Breathe

We have enough things to worry about in life that actually require us to take action and intervene. Why on earth would we want to involve ourselves in something that takes care of itself naturally, such as breathing?! Yes, it’s true. Breathing happens naturally and doesn’t require any thought, BUT if we understand breathing and take time to learn how to consciously use it to our advantage, there are wild benefits. I’m about to give you a personal example from my life.

I wanted to participate in an organized cage fight for most of my adult life. I know, to most it sounds ridiculous, but hear me out. I trained for years in Brazilian jiu jitsu and later learned stand up striking through Muay Thai and Kickboxing. I like to challenge myself by putting the skill I am learning to the test, and what better way to achieve that objective than to sign up for a fight? I got brave enough to commit to that goal in 2021. At the time, I was training stand up striking 5 days per week. It took almost a year, but my coach eventually found a fight for me. When he did, I was instantly panicked. I wanted to do my absolute best, so I asked my coach what I should be doing outside of our fight training. I expected him to say strength training or running, but to my surprise, he suggested yoga. He felt I was plenty strong enough and my cardio was great, so he wanted me to work on flexibility to improve my kicks.

I had 20-25 pounds to lose before the fight, so I decided to get a membership for the hot yoga studio www.rootedtribehotyoga.com because I had read about the metabolic/weight loss benefits associated with it. I expected to lose a few pounds and turn into Stretch Armstrong, but what I really benefited most from was learning how to breathe.

In a Hot Hatha class, the temperature averages between 108 and 112 and the class is an hour long. I quickly noticed my heart would race, even when I was doing next to nothing. I wore a heart rate monitor and was shocked to see my heart rate averaging between 150-185 beats per minute throughout the slow-paced, relaxing, yet intense class. During the class, we learned to breathe to control our heart rate. This is where the magic happened for me. For the next 4 months, I attended 3-4 Hot Hatha classes per week with my sole focus on learning to breathe and control my heart rate.

There are many advanced forms of breath work that each have a different benefit. I was new to the concept, so I solely focused on keeping my inhale and exhale slow, steady and even. I counted the seconds it took to inhale, then would exhale the same number of seconds. Repeat over and over and over again, while remaining conscious and aware of my breath. When my mind would wander and I found myself thinking about my discomfort or my to do list for the day, I simply refocused my mind and came back to my breath. Inhale: 1, 2. 3. 4. Exhale: 1, 2, 3, 4. Repeat. During yoga and while practicing breath work, I also implemented visualization. I would envision healing energy coming into my body during the inhale, then imagine pain, toxins, and injury leaving my body during the exhale. I would repeat positive affirmations such as, “I am accurate, technical, and precise” during the inhale (while doing visualizations of my fight training) then I would let go of all negative, fear based, or anxiety related thoughts that came up during the exhale. This simple act kept my anxiety in check, my heart rate lower, and my energy levels higher. I took this practice back to my striking and jiu jitsu training.

Imagine the nervous energy someone about to step into a ring to fight in front of hundreds of strangers would be feeling. Yes, I was feeling all of that and probably more when fight day finally came. This kind of anxiety and adrenaline will leave a first time fighter wiped out and “gassed” before they ever step in the cage. Throughout the entire day leading up to my 6 pm fight, I utilized the breathing techniques I had learned in yoga. Inhale: 1, 2, 3, 4. Exhale: 1, 2, 3, 4. I had to keep my heart rate low and under control to avoid fatigue. I also had to keep my anxiety in check, so I didn’t go into full panic mode. When it was my turn to walk out and get into the ring, I counted my breaths in and out…keeping the same pace on the inhale and the exhale. The music was blaring, the crowd was screaming, my family and friends were jumping up and down. The energy in the room was so intense. When I got to the ring, my coaches looked at me and shook my shoulders and said, “Are you ready!? Wake up! You better get amped up!” They thought I was too calm, but they weren’t aware of the mindset work and breath work I had done leading up to the fight. I was beyond amped up, but I was being intentional with my breath. I was visualizing my combos, repeating my plan in my head, and counting my breaths. I ended up fighting all three rounds. There wasn’t a time during my fight when I looked nervous, frazzled, or flustered. I remained calm and in control, all because of my breath work. For the record, I won my fight and it was an amazing experience; probably one of my most memorable and proud moments, really. I don’t believe it would have been as enjoyable, or had a positive of a result if I hadn’t learned the value of intentional breathing,

Where else can we utilize breathing in life? Simple. Anytime you need to alleviate stress, tension, anxiety, or fear. You can also practice it when you have some quiet time. I like to be intentional with my breath while showering, before sitting down to read, before I go to sleep, or before I jump on an important call. It is a great way to get centered and reconnected with the present moment.

Where in life can you stand to be more calm, peaceful, and focused? That is where you should start breathing. :-)

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” Oprah Winfrey