Brisbois Breathing exercises

[EricV]

Hi,

I am wondering if anyone has or does these breathing exercises (see below)i just came across. I practice the Gordon walking / breathing exercises each day, but i thought this sounded interesting.

I am not sure if im doing them right, as i am confused as to why the shirt has to be off. Do you put your hands as high as say under the rib cage, and what should i be seeing when i do them? Is it simply the hands spreading out when you take the breath in?

Any help/comments appreciated.

Cheers
EricV

[Craig Swartz]

I'm not familiar with this exercise but I'm assuming the concept is to try to get some expansion and flexibility in the rib cage as well as in the abs area. I suppose the shirt being removed allows one to either see the movement of he hands as they move outward (and it won't be very much) or to act as motivation to do some good for the rest of your bod by going out and starting running or some other routine .

Similarly, if one sits on a chair, bends far forward, places the hands on the kidney regions of the back and inhales deeply, you will also notice expansion and flexing of the same muscles and others as the breath starts to "straighten" you up in the chair.

A lot of breathing exercises (IMO) are more effective at first if there is some sort of felt resistance against the expansion of the breath- hands, the floor/wall, a belt, etc. Better to feel, or create resistance at the breathing apparatus than adding it by sticking the tongue in the way, or by creating a valsalva-type issue when starting the wind. Good luck.

[Billy B]

IMO breathing exercises are to build an awareness of the breath.
_________________
Bill Bergren

[solo soprano]

The purpose of the Breathing Exercises, more specifically the Claude Gordon exercises is to train you to keep the chest up comfortably while breathing. This will allow the lungs to expand to their fullest.

Here's Claude's Breathing Exercises:

Standing Exercise
1. Stand against a wall with your shoulders back, chest up.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose until you are comfortably full, with the chest up.
3. Let the air out through your mouth, but DO NOT LET THE CHEST DROP.
4. Repeat this for five breaths, gradually work up to ten.
5. Practice this exercise several times a day until keeping the chest up while breathing begins to feel natural.

Walking Exercise
1. Walk at a comfortable pace, and with each step take in a short breath
through your nose. Gauge it so you are full on the fifth step. (Keep the
chest up.)
2. Walk five more steps, holding the CHEST UP and the lungs full.
3. Walk five more steps while letting the air out through your mouth. Gauge
it so you are empty on the fifth steps. (Chest stays up.)
4. Walk five more steps, holding the chest up with the lungs empty.
5. Repeat the cycle, going two or three blocks.
6. Each week add one breath until you can go TEN IN, TEN HOLD, TEN OUT
and TEN EMPTY.
7. When you can do the TEN BREATH CYCLE for one mile without dropping chest, you are ready for the Jogging Exercise

Jogging Exercise :
1. Now drop back to the Five Breath Cycle, and start jogging instead of walking.
2. Build up to the Ten Breath Cycle gradually.
3. When you can jog one mile or more using the Ten Breath Cycle, keeping the Chest Up for the entire distance, you will have acquired the habit of keeping the chest up comfortably while breathing.
_________________
Bill Knevitt, who taught me the seven basic physical elements and the ten principles of physical trumpet playing and how to develop them.
https://qpress.ca/product-category/trumpet/?filter_publisher=la-torre-music

[Mjp1066]

Cool!