Turtle Breathing - The scientific rationale

[sheng zhen]

Here is the scientific rationale for why the superslow turtle breathing has regenerative effects.

Forget oxygen. Its all about the carbon dioxide.

www.recoverybreathing.com

[Wells]

There’s a sucker born every minute.

[BaguaKicksAss]

Turtle breathing is slow and/or breath holding?

[SonOfTheGods]

A turtle keeps it's head tucked in- so his third eye and middle tan tien overlap,- & are only like 1/2 inch away from his lower tan tien, thus he is almost immortal.

Edited January 5, 2014 by SonOfTheGods

[joeblast]

"if you guys are going to argue, leave me out of this!"

[cheya]

This is totally in line with Buteyko's breathing technique. Check out the Frolov device, another way to accomplish this.

 

And for a fascinating read, check out the book Dr. Breath, the story of Carl Stough, a church choir director who developed breathing protocols, first to improve his students' voices, and then later to help VA emphysema patients breathe. He wasn't a medical person, and didn't know emphysema was supposed to be incurable... so he proceeded to cure them! Or at least to set them on the path by reactivating their diaphragms. Stough eventually went on to coach US participants in the high altitude olympics in Mexico City. His breathing methods enabled many of them to not only better their lifetime records, but to do that at high altitude without supplementary oxygen!

 

The book has gotten ridiculously expensive, but there's info and video online.

Edited January 5, 2014 by cheya

[dawei]

No mention of the word "turtle" on that webpage.

 

“I saw the movie, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and was surprised because I didn't see any tigers or dragons. And then I realized why: they're crouching and hidden.”

 

- Steve Martin

[BaguaKicksAss]

Who's version of turtle breathing btw?

[h.uriahr]

Who's version of turtle breathing btw?

this version

[h.uriahr]

Although reports have shown that they tested positive for performance enhancing drugs...should've known by the size of their guns

[Aetherous]

Cool OP.

Basically, inhale 5 seconds, exhale 5 seconds, hold 10 seconds, repeat (1:1:2).

A somewhat similar breathing method (since the bottom of the breath is lengthened) for improving heart rate variability: inhale 5 seconds, exhale 10 seconds (1:2:0).

[joeblast]

“From now on you must strive to cut out unnecessary
movement. Waste in movement is wrong and will get you
killed.”
Masaaki Hatsumi

[h.uriahr]

Awesome Tortoise Breathing.

[h.uriahr]

Not so sure about it actually helping with DOMS though.

[Aetherous]

Not so sure about it actually helping with DOMS though.

 

I'm not either. Have you tried it, and it didn't work?

 

Something that actually does help: really light aerobic movement, such as biking at a leisurely/easy pace and level of intensity for like half an hour. This info is from a university exercise physiology course.

[thelerner]

From the website:

The breathing exercise is simple: inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds, then a comfortable pause of 10 seconds before you breathe in again. Repeat for 20 minutes. The whole secret of the breathing exercise is the pause you do after the exhalation. This is where the cells are pouring out the CO2, thereby initiating all the good effects we want in our recovery. CO2 is not a waste product, but one of the most important protective and molecules in the body. And it is readily accessible with this simple breathing technique.

 

 

Interesting, probably not easy, particularly if you exhale completely. But if you didn't it might not be too hard. Lately in the car I've been doing 7-7-7, hold in the middle, both a 20 second breath cycle.

Edited January 6, 2014 by thelerner

[Mal]

I'd probably underline then a comfortable pause

 

Is ratio the 1 inhale 1 exhale 2 hold common?

 

I'm more familiar with 1 inhale 1 hold 1 exhale 1 hold or 1 inhale 2 exhale

Edited January 6, 2014 by Mal Stainkey

[h.uriahr]

I'm not either. Have you tried it, and it didn't work?

Something that actually does help: really light aerobic movement, such as biking at a leisurely/easy pace and level of intensity for like half an hour. This info is from a university exercise physiology course.

 

I've yet to try it. DOMS is from muscle breakdown at time of workout. Breathing after doesnt make sense. You can prevent muscle breakdown by taking certain steroids and possibly certain other supplements but breathing after? Eh. Doesn't sound plausible to me.

[h.uriahr]

Forget turtle breathing, TRIANGLE BREATHING IS WHERE IT'S AT!!! Breath, Squeeze and Let out

[sheng zhen]

I've yet to try it. DOMS is from muscle breakdown at time of workout. Breathing after doesnt make sense. You can prevent muscle breakdown by taking certain steroids and possibly certain other supplements but breathing after? Eh. Doesn't sound plausible to me.

 

The reason for DOMS discussed in the website. You probably have not read through it yet. Moderate hypercapnia leads to increased blood circulation. And if that alone is not enough to understand its potential in recovery and regeneration, it also act as an antioxidant, removes lactate, decrease inflammation. In addition relaxed breathing increases melatonin and decreases pain.

 

If your knowledge includes these aspects, does it still not sound plausible?

 

Anyways, DOMS is easy and fun to experiment with. Just give it a try

[sheng zhen]

I'd probably underline then a comfortable pause

 

Is ratio the 1 inhale 1 exhale 2 hold common?

 

I'm more familiar with 1 inhale 1 hold 1 exhale 1 hold or 1 inhale 2 exhale

The 1:1:2 ratio gives the CO2 effects (ex. warmth) quicker than 1:2:1. The first urge to breath in is mostly the CO2 tolerance. It is easier to hold the breath after the inhale because it takes longer for the CO2 to build up.

 

And yes, a comfortable pause should be underlined Basicly, if its comfortable you can do a 30 second pause. The more the better. IF its comfortable.

[sheng zhen]

Cool OP.

 

Basically, inhale 5 seconds, exhale 5 seconds, hold 10 seconds, repeat (1:1:2).

 

A somewhat similar breathing method (since the bottom of the breath is lengthened) for improving heart rate variability: inhale 5 seconds, exhale 10 seconds (1:2:0).

From the research I have see it is a 1:1 breath at 6 breaths a minute that gives best results on HRV.

http://www.autonomicneuroscience.com/article/S1566-0702(01)00267-3/abstract

 

Im sorry this is just the abstract. Inside the article they write: "Fig. 2. Heart rate variability is maximal when respiration slows down in the low-frequency range, and particularly at 0.1 Hz (equivalent to 6 breaths/min)."

Edited January 6, 2014 by sheng zhen

[Creation]

It's funny that 6 breaths per minute is considered low frequency. Well, let's see, according to Bruce Frantzis the first milestone in meditation is 2 breaths per minute, which then translates to 6 per minute when not meditating or consciously regulating the breath. Though in my case, I can maintain 2 breaths per minute when regulating the breath but that hasn't translated to 6 per minute when not regulating the breath.

[h.uriahr]

I'll experiment. It's easy enough to do but I'm skeptical. I doubt that the blood circulation will increase to a sufficient level as to take down the soreness. Why not perform some light cardio for an hour instead? I don't believe that LA buildup induces soreness either though. BUT, it's easy enough to try.

[BaguaKicksAss]

I'm thinking there must be more than one thing called "turtle breathing"?