Breathing and martial arts

[ernest]

Martial arts incorporates breathing techniques in many of its movements. I don’t see any discussion about it. I found that inhaling with the rib lift, movement 2, passively lifts the ribs cage up and puts me in the convex back position, rather than using active or muscular movement to achieve this position. Am I making a mistake doing this? and have I not gone far enough in my study to where breathing is discussed?

[Tathata Staff]

Hi Ernest,

Thank you for the great question. Bryan Hepler, the founder of Tathata, loved the reach out and has responded to your question with a video. Please click the link below to view it.

Breathing During the Golf Swing

Thanks Ernest, let us know if you have any other questions. Enjoy.

[Pete]

Hi, the breathing video link doesn’t seem to be working

[Tathata Staff]

Hi Pete, we apologize about that. You can view this video through the link below:

Breathing During the Golf Swing

[JAVIER]

Hi, I´ve seen the video on breathing and I can see the point on spontaneous breathing and not having to consciously think about it when we are swinging the club.

My point is more regarding the exercises on stretching, could you possibly expand on when to exhale or inhale during the stretching movements. I am on my day 5 only and I miss this bit on breathing. I am enjoying the program so far.

I have done other stretching exercises like Pilates and this usually is a very important topic.

Thanks, I am enjoying the program so far.

Javier from Spain

[Christine]

Also former student of martial art.

In my limited experience, breath was taught in early stages of training.

Eventually, there was no thought…it just happened.

I so appreciate your video explanation. I also needed this clarified.

[Tathata Staff]

Thank you Javier and Christine for your thoughts and comments here. Yes, we want the breathing to be more spontaneous and reactionary when we move the golf club rather than structured and exact.

This is similar to the movement routines and stretching. There are other disciplines that talk about breathing and connecting your breath to movement. One example is Vinyasa Yoga. In general, the practice teaches you to inhale when you move into a pose/stretch (move against gravity, create upward movements) and to exhale as you move out of a pose/stretch (move with gravity, create downward movements).

Neither way is right or wrong, but it simply depends on the discipline you are practicing and what you’re objective is. The conscious breathing while stretching, entering and leaving a movement, can definitely be beneficial and worth giving a try!

I hope this helps! Thank you for the great question!