i feel that breathingis one of the most important aspects of martial arts. why? because everything needs fuel, and during aerobic activity, air acts as a fuel, providing muscles with oxygen and preventing the formation of lactic acid (soreness) im sure there are other things that it effects to like the oxygen in the blood, and the heart that pumps it.

okay, im twit when it comes to education (for the moment) but i know what i know, and i have a few theories as well as many questions.

im sure many of you have heard of reverse breathing, or taoist breathing, buddhist breathing etc. My question for this topic is,
what do you feel is the importance of the breath, and breathing, in martial arts? do you practice any specific methods of breathing? or do you breathe naturally, and what does this do for you? how does it benefit you, why do you do it?. or do you think that chi gung and breathing is a load of crap and you dont really believe in that sort of stuff, well then, why?

come on now, feel free to state your opinion on internal breathing.

Breathing is everything!

Read this:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sonnon19.htm

your gonna love this robert!

Go to Dragondoor and look up 'Pavel Breathing' and see what you find. He's got a lot of ideas about breathing and abdominal tension as they apply to exertion/force/strength/and yes hitting things.

breathing is very important to martial arts (and driving). I've found that if I do not breathe for 4 minutes I pass out.

I'd like to see you hold your breath for 8-10 minutes sometime. Then your posts here would be really funny!

I don't get it Charles. Could you explain?

If I passout after holding my breath for 4 minutes... my determination to continue to hold my breath being overriden by my body's 'shut-down/reboot' feature. How would holding my breath 8-10minutes make my posts here 'really funny'?

You obviously don't appreciate how seriously I take myself.

Laughing and joking for men is basically like crying and shoppging for women- sure, they say they feel better afterwards- but wouldn't the world be a better place if they just friggin' got over that weakness?

Bob#2

There are two types of breathing suited to martial arts.

One is moving your body to the breath and the other is moving the breathe to your body.

Forms enable you to train yourself to recognize internal rhythm. Therefore, when you finish your form you should not be out of breath - You are to move to your breathing rhythm.

In kung fu, one always acts to patterns. These patterns are either internal or external.

Moving your body to your breath is acting to an internal pattern.

Moving your breath to your body is acting to an external pattern.

Sparring or fighting, you cannot wait for a breath to occur and move to it. Thus, you adapt your breathing pattern to your movements.

Form, you adapt your movements to you breathing pattern.


In general, kung fu practice should be conducted in a silent environment, that is no external talking or rhythmic sounds that may confuse internal rhythm. You are programming subconscious movement. Done correctly, you can remember by using the intelligence of the spine to recall movement and events and knowledge.

When applying technique on the performance level their should be a mix of sound and movement.

There are three levels of kung fu workout.

Learning

Practicing

Performing

I can elaborate but this may be elemental to most. If not you need merely request and I will continue.

xing, please continue to post and add your knowledge to this site. You are one of the 4-5 people that keep this site intellectual.
thank-you,
Jill