Turtle Breathing - The scientific rationale

[sheng zhen]

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.

Thats cool. Always good to be skeptical of pompous claims

But like they say: "The first step toward knowledge is unlearning what you thought you knew." I have done my very best to unlearn things I thought I knew about the physiology of breathing.

 

I have a discussion on the different theories on the reasons for DOMS here: http://recoverybreathing.com/about-doms/

 

Regarding blood circulation, it should increase to sufficient enough level so you feel increased warmth within the first few minutes.

[sheng zhen]

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.

I saw Bruce Frantzis say Turtle Breathing is one breath every 4-8 minutes

 

This study show that normally meditators breathe 16 /min, and while doing concentration meditation they breath 13/min. Mindfulness meditation gives the slowest breathing frequency; 10 /min. (this is average)

 

I remember looking at peoples breathing frequency during a silent retreat and I noticed even people in seemingly deep meditation breathed up to 20/min...

[BaguaKicksAss]

I saw Bruce Frantzis say Turtle Breathing is one breath every 4-8 minutes

 

Oh! Thank you for clarifying, I was wondering what on earth you were talking about! Uhm, what is called turtle breathing by some others is coooommmmpppllleeeeetteelllyyyy different! Makes sense now.

[Brian]

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.

I don't do "breathwork" but that's about where I am now -- about 2 bpm when paying attention to breathing and about 6 when at rest but not consciously regulating breath.

 

Note: I can't consciously NOT regulate breath so instead I do "other stuff" until I have forgotten again about breathing and then try to remember the rhythm and estimate the frequency from that memory. Guess I could buy or build some sort of monitor if I was really interested, but I'm not THAT interested...

[Green Tiger]

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

 

Dr. Andrew Weil teaches a breath technique that has a ratio of 'inhale 1, hold 1 1/2, exhale 2'. I like that one. Sometimes I use it while walking or biking. It's hard enough to do it during moderate exercise; couldn't imagine doing it while running.

 

 

EDIT: I thought they were suggesting you practice breath work while exercising, not after.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Green Tiger

[Aetherous]

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)."

 

Possibly right. When I was using the StressEraser, 1:2 got me the best result. Also with a lower number of breaths per minute, anywhere from 2-6 (didn't really pay attention to that aspect of it). Pretty cool to experiment yourself.

[sheng zhen]

Possibly right. When I was using the StressEraser, 1:2 got me the best result. Also with a lower number of breaths per minute, anywhere from 2-6 (didn't really pay attention to that aspect of it). Pretty cool to experiment yourself.

I have also experimented a lot with the stresseraser, and used it for many years in my clinical practice. I believe it is useful to achieve a strong prasympatheticus (high HRV) before one can prolong the breathing to more than 6 breaths /min. Otherwise it will be too challenging to keep the breathing frequency more than a few minutes without sighing and tensing.

 

Those who already have a high HRV will get nice curves on the screen no matter how slow breathing. And it is interesting to see those who train a long outbreath, like brass instrument players, they get perfect curves even if they are super stressed