I’ve come to a reluctant realization and startling conclusion at my age, that being, that I’ve been breathing incorrectly all my life!
- Firstly, when exercising, breathe through my mouth. Usually training tough intermediate distances, like 440s, and cross country run.
- Indoor sports was always boxing right up to university! Notice that in any gym workouts, my breathing intake is through the mouth.
- We are designed with our complicated body process, to breathe through our noses and out through our noses!
- This sets in motion genetic expressions that go back eons! The Nitric Oxide dump generated is highly beneficial to our cardio system and in a myriad of other ways.
Years ago, when I watched the ‘Ice Man’ (Wim Hof) accomplish ‘miraculous’ feats of endurance, in both cold and hot environments, I should have caught on to his nasal breathing technique.
Both Sig Severinsen and Wim Hof combat extremely cold temperatures and hyperthermia.
It is my personal belief that:
- cold shock proteins involved, and even the development of brown fat are all forms of hormesis. This presents the human body with challenges at the cellular level.
- As 18th. century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche foretold: that which does not kill us makes us stronger.
- He had no concept then about our intricate and fascinating biochemistry, but the philosophical principle is so sound!
- Could be both these ‘Ice Men’ rapid fat burn offsetting freezing temperatures. Also may have brown fat protection.
- Furless northern animals must evolutionarily have developed recent protection for our offspring. Human migration from the heat of Africa is but a dot in evolution!
- In cold environments, the shock of delivery for the infant into a substantially cold environment requires preservation qualities. Our infants seem to have this ability!
Are we able to capitalize on this latent quality? It seems yes and two qualities: a standard use of breathing in AND out through the nose. AND a training method that includes some form of Hypoxia!
I believe the best Hypoxia training is breathing OUT and holding. This breath-holding is usually accompanied by walking to keep time on how long you can hold it. I have improved that distance substantially over time!
Breathing IN and holding almost marginal consequence. But if one is already trained, the intake provides oxygen for feats such as accomplished by Stig Severinsen in the video below! This is because of adjustment for maximum efficient use of oxygen. Also breathing techniques just before water entry maximizes the amount of oxygen in the human system. Turbo-Charge Breathing and Breath Holding!
