morning. I’m a very recently retired Personal Trainer, but proper breathing is something I’ve ignored over the years, other than when a client was lifting a weight. My question is – When I inhale, how long do I hold the breath? Or is it simply, like yoga, as long as I’m feeling comfortable?

I want to thank you for the updates. They really help.

Al

KVN: Thanks for your question, Al. And great to hear that you do your exercises outside every morning. It’s a great way to start the day, isn’t it?

Now, in answer to your question: it depends.

It depends on your purpose for the breathing exercises you are doing.

At a very basic level, breathing techniques can be grouped into ones that help open up and relax your breathing spaces, and help you get grounded and centered.

Other techniques help to balance your breathing. Still others are used to increase breath control, lung power, and the generation of power, such as techniques used to increase power and speed in the martial arts.

You can find a rational, effective progression of these types of breathing exercises and techniques in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volumes 1 and 2. (And you can take advantage of a special price and extra bonus when you order both programs together. For details, please go to the Dynamic Energy Exercise Course page.)

When you hold your breath for longer than 4 to 8 seconds, you are using breath retention techniques.

Hindu and Taoist masters developed breath locks, or “bandas” to help improve their ability to retain their breath for longer and longer periods of time.

This was done, in part, as a meditative aid.

Breath retention techniques are also used to help develop breath control and internal power. These types of techniques are practiced in traditional martial arts to develop maximum power and focus in the practitioners’ strikes and kicks, as well as make the practitioner more resistant – or even impervious – to blows from their opponent.

For your own breath practice, you should perform most breathing techniques as Al described: be comfortable in your breathing.

This means getting into and maintaining a rhythm of inhalation and exhalation, and letting the pauses between the inhale and exhale occur naturally.

The main thing is to balance your inhalation and exhalation.

For example, an excellent rhythm that works well for most people is 4:2:4:2. In other words, inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 4, hold for 2.

You can do multiples of these to extend your breathing. So, you could inhale for 8, hold for 4, exhale for 8, hold for 4. You get the picture.

If your goal is to develop better breath control, you can add breath retention exercises into the mix. Generally speaking, you should do some balanced breathing first, as a warm up.

Then move into breath holding, performing 5 to 10 repetitions of each exercise.

Here, you should push yourself a little bit. Not to the point that you are gasping for air when you finally breathe. But gradually, over time, extend your hold on the inhale or exhale.

For an excellent workout, add dynamic tension to your breath holding, as well as exhalations against resistance. You will work up a sweat in no time!

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

What Can Doing Your Taxes Teach You About Better Fitness?

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Well, tomorrow is one of the least favorite days for American taxpayers.

It’s the final day to submit your tax returns without incurring a penalty – unless you have already filed for an extension. And even if you get an extension, you still have to pay what you THINK you owe by tomorrow…or be hit with another penalty.

I was reminded of tax day during this morning’s trip to our local post office. I dropped off some orders I was shipping to customers, nd couldn’t help but notice that the line at the counter was longer than normal.

When I lived in Northern Virginia, I used to ship my orders from the Merrifield Regional post office. This post office was -and is – featured on the local, and sometimes even national, news every year on tax day. It’s incredible to see people in a long traffic jam, using the improvised drive-through that the post office sets up. It beats trying to get inside, where it’s wall-to-wall people.

The post office stays open until midnight, for those brave people who wait until the ultimate last minute to do their taxes.

I’ve never understood this obsession with waiting until the last minute to mail in your taxes. Some people do it deliberately, and with pride, every year…year after year.

I guess it’s their way of “stickin’ it to the man”, not giving up a blessed cent, nor filling out those dastardly forms, until the last possible moment.

The annual tax deadline is instructive. It demonstrates how much more efficient you can be when you have a deadline — either self-imposed or mandated from some external force, such as the long arm of the tax man.

For example, I usually complete my taxes by the end of February or early March.

