Every day, all over the world, in every inhabited place, people are doing this.  They do it every minute of every day, and if they don’t, then bad things happen. It’s crucial for digestion, relaxation, removing toxins, and for life.  It is, quite obviously, breathing.

It’s something that we do all the time, often without thinking about it, and it’s something that many people find terrifying to do without, even for a very short period of time.  Tim Anderson describes it as the ultimate core exercise, and people like Wym Hof use it to take control of their nervous system.  In short, if you’re breathing well, then good things tend to happen: if you’re breathing badly, then all sorts of negative things will almost definitely follow.

One of the cool things that was described during the Original Strength Foundations 2 workshop that I was fortunate to attend earlier this year, was that they described the way the core unit works.  Dr. Mike Musselman, and Joe Sansolone talked us through the connection between the diaphragm, the pelvic floor, and the musculature that encompasses the space between (transversus abdomens, and multifidis).  Using this unit correctly is critically important for a range of things, including a healthy pelvic floor, safe movement with load, and avoiding a whole range of negative symptoms (reflux being towards the bottom of a chain that, in terms of symptoms, is relatively long and gets very serious towards the other end…).

Breathing well is something that we prioritise at QKB.  Every session starts with it, and many sessions are peppered with deliberate breathing throughout.  It preps us for strong movement, it preps us for graceful movement, and it sets the stage for doing the other things that we like to do safely, and effectively.

So how can you apply this to your life?  In the video below, Tim Anderson takes you through a simple drill that can help you to harness the incredible power of diaphragmatic breathing to help you start to utilise your core effectively.  Commit to 5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing twice per day for the next two weeks, and you will experience a measurable difference in how you feel as you move through the world both physically, and emotionally.

Queensland Kettlebells is a Brisbane gym that values strength and being able to move well long into the future. If you’re keen on learning more, come along to our next beginner kettlebell workshop or contact us today for an introductory kettlebell session.