Have You Tried The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise?

                    

This Christmas we are all going to get a bit stressed.

Perhaps you will not be able to do your usual workout and your routine is disrupted.

You can however do this breathing exercise to relax you before you verbalise your stress in an unhelpful way!

The 4–7–8 Breathing Technique

This breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil is a great way to elicit the relaxation response that gets more effective over time.

It is a direct influencer on the Autonomic nervous system, shifting energy from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic system, with many physiological benefits, including lowered blood pressure and heart rate, increased circulation to the extremities and skin, and improved digestion. 

It can also help you let go of emotional upset and cravings.

How to do the 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise

1. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind and above your front teeth and keep it there through the whole exercise.

2. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

3. Close your mouth and inhale deeply and quietly through the nose to a (silent) count of 4.

4. Hold your breath for a count of 7.

5. Exhale audibly through your mouth to a count of 8.

6. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 for a total of four breaths.

This breathing practice can be done in any position; if seated, keep your back straight. 

Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. 

The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation.

The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. 

If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases.

Practice the exercise at least twice a day and, in addition, whenever you feel stressed, anxious, or off centre.

Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice but repeat the exercise as often as you wish.

After a month, if you are comfortable with it, increase to eight breaths each time.

Dr Andy Weil, the Bulletproofbodies team salute you.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsTIyXL-dEsFRXTGbSuOcOA

Four Daily Mobility Drills For Athletes

            

Over the Christmas Period you will be sitting for long periods either in front of the TV, driving to somewhere or doing a “Sam Briggs” style Marathon Row on Christmas Day.

All of which are sitting!

So take 2 minutes out of your busy schedule to mobilise your body with the following 4 exercises:

1.     Passive to Active Hang

2.     Jefferson curl down

3.     Deep Squat and Reach

4.     Easy Bridge

1. Passive to active hang

The passive part of the hang stretches the muscles of the Pectorals and Lat Dorsi.

The active part of the hang isometrically strengthens the depressors of the scapula.

2. The Jefferson Curl or controlled roll down

This is a controlled global spinal flexion exercise that starts in the standing position. 

You then put your chin on your chest and spinally flex from cervical, through Thoracic then finally into Lumbar.

3.     Deep Squat and Reach

Squat down as deep as you can.

For balance you might need to hold onto something for balance.

Reach up with one arm and rotate your Torso towards that arm.

4.     Easy Bridge

This is a tough exercise if you are tight on your anterior structures (Pecs, Abs, Hip Flexors and Quads).

Sit on the floor with your hands behind you and fingers facing away.

Bend your knees at 90 degrees.

In one movement, lift up your pelvis as high as you can and at the same time push down through straight arms and extend your shoulders.

Whatever you are doing, try these 4 mobility drills for 30 seconds each. 

That’s only 2 minutes per round.

Try 2-3 Rounds for optimal benefit.

Get mobilising!

Video: https://www.youtube.com/user/Calisthenicmovement

Improve Your Multi-Rep Deadlifts

                   

Deadlifting is important for every athlete.

The Hip Hinge movement is used in many movements including Deadlifts, Good Mornings and Kettle Bell Swings.

Many of these movements will be performed many times with the stresses of speed, load, intensity and the resulting fatigue.

So how do we keep hip hinge function optimal for multi-rep movements.

What is a Hip Hinge?

The hinge involves a flexion/extension movement that originates in the hips and involves a posterior weight shift.  When done correctly, it can be one of the more powerful movement patterns you can perform.

Often considered one of the primal movement patterns (one that we are all physiologically designed to execute with ease), the hip hinge offers many benefits:

It opens up hamstring flexibility and offers mobility through the hip joint

Builds symmetry and reduces injury

Shortens the learning curve when introducing more complex movements/exercises

Serves as a great assessment to diagnose flexibility/mobility issues as well as a weak or unstable core area

Is great for un-doing some of the damage that prolonged sitting can do to the body

Unfortunately, many people have no concept on how to hinge properly or disregard the movement as unnecessary because of it looks too “simple.”

But, as legendary strength coach and author Dan John said, 

“The truth is, the hinge, in its own right, is more powerful than the squat.”

How To Hip Hinge:

The first thing to understand is the difference between a hinge and a squat:

Squat: Maximal knee bend and maximal hip bend

Hinge: Minimal knee bend and maximal hip bend

https://www.johnsonfitness.com/blog/awesome-exercises-you-need-to-be-doing-the-hip-hinge/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMeXmOqG2vE