Using the Tri-Breath™ techniques, this exercise is really a posture-enhancing exercise that just happens to open-up the lungs and chest, strengthens the shoulders, and flattens and tones the abdominal region. If you're a walker, you can do it anytime you walk and benefit greatly, but if you're a runner (one of my favourite quotes is, "For the body to run well, the body must run!") and your bloods a pumpin' and the oxygen's a flowin', the benefits are no less than life-changing.

If you're not aware of the 'stationary air' contained within the lungs, I would suggest you have a read of Diaphragm Breathing to fully understand why this technique thumps. If you're a walker, it will benefit you greatly (depending on what rhythm you're using) to draw your tummy in towards your spine on every explosive breath-out (exhalation). If you have just finished running, your body will do this automatically.

So next time before you finish your run, and you've only got a couple of hundred metres to go, increase your speed and open-up till you reach your finish line. Why do open-up or speed up before you reach your finish line?

Because we all know it's not the distance that we run that gives our heart the greatest benefit, it's the variation in our heart-rhythm or tempo that produces the lasting physical endurance and fitness in the body.

Using either the 3-step or the 5-step Tri-Breath™ breathing rhythm, concentrate on using the arms to pull-in the implosive energy on the inhalation, and push-out the explosive energy on the exhalation. As you focus on your arms pumping, increase the distance of your stride and concentrate on pulling the air down-deep into the diaphragm.

Stay with the technique In through the nose – out through the nose or the mouth!

As soon as you stop running, start walking and move straight into the 3-step breathing rhythm if you're not already using it.

Then…

Clasp your fingers together (Image 1)

Lift your arms above your head (Image 2)

Keep your hands about ½ inch away from the back of your skull (Image 3).

Most importantly, keep your chin-up as you feel the compression situated at the meeting point of the back-of-the-head and the neck. This area is esoterically known as the "Gates of Consciousness".

On the two beats in (inhalation), lift from the pubic bone and keep your fingers clasped, but relaxed, as you pull your elbows back allowing the chest to open-up.

On the explosive breath-out, pull your stomach in and make a noise! Force a grunt, or an arrrhhhh (whatever feels natural to you) to come out from your throat.

Making a noise will allow tension that is held in the chest to release. You may feel as though the body wants to vomit. Go with it! This is one of the secrets to releasing stale air. Ninety-nine per cent of the time only air will come out, and after five or six grunts you will feel awesome. Refreshed! Pumping!

What you have done is allow the body to move stationary air around and out of the lungs. If a little food does come up, you're eating the wrong food at the wrong time before you exercise.

As a rule-of-thumb, finish eating at least 30 - 45 minutes before you exercise and only eat fruit, vegies or light carbohydrates before hand. Remember, be gentle with yourself, keep your chin-up, hands clasped together but relaxed, and allow the body to make noise.

Set yourself a starting goal of 20 metres working up to what ever feels right for you.

Try it, it works!

With your health and vitality in mind,

Holistic Health Instructor

Disclaimer: All information on this web site is for informational purposes only. Under no circumstance is any product on this site intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Please contact a medical doctor to diagnose and treat any medical condition.ppp