One of the most fundamental aspects of martial arts training involves effective breathing. Proper breathing practice in the martial arts enhances speed, timing, energy generation, and Kime ([key-may], A Japanese term for Focus, envisioning the momentary tensing of every muscle at the same time to project energy force. Many traditional karate schools teach this. However this article is about breathing so I’ll have to come back to that at another time)
The reality is that for practitioners of a number of different martial arts, effective breathing methods are not given systematic attention. Of course breathing is fundamental in most soft style martial arts and is much more involved. Therefore, the focus of this article will be primarily discussing breathing training for hard style martial arts.
It is difficult to know whether the lack of breathing training is due to a belief that breathing really isn’t that important or an unspoken agreement that students need to work it out on their own. It is also possible that the instructors were never given breathing training as students and are therefore unable to provide proper instruction. Whatever the case, the fact remains that breathing training is not practiced in most modern hard style martial arts schools. This is okay. Eventually the true students who reach black belt and beyond will start to do some studying on their own. When they do this they will quickly learn that breathing is a vital component to effective martial arts training.
Abdominal Breathing
Let’s start with breathing itself. Breathing is fundamental to the physical body and to life as a whole. It is something that we are doing all day everyday throughout our lives. It is a conscious act as well as an unconscious act. The central principle of breathing is of internal cleansing, getting rid of that which is old, worn out, and stale, and exchanging it for what is new, fresh, and energized. During inhalation we are bringing in fresh oxygen, nutrients, and vital energy. During exhalation we are expelling carbon dioxide and other toxins and poisons that we produce or collect in our daily lives.
Most of the time this process of inhalation and exhalation is unconscious. We go about our daily lives hardly giving a thought to our breathing. And, indeed, if we had to think about breathing all the time it would make it very difficult to accomplish anything. However, unconscious breathing is simply a subsistence level of breathing. It brings in just enough oxygen and energy to keep the body functioning at a minimal level. This is fine for most people going about their mundane lives, but if we want to bring our martial arts training to higher levels, subsistence breathing is not going to cut it.
Proper breathing oxygenates the blood which is critical in enabling muscles to become more supple and strong. Breathing also has the effect of helping the mind to calm down. When we are looking inward, focusing on our breathing, other disruptive thoughts that run continuously through the mind settle of their own accord. The mind relaxes. This, in turn allows the muscles to relax, stretch and lengthen to their full potential.
Abdominal Breathing or belly breathing is the practice of learning to use your lungs to their full capacity. The focus is on the abdomen, also known as the dan tien in Chinese or hara in Japanese, the spot about three finger-widths below your navel. As you breathe in, focus on pushing this area out and down filling the lungs completely from the bottom up. This is a muscular action as well as a respiratory action, which involves becoming aware of your abdominal muscles expanding.
By pushing the abdomen out, you create a vacuum allowing your lungs to open and fill to their maximum capacity. You should not feel as if you are expanding your chest; instead, imagine you are drawing the air deep into the lower part of your body filling from the bottom up. Hold that breath for a moment and then, as you breathe out, contract your abdominal muscles, pulling them in and up allowing them to squeeze the air from your lungs. You want to feel your Perineum (the root center point between the anus and sex organs) pulling up. You also want to try to pull your navel towards your spine. It is especially important to relax and focus on releasing tension during the exhalation process. This allows you to fully empty the lungs and increase lung capacity.
For martial artists Abdominal Breathing is most effective when warming up or stretching as it is excellent for building strength and flexibility in the musculature. As a general rule muscles need time to unwind and release the tension that builds up within them during everyday life. By practicing Abdominal Breathing, you give the muscles time to relax. This, in turn, allows them to lengthen gradually and naturally. Any stretching you do while breathing this way is naturally enhanced. (Students of Yoga understand this principle.)
Traditionally most martial arts classes spend the first ten to fifteen minutes doing some sort of warm up or stretching routine. (Hopefully!) This warm up stretching is primarily focused on specific muscles or muscle groups that are going to be used during the class. It usually entails pulling muscles in opposite directions, often with a soft bouncing motion in order to loosen them up. The stretches concentrate on short extensions in preparation for the rigorous physical exercise that is to come. Other muscles, which may only play a supporting role, are often insufficiently stretched.
This type of stretching is fine to warm up muscles that are already loose; however, it is woefully inadequate as a primary stretching warm up, especially without proper breathing habits. The best suggestion is to take time outside of class to practice Abdominal Breathing while stretching. This will allow you to slow down the pace of your stretching and actually feel what is happening inside your body.
Within a short time you should begin to notice a difference in the way your muscles feel and the quicker response you get from them. This awareness will translate to your warm up in class and make it much more effective. As most martial artists know, our training is about learning to become aware of living in our bodies. We need to feel the muscles move, flowing through techniques and experiencing the deeper effects fusing the whole body as one unit. Abdominal Breathing enhances this process and gives you the chance access this feeling quickly and easily.
Keeping your attention focused on the particular muscles that are being stretched brings your mind and body together. Slowing down your stretches enables you to feel each stretch completely and to experience it in-depth. Whatever stretches you do are fine, especially ones that are done in your regular class warm-up. Just do them longer and slower…and remember to breathe.
Practice
Practicing Abdominal Breathing while stretching, helps coordinate your muscles. This gets them all working together by lengthening and toning your complete musculature along an extended range of motion. As martial artists we are training our bodies to move as a complete unit. Each muscle works in harmony to produce an effective technique. Proper breathing is a vital aspect of this and, when combined with stretching, brings your whole body together so that it will respond when called upon to perform.
Abdominal Breathing builds strength within the muscles and allows them to become more flexible. It also replenishes energy reserves. Once the body is strong, flexible and full of energy, we can begin to advance our breathing practice with a method which allows us to circulate and focus that energy in the creation of real power. In Part 2, I will begin to delve deeper into this process.
His teachings blend the concepts and techniques of both hard and soft style martial arts.
- Breathing Training for Martial Artists – Part 2 - December 4, 2023
- Breathing for Martial Artists – Part 1 - July 31, 2023
Leave a Reply