Kyle Zange
I started in the fitness industry in 2015 as a Personal Trainer. Almost 9 years later I am a Human Foundations practitioner, a Pilates/Yoga instructor, a breathwork coach, and a Functional Mobility coach. My experience has taught me what method of training works best for the individual rather than a one size fits all answer. Here, I want to share what I've learned and build a community training clients online.
It's raining. You're driving in the dark on the highway. There's cars all around you. You squeeze your steering wheel as your windshield wipers desperately try to get the water out of the way. How are you breathing right now?
What Breath Does to Your BodyThe average person breathes 15 breaths per minute. That's a 2 second inhale and a 2 second exhale. To put that into perspective you would be breathing 21,600 breaths per day. 70% of oxygen is absorbed in the bottom 20% of your lungs. Let's be fair and say, in those 2 seconds of inhaling, 5% gets to the bottom. Of the 10,800 inhales, only 540 are oxygenating your body per day. Terrifying. Every inhale and exhale your body takes changes your chemistry. Your blood oxygen level, your PH balance, and your nervous system are in constant flux on each breath. Ask yourself: Am I in rest and digest? Or in fight or flight? Check how fast you're breathing right now. Is it:
Most people are shallow breathers. Meaning they live their lives in fight or flight. What does this mean? Fight or Flight (The Sympathetic State)Imagine you are running from a lion. Your body shifts blood away from your digestive tract and into your muscles. You now have a higher chance of surviving. Your priority is running from the lion. This is great for getting away from danger, but horrible for digesting food, building muscle, and keeping your immune system strong. When you live your life in fight or flight a lot of problems start to arise.
How Breathing HelpsThe average person breathes 15 breaths per minute. If you can lengthen your breath, you can lengthen your life. Breathing light, slow, and deep brings your nervous system into a rest and digest (Parasympathetic) state. The opposite of fight or flight. When researchers studied Russian Olympic Weightlifters they found that the lifters looked very relaxed (almost asleep) while training. They were lifting ~400lbs overhead, but it was like they were waiting for the bus. What does this tell us about training? You don't need to be hyped up on 3 scoops of pre-workout to have an effective training session. With that being said, let's go into some training methods: 3 Ways Breathwork Can Transform Your Training1. Nose BreathingNose breathing increases nitric oxide. Nitric oxide creates better circulation, better hormone balance, better everything. Nose breathing also increasing the amount of oxygen your body absorbs by allowing more air to get to the bottom of your lungs. Nose breathing is also a filter for particles so it's a win win for your immune system as well. Easy Challenge: Try to go for a brisk walk while exclusively breathing through your nose. Hard Challenge: Go for a run with a mouth full of water. Your only option is to breathe through your nose. Hate it, but it works. 2. Cadence BreathingIf you breathe at a consistent tempo, your body functions better. Erratic breathing throws off the rhythm of your heart. To do cadence breathing: start with a 3 second inhale and a 4 second exhale. Repeat with a 2 minute timer. Eventually, you want to work your way up to a 4 second inhale and a 6 second exhale (6 breaths per minute). 3. Breath HoldWhen you hold your breath, your body's CO2 increases. A higher CO2 level increases oxygen absorption. Getting comfortable with holding your breath also has many hidden psychological benefits. Test your bolt score to see what your CO2 tolerance level is. Bolt Score Test: Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale comfortably for 6 seconds, then hold AFTER THE EXHALE. Start the timer. Once your body starts fighting you to breathe, stop the timer. Aim to breathe normally after you test yourself. Gasping for air defeats the purpose of building CO2 tolerance. Practice. It takes time, but the goal is a 40 second+ bolt score. Once you're there, you'll feel new levels of relaxation unlike anything you've experienced. Next StepsIf you enjoyed this article on 3 Ways Breathwork Can Transform Your Training please share it with someone you care about. Breathing is important and we all deserve to live better lives. Check out Stay Healthy Forever - 5 Dead-Simple Exercises (Free) for ways to incorporate breathwork into your training and amplify your results.
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From Coach Kyle's Brain on 2650 N Narragansett Ave, Chicago, IL 60634 |
Kyle Zange
I started in the fitness industry in 2015 as a Personal Trainer. Almost 9 years later I am a Human Foundations practitioner, a Pilates/Yoga instructor, a breathwork coach, and a Functional Mobility coach. My experience has taught me what method of training works best for the individual rather than a one size fits all answer. Here, I want to share what I've learned and build a community training clients online.