Because preparing taxes is such a tedious process, I break down  the overall task into smaller steps: gather the statements and records I need; organize everything; complete the P&L statement and document deductions; complete the returns on Turbotax; file everything away.

Doing this in steps involved a little time each day over a period of a week or so. Not a terrible process – but not terribly efficient, either.

This year, however, I procrastinated…and had to complete my taxes this weekend. With my back against the wall, I cranked through the record gathering, organization, calculations and statements, and completed and filed my tax returns within about three hours.Plus I also cleaned out old records and reorganized files and folders so I am better organized for the coming year.

What had taken me a week or more to get done in previous years…I completed in only a few hours this year.

Talk about the power of a deadline!

The deadline is a powerful tool to apply to any important action you want to take – or know you should take – to improve your life or your health.

As an example, you may be good about working out on a regular basis.

But you may begin your workout without a plan as to what you are going to do, and how long your workout is going to last. So you may dawdle and do less effective exercises. You may not reach the level of intensity you need to, for long enough, to propel yourself forward toward your fitness and health goals.

As an alternative, even if you have all the time in the world for your next workout (is that true of anyone anymore?), try setting a time limit for yourself.

Set a deadline of one hour from now and get going.

You’ll immediately notice a significant change in your approach. You’ll be forced to plan what you are going to do, and for how long.

You may budget 10 minutes for warming up, then move into a more intense cardio workout for 20 minutes. Then you will spend 20 minutes on strength training, followed by 10 minutes to cool down and stretch.

Of course, you can train in such a way as to combine these separate activities as well. A lot of that is driven by your breathing, and with the level of intensity you bring to each activity and exercise. This approach is what I teach in the Best Breathing Exercises programs.

With a deadline-driven approach, you don’t have time to dawdle or dilly-dally. You automatically move from exercise to exercise with more efficiency. You focus better, and you get more done in one hour than you might have achieved in two hours during your “old” way of working out.

This approach offers an outstanding way to increase the quality, intensity – and results – of your fitness program, or any other endeavor that is important to you.

You Can Do It!

 

 

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The great copywriter, John Carlton, is fond of saying, “The deadline is mankind’s greatest invention – because without it, nothing would ever get done!” Use this powerful tool in your own life and see how much more focused and productive you become.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012

The Best Time and Place to Exercise

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Is there a best time of the day to do your deep breathing and dynamic exercises?

As far as I am concerned, any time is a great time to allow yourself the luxury of a few deep, relaxed breaths.

Taking little “micro-breaks” of 5 to 10 deep breaths throughout the day is a great way to re-charge and re-focus yourself during a busy day. Or a boring day, for that matter.

When it comes to developing a daily habit or routine, though, I think it is immensely helpful to schedule your breathing or other exercise at the same time every day.

This allows your body and brain to become programmed to expect the exercise. Which helps you become more consistent and regular.

I highly recommend doing your deep breathing exercises first thing in the morning, after arising.

In the Dynamic Energy Routine in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II  I actually call the first series of exercises, “Greet the Day”. Because that is exactly what you are doing.

You face east, toward the rising sun, and soak up the sun’s brilliance, energy, and the promise of a new day. This mental component, combined with the breathing and movements, is guaranteed to have you energized and rarin’ to go in just minutes.

Better yet, whenever possible, try to do your breathing exercises outdoors, in the fresh air. Getting close to nature adds a dimension that helps you benefit even more from your practice.

It also carries you closer to that spiritual or divine part in each of us. You are humbled by nature’s beauty…yet at the same time elevated, because you are part of it too. 

Well, I know you are already off and running today. Be sure to give yourself the gift of a few minutes of deep breathing and relaxation today. 

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Deep breathing and inner awareness are important tools that can transform your attitude and energy and enable you to move more joyfully and powerfully through each day.

I highly encourage you to begin a morning routine of deep breathing. Better yet, put some of the dynamic energy exercises I teach to work, such as those in the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II. Pick up your copy today at  the Best Breathing Exercises website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2012