Taking that deep breath before the beeeeeeepppp

[alpha-charlie]

I was fortunate enough today to participate in a "medical techniques for law enforcement" class and it related to shooting. One of the main points in the class was stress response, something all shooters are very aware of. Basically, we were given a basic wrap and turniquet and had to tend to the wound of our partner, no problemo. However, when we were doing it with instructors yelling and distracting us, many people fumbled and couldn't perform the simple task. The instructor (a trauma surgeon who is also a county swat team medic) told us about the importance of breathing when our heart rate climbs. The heart rate climbs, fine motor skills deteriorate and our duties become that much more difficult. I saw that being the same as nailing a reload, clearing a malfunction, etc. A tip from the doc was that when in a high stress situation it is important to take a good deep breath to bring your heart rate down, which calms you and clears your senses (vision, hearing). I do this (and many others do) already just before the buzzer, but his version was a little different. Breath deep through your mouth and exhale through the nose. However, when exhaling through the nose, bear down on your chest almost forcing the breath out. Bear down, as he put it in so many words: "bear down in the same way as if you were sitting on the toilet." (his words not mine). By doing this, and exhaling through your nose to cause the most resistance, you stimulate the Vegus nerve. The Vegus nerve acts as the brake pedal for your heart. By stimulating this nerve, you slam the brakes on your heart rate to slow it down even more so than just regualr deep breathing. Just thought it was interesting.

Edited December 14, 2010 by alpha-charlie

[Chris Keen]

That is interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[AlamoShooter]

information sharing is what the forum is all about, but

you may want to do some research on the bare down "like you are on the toilet" part" a person can tighten the center & gut area. but to tighten and push the ANu$ out is not good and can cause a very unpleasant medical condition, IF it is done on a continuing basis.

A martial artist learns to tighten quick to take a punch, if that is practiced with the push all the way to toilet push. the A** area can turn inside out

[G-ManBart]

Pretty cool!

[Jman]

My incorrect technique here has resulted in the embarrassing fart-beeep.

Thought I'd share.

Jim

sorry.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Jman

[dirty whiteboy]

That's how Elvis died!

[benos]

I do this (and many others do) already just before the buzzer, but his version was a little different. Breath deep through your mouth and exhale through the nose.

I like that part. Just playing with it for a bit, since the exhale is slowed by breathing out through the nose, the "quick-calming" effect feels more pronounced.

be

[MarkCO]

Damnit, someone owes me a new keyboard!

Back to why I read this...

Medically, does anyone have any thought as to shaking out the arms and legs. I see a lot of pro-athletes do it, and I do it (not a pro athlete) and this combined with breathing in the manner described (correctly) above has really helped me recently. As I have been adding speed, I've had a tendency to crash the first stage of the match. Using the breathing and vigorously shaking out my arms and legs has made me feel looser and help me get through the first stage with more efficiency. I "flow" better.

Is that all mental, or is it medical too?

[alpha-charlie]

information sharing is what the forum is all about, but

you may want to do some research on the bare down "like you are on the toilet" part" a person can tighten the center & gut area. but to tighten and push the ANu$ out is not good and can cause a very unpleasant medical condition, IF it is done on a continuing basis.

A martial artist learns to tighten quick to take a punch, if that is practiced with the push all the way to toilet push. the A** area can turn inside out

I don't think he meant the "push so hard you'll need a seatbelt" type of pressure. Just the same tightening, but not so intense. We don't want all these shooters blowing their O-rings out now do we !!

Edited December 15, 2010 by alpha-charlie

[benos]

Damnit, someone owes me a new keyboard!

Back to why I read this...

Medically, does anyone have any thought as to shaking out the arms and legs. I see a lot of pro-athletes do it, and I do it (not a pro athlete) and this combined with breathing in the manner described (correctly) above has really helped me recently. As I have been adding speed, I've had a tendency to crash the first stage of the match. Using the breathing and vigorously shaking out my arms and legs has made me feel looser and help me get through the first stage with more efficiency. I "flow" better.

Is that all mental, or is it medical too?

I don't feel anything we do is "just mental." To me, breathing in the manner described, and shaking out the arms