Breathe

WHAT DO WE DO AROUND 40,000 TIMES
PER DAY?

One of the most important personality traits for success in life is tenacity. Whether it be at school, work, martial arts or in personal relationships, tenacity is required to reach the pinnacle of success. Tenacity is more than just the “never give up” attitude. It is being determined and relentless in your pursuit of success, all despite difficulties, pain, and setbacks. Certain aspects of tenacity are inborn traits – some people are just more competitive and driven than others. But this trait can also be trained, and the harder you try, and the more you push through a little discomfort, the better you become at being tenacious.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BREATHING!

Your left lung is slightly smaller than your right lung, leaving some extra space for your heart.

Your lungs are so big that if you opened them flat, they could cover the entire matted area of EMA (or about the size of a tennis court)!

• The lungs are the only organ in the human body that can float on water.

• Children and women breathe faster than men.

• When resting, the average adult breathes 12-20 times a minute, while children breath 18-30 times a minute.

• People with a large lung capacity can send oxygen around the body faster.

• To avoid being out of breath, stay active! Exercise and avoid smoking to keep your lungs healthy

Box Breathing

Breathe in for a count of 4, hold full for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, and hold empty for a count of 4. Take a regular breath, and repeat 2-4 more times. Do this whenever you are anxious or worried about something

BREATHE OUT CLOUDY AND GREY

What happens when we are worried, scared, or nervous? We hold our breath. Holding our breath protects us from danger as it makes us more able to take a punch or kick, but why would you need to do this when in math class? People are always holding their breath, but most often it is not good for us. It makes us tighter and slower.

What can you do instead? Practice these three breathing techniques one time, and
throughout this week.

Every morning take 5 big belly breaths through your mouth before getting out of bed. This gives us an energy boost and sets the stage for a day of good breathing.
Every single time you sit down to have a meal, take 3 long slow relaxing breaths - in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Anytime you feel anxious or scared or nervous you take a “breath-break” - close your eyes, visualize your happy place (maybe sitting by a campfire) and take 3 “Zen breaths”. Every time you breathe in, visualize blue or green light coming into your body (the healing/calming/magic/good energy), and when you breathe out visualize cloudy and grey air (the worry, anger, sadness, and bad stuff) coming out. As you breathe out, feel your body relax and melt like butter

SHOUTING IS BREATHING BUT WITH FORCE!

Why do we sometimes fumble our form or drop our longstaff? When we are nervous we often hold our breath and tighten up. This can protect us when someone is hurting us, but it often gets in the way when we need to perform. You may have heard your instructor tell you to “just breathe” when doing something. The more we hold our breath, the more likely we are to make a mistake. We shout when we punch or kick to scare our opponent, to brace ourselves and give us more power. Practice these techniques when performing in EMA.

KEY POINTS

There are times to hold your breath, like if you have to push a car, or lift something really heavy. There are times when you can do long,
slow relaxed breathes like in stretching, Yoga or meditation, and then there are times we focus on exhaling quickly to recover. Over time you will learn how to use all these techniques.

The instructors at Excel Chilliwack are excellent. They are great with children, teens and adults. I've seen how much the kids just love their instructors. They are great role models - strict, but caring and loving. The training area is massive and allows plenty of space for training. Highly recommend.
Kumar
My husband and I decided we wanted our girls in something that will teach them discipline, strength, and ways to defend themselves. After looking at a few other places we decided on Excel and it was the best choice ever. The teachers and student helpers are simply amazing and truly care about the children and helping them. We have found our forever home with Excel!
Nikita
I would rate higher if i could. Amazing instructors that actually care about the kids achieving goals and succeeding. I have taken my child to other Karate classes before and it was basically let the kids run around for 30 minutes. Excel is totally different and my child loves going. Thank-you to Adam and his amazing team.
Kristi
We are having the most amazing experience here at Chilliwack Excel Martial Arts. My daughter done a lot of different types of activities but this is by far her favourite.
Every day she she is having so much fun while learning so many new things and making life long friendships! Teachers are amazing and such good role models for the kids.
100% recommend giving them a try, and the first class is free if you are unsure if this is for you or your kid!
Olessya
Excel Martial Arts Chilliwack isn't just a gym. It really is a family, with how much care goes into the students that train. They have proficiently adapted to COVID restrictions and keep their gym in super clean condition. I highly recommend this gym to anyone, such a genuine and positive atmosphere!
Camren