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“Because motivational mondays is too mainstream,” said the hipster blog post. hahaha ok here is your dose of motivation 🙂 RISE AND SHINE MOTHER TRUCKERS!!!!!

Do you know how to breathe when working out? It may seem like a funny question BUT it happens often when you’re working out and doing sprints, weightlifting or even yoga that you find breathing to be difficult ! If you are ever taking a class, many instructors will tell you to focus on your breathing but what does that even mean? I want to give you some helpful advice on how to breathe more efficiently to get the most out of your workout!

When you are lifting heavy it is important to realize that breathing can make or break the lift. You want to inhale through your nose at the beginning of a lift and then as you exert the force you want to hold your breath and expel when the peak of the movement is over. This holds true for max effort lifts, think of when you do one deadlift for max load. Holding your breath works like brace and keeps your core tight bracing your spine to reduce the chance of injury.

Lighter lifting days require a different breathing pattern. You will inhale before the lift and expel the air as you lift the weight into the air then inhale again as you lower the weights back to the starting position. You need to think of keeping your rib cage aligned over your pelvis so that your diaphragm and pelvic floor are facing each other. If your pelvis is tilted or your rib cage is off center it will lead to a loss of air and cause inefficient lifts.

If you are more of a runner, you should have a different breathing technique than lifting. Running requires you to learn how to keep your breath at a steady pace while moving. You need to use an event ratio of respiration to steps. A good example is breathing in for two to four strides and then out for the same amount.

Sprinting on the other hand requires a little more thought. You should be inhaling right before the acceleration phase and then consistently exhaling to increase your power output. You need to make sure that you are taking in enough oxygen at the beginning of the sprint to last throughout the entire goal time or distance so that you are able to breathe.

Now to the easy breathing through yoga. Yoga movements are based around breathing and you need to learn to find your inner peace. You should breathe in through your nose and with equal time exhale which creates a calming breathing pattern. This helps to calm your CNS and can help improve your yoga experience.

I hope that you find these tips both helpful and make your workout more efficient !! Your breathing is important as you lift, run or relax and you should utilize the amazing benefits that your breathing patterns have on your training routines !

Starting a new video segment called “Food For thought.” Basically I make my lunch and talk about a topic. This weeks topic was personal responsibility. I will try to make my videos much shorter from here on out.

If you have a suggestion for a topic you would like me to talk about please leave a comment below.

 

Sara and I going over the basic set up and movement for Sumo Deadlifts w/ a High Pull.

If you have not tried quinoa as a staple in your diet you are missing out on a superfood! It is loaded with protein, fiber and minerals, but doesn’t contain any gluten. Quinoa is a grain crop that is grown for its edible seeds.

Quinoa is very interesting because it containse molecules called flavonoids, which are plant antioxidants that have been shown to have all sorts of beneficial effects on health.Two flavonoids that have been particularly well studied are Quercetin and Kaempferol and they are both found in large amounts in quinoa. These important molecules have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects.

Quinoa is also high in fiber especially insoluble.There are numerous studies showing that soluble fiber can help reduce blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, increase fullness and help with weight loss fiber. Also, quinoa isparticularly high in in all the essential amino acids. For this reason, quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It has both more and better protein than most grains.

Quinoa also happens to be very high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals and are believed to help fight ageing and many diseases.

Quinoa is easy to add to any meal and easy to cook!

Just Put 2 cups of water in a pot, turn up the heat.
Add 1 cup of raw quinoa, with a dash of salt.
Boil for 15-20 minutes.
And Enjoy!

You can also eat it at any meal, for breakfast make it into a breakfast bowl with fresh fruits and almonds. By adding in some coconut oil you have a great breakfast treat. At lunch you can put it into a salad or use it as a side dish. You can even get creative and use it as a stuffing replacing bread! Eating quinoa is a great way to add healthy proteins and carbs to your diet while keeping your body fueled and ready to go !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq4etk-K4SM

Different things motivate different people. For me it all depends on the day. Some days I want to listen to Rock and Katie Perry. Other days I like to listen to a list of every good game/ movie trailer song I have hear but most days at some point I listen to the compilation of speeches put together by this guy. The video/audio is about 1 hour long but for me if I let this play over the speakers while I warm-up and stretch. By the time it comes to lift I am ready to make gravity my b!@ch!

Enjoy,

Instructor Grant “Ginger” McHaney