Got a good whuppin in the choppe last Sunday, was out of breath after making it out and missed out on some good chunks. It was a wake up call to get into better shape. I swim laps and do some bike riding and circuit training for cardio, but need to step up the intensity and decrease consumption of crap food and alcohol. It's easy math, and so is the part about getting older and having to do more to keep the metabolism at a healthy rate. That got me thinking just how important the breath is, not only while surfing and engaging in other physically demanding activities, but how if you can control it, you can control your level of stress to a certain extent in heavy wipeouts, and on dry land during confrontations (physical or social or traffic related lol). I do meditation on breath, along with alternate breathing and underwater training while swimming in a pool and in the ocean. Used to do pranamyana but feel it is too sketchy to do without a teacher present. I read a book a few months ago, "Breath" by Tim Winton, an award winning Australian writer about some groms learning to surf in giant remote waves, and won't give the rest away but it is an awesome read. It takes breathing, and the lack thereof, to a whole new level. Laird has an hour long interview/ video I'm watching on breathing, just started it. So I was wondering if any of you out there do breathing stuff, and what results have you gotten. What your thoughts are. Thanks!
Hate to say this, but get rid of the alcohol--that is your biggest obstacle to being fit. If you smoke, that has to stop as well. I did stop both long time ago. I will, however have one (1) glass of wine, only when we go out to dinner about once a month at best.
Google, "breathe-up technique." It's what spearos do to get good breath-holds for longer bottom time. It reduces the chance of blackout (there's ALWAYS a chance), and if you combine it with the ability to relax and lower your heart rate, it will build confidence and skills to survive sketchy situations. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I actually do it almost every night, once the lights are out. It actually helps me fall asleep.
https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/stress-anxiety/breathing-three-exercises/ I have also heard people talk about the 4-7-8 technique for falling asleep
if you have asthma or nasal congestion this mad russian named buteyko came up with a good program also http://www.buteyko.co.uk/
Laird refers to him as a breathing pioneer in his video. Ever heard of Dr Paul Bragg, he did a deep brain breathing (head below heart, holding breath for a while) to oxygenate the brain, also ate only raw foods. I think he taught Jack Lallane.
Day 4 of no drinks, but I'll still partake in moderation during the weekends. Speaking of breath Barry, go blow it out your ass.
See how nasty you get with just 4 days of being dry??!!?? hahahahaha!!! Try for a month....you will be unbearable!
Sounds to me like someone is being confronted/ coming to terms with their own mortality. I’m not being an ass hat either. I’m just shy of 48 myself and the topic of mortality is a common one among my older friends. No doubt Barry, Dos XX, and the other senior statesmen of this site have a lot to say on this topic.
Yoga. Sure it has other benefits. The stretching and muscle and general workout. But in my opinion, the hardest part is the breathing. And its often overlooked. Its not just contorting your body, its putting your body in this positions and controlling your breath. Deep smooth controlled breath. Once i started focusing on the breathing i noticed big improvements in the water. Second thing i do is a mix between meditation and breathing exercise. Ill lay on my back, relax, and breath in for 10 seconds, then out for 10 seconds. Slowly increasing the time. Again, always slow smooth controlled breath. Ill do this after yoga and/or meditation. Nothing crazy or out there. Not too difficult. But noticed improvements for sure.
I do yoga twice a week, gentle hatha. My teacher told me the hardest pose is the corpus pose, you just breathe. The monkey mind is a terrible thing. When you can overcome the attachment to sensations and go inward, you gain control and insight. Half effort, half surrender. It's kept me from serious injury in the water during kookery.
Well, it is family that makes me conscious of mortality. They still need me, especially since my grand-daughter arrived 18 months ago. So, I continue to earn money trading, helping my daughter with some overwhelming bills (new car, medical, etc) until her and her husband stabilize the work situation, which is presently in good progress, happy to report. Surfing keeps me alive as does cycling and the gym, good diet, and my wife. Life is great now at the Cuda Home....thank god...
Lap swimming provides the opportunity to work on breath control. As kids, we used to hold our breath driving through tunnels. Sometimes I still do that.
