2 Control Breathing
June 18th, 2007 by flyh1ghThe control of breath, in–out from the lungs is a passive biomechanical response i.e., you do it naturally without working on it. Contrary to what many people believe, it is level of CO2 that trigger breathing rate/responses, NOT oxygen. This is why it is more important to focus on the out breath than the in breath. You should breath in with your nose and out with your mouth. This prevents any unnecessary inhalation of carbon dioxide. IF YOU BREATH OUT HARD, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BREATH IN, where as breathing in hard or soft doesn’t really make a big difference to what happens in your lungs. Hence a lot of fighters make "chhh" noises when striking. Tradition says to make yeeshhh sound when striking with the knee and sssa… sound is used when elbowing or punching. , the out breath tenses the abdominal muscles, and so protects nerve centers, guts and etc., so breathing out when getting struck is also good, as prepares for hit, and also means there’s no air in you to get knocked out. Psychology aspect A common problem with beginners, one I particularly suffered from many years ago, is the big gulp and breath hold while charge. I didn’t even realize I wasn’t breathing till people told me "God sake, breath will you". Again the "chhh" (or "yeeshhh" or "sssa" or whatever sound you find comfortable and natural to make) with every strike makes sure you are breathing. A few folk will know, if you can’t hear yourself breathing, your probably not! Regularly practicing your breathing when doing your pad/bag work, will make it become almost intrinsic, so that when it comes to fight time, you don’t have to think about it – you’ll do it naturally by instinct.
