If you’re really in tune with your body, you’ll know when the time is right for you to exercise and when it’s time to rest.
But, what if you’re not sure?
Sometimes, you’ll arrive wherever you train and feel good getting there, but when you start exercising you may find you’re having a hard time warming up or the stamina you need to perform.
Are you applying Olympic coach Charlie Francis’ 1-3 percent rule? Just to review, if you can’t improve today’s performance in the gym over your last workout by 1-3 percent, you don’t belong there. In fact, you’re working against yourself.
These are probably your yellow zone days, ones when we want to take advantage of pumping and movement so that you can harmonize your breathing and calm your mind, that I describe in this video.
The yellow zone I’m referring to is the between green zone (I’m fully ready to go into the gym) and red zone (I’m sore and unable to lift or train the way I normally do so I need rest).
In this video, I’ll show you some yellow zone exercises and how to pattern your breathing to facilitate movement based on respiratory mechanics. By harmonizing breathing with your movement, you’ll support peristalsis which helps your body move food more efficiently. Pumping aids your metabolism which helps detoxification.
By using lighter loads, you’re putting stress on connective tissues which causes streaming potentials or piezoelectric current which can be picked up by the body and used as available energy.
Need to know more about the mechanics of breathing and exercise so you can achieve your goals in the gym while lessening your risk of injury?
You may want to consider checking out Heavy Breathing: The Science and Practice of Respiration During Resistance Training by CHEK Faculty Member Dan Hellman and learn about three stages of rest by reviewing my book, The Last 4 Doctors You’ll Ever Need.
Love and chi,
Paul
