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breathing techniques in general

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
so we're at one of our pregnancy classes last night and they stressed deep, even breathing to push oxygen further into the lungs, control heartrate as reasonably as possible, control pain, etc.

I'm thinking, "how is this new? In ever sport I've participated in, this is what I was taught and how I survived."

Come to find out, Lamaze technique stresses shallow, quick breathing.

So, my question is... is there any sport, activity, pain management, whatever where there is value to quick, shallow breaths? What am I missing (since that's a popular technique and maybe I can apply it in some fashion with cycling or something)?
 

urbaindk

The Real Dr. Science
Jul 12, 2004
4,819
0
Sleepy Hollar
So, my question is... is there any sport, activity, pain management, whatever where there is value to quick, shallow breaths? What am I missing (since that's a popular technique and maybe I can apply it in some fashion with cycling or something)?
Swimming maybe? You don't want to spend too much time with your head sticking out the water if you want to swim efficiently. Seems like short and shallow is the way to go.
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
so we're at one of our pregnancy classes last night and they stressed deep, even breathing to push oxygen further into the lungs, control heartrate as reasonably as possible, control pain, etc.
I found, when I was pregnant and riding with a heart rate monitor, that deep breaths definitely controlled my heart rate. We didn't do the Lamaze thing either because I wasn't interested in the he-he-he quick breathing thing.
 

urbaindk

The Real Dr. Science
Jul 12, 2004
4,819
0
Sleepy Hollar
Quick short breathing via Lamaze has actually lead to some expectant mothers hyperventilating - no lie.

IMHO, skip Lamaze and take a Bradley method class - much more informative. Worked well for us!

http://www.bradleybirth.com
Based on the research we did, that was our conclusion as well, though I don't know that that was what LO was asking. My wife wanted to do "hypnobabies" so we did. It was very similar to Bradley as far as the breathing and relaxation goes, but the actual hypnosis was sort of a joke. Even so, it seemed to work. There was pain but it was managable. (Hypnobabies tells you you won't experience pain, but that's a big ol' lie.) We were able to relax her way through the first 9cm of dilation at home before heading to the hospital and the delivery was 100% natural, if you call a hospital natural, and drug free as well.
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
Quick short breathing via Lamaze has actually lead to some expectant mothers hyperventilating - no lie.

IMHO, skip Lamaze and take a Bradley method class - much more informative. Worked well for us!

http://www.bradleybirth.com
We're already taking hypnobabies, but thanks for the link!
Forget these fancy breathing techniques---they're crap. When the moment arrives, you'll do whatever gets you through it.
So not true at all :rolleyes:

Why not develop skills and techniques to help you manage pain?

When I dislocated my shoulder, I went into a semi-hypnotic state and slowed my breathing -- something I learned in judo competition -- my doctor was very apprecitive as it made his job easier and I wasn't in pain.

My wife is applying techniques she learned in yoga.
 

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Based on the research we did, that was our conclusion as well, though I don't know that that was what LO was asking. My wife wanted to do "hypnobabies" so we did. It was very similar to Bradley as far as the breathing and relaxation goes, but the actual hypnosis was sort of a joke. Even so, it seemed to work. There was pain but it was managable. (Hypnobabies tells you you won't experience pain, but that's a big ol' lie.) We were able to relax her way through the first 9cm of dilation at home before heading to the hospital and the delivery was 100% natural, if you call a hospital natural, and drug free as well.
Cool, we had the same result - 8cm upon arrival and drug free birth. Mo said it was intense, but the relaxation/breathing really got her in "the zone", as she said.
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
In one of Ryan Leech's videos you see that when he does some unhuman trials move, he takes several short shallow breaths.

I took particular note of that because I've spent a lot of time trying (ie: failing) to learn basic trials moves and I found I had a tendency to hold my breath.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
Swimming maybe? You don't want to spend too much time with your head sticking out the water if you want to swim efficiently. Seems like short and shallow is the way to go.
nope, this isn't the case. I used to swim competitively, and you want to take as deep of a breath as possible. Because your face spends most of the time submerged, this is when you want to breath out, SLOWLY. When you do turn your head to breath in, you want to open your mouth as much as possible to allow as deep a breath as possible in the short time span you can breathe in. Swimming is a high aerobic exercise, so its easy to go into oxygen debt. If you breathe short and shallow, you will hyperneate yourself - which is bad because you're in the water and can drown.

That being said, during competitions some sprinters intentionally hyperventilate prior to the start of an event so that during the race, they don't have to breathe at all (which slows you down).
 

Cru Jones

Turbo Monkey
Sep 2, 2006
3,025
2
Hell Track
When I ran cross country and track in college there was a book out at the time that suggested it was more efficient to breath through your nose, instead of your mouth (or combination of mouth and nose) like most high intensity athletes do. The technique was long, deep breaths initiated at the top of the throat. I remember something about trying to make a more darth vader sound instead of a nasal sound when you breath.

When I first tried it, I thought it was crazy. I couldn't run more than a few blocks keeping my mouth shut and breathing through my nose. But, eventually, I was able to do whole runs just breathing through my nose.

I did that for awhile, but then just went back to normal breathing because I didn't notice a benefit .
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,022
Sleazattle
nope, this isn't the case. I used to swim competitively, and you want to take as deep of a breath as possible. Because your face spends most of the time submerged, this is when you want to breath out, SLOWLY. When you do turn your head to breath in, you want to open your mouth as much as possible to allow as deep a breath as possible in the short time span you can breathe in. Swimming is a high aerobic exercise, so its easy to go into oxygen debt. If you breathe short and shallow, you will hyperneate yourself - which is bad because you're in the water and can drown.

That being said, during competitions some sprinters intentionally hyperventilate prior to the start of an event so that during the race, they don't have to breathe at all (which slows you down).
When riding I'll hyperventalate for a few breaths before hitting a short steep hill. It can delay oxygen deprivation and can be the difference between making a climb or not.