Re: Breathing

Scott Lemley wrote:

> Breathing. Now we're talking, Ruth. If "balance" is our mantra, slow,
> deep breathing is the core of our daily practice.
>
> I know, I know, many of you will say "What's he talking about!? I'm
> conscious of my breathing! What's the big deal? Everyone breathes!"
> But you're not really conscious of your breathing. Not unless you
> practice breathing as an art form. Breathing for most of us is
> involuntary . . . unless you MAKE it voluntary. That's when breathing
> becomes something very powerful.
>
> This was my 4th year coaching the LHS swim team. The graduating
> seniors and I started with the program at the same time. When our boys
> won the state meet a couple weeks ago (for the first time in the
> school's long history) it was a very sweet moment. We also won the
> Sportsmanship Award. That was even sweeter.
>
> For 4 years now I've started every high school practice with 10 slow
> deep breaths. Think that was an easy sell to 50 high school students?
> NOT. That first year I slowly brought them around to believe in my
> martial arts based swim practices. Several of the swimmers simply
> refused to participate when I had everyone lay down on the deck and
> practice 10 slow, deep breaths. They thought it was pretty lame. Those
> who bought into my philosophy averaged 5% improvement that season. The
> next year everyone was into slow, deep breathing. I added a bit of
> meditation. Some giggled and laughed and didn't take it seriously. The
> ones who did averaged 6% improvement that season. The 3rd year
> everyone was into slow, deep breathing and meditation.

I'm all for slow, deep breathing, but you don't say what the results were for 
those who didn't participate. 6% doesn't sound like a big drop to me. In high 
school, I dropped about 10% each year, and I wasn't practicing slow, deep 
breathing at the time because I didn't know any better.

martin