Breathing: Master It or It Will Master You

All movement is a constant symphony between tension and relaxation, yet very few people recognize the important role breathing has in controlling the balance of tension and relaxation that keeps the symphony moving along.

If you hold your breath your body will reflexively tighten, when you exhale or sigh your body will reflexively relax. Slow steady breathing accompanies calmness. Erratic breathing accompanies panic. Forceful breathing accompanies powerful movement. By learning to control your breathing to be tense, relaxed or powerful at the appropriate times and you can better control your state of mind and your body.

Breathing for Safety and Performance

When used properly breathing will simultaneously increase safety and your ability to produce force. As a general rule of thumb

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I often have new students or prospects inquire about the benefits of kettlebells for their back health.  I’ve had the honor of helping many people with a wide range of back issues build healthier backs and many have reported reduced pain, sometimes within a single session or even with a single cue.  However… I feel it is important to point out that there’s nothing magical about the kettlebell, the magic resides in the right combination of the individual and the methods you bring to your training.

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The kettlebell swing is an amazing and perhaps perfect exercise all by itself, but variety is the spice of life. Perhaps the best form of variety is just improving your mastery of the swing, getting stronger and swinging bells of all sizes better, but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up a bit and throw in element of surprise.

For this reason I’ve compiled a brief list of some of my favorite non-kettlebell exercises I enjoy pairing with the swing to turn up the heat.

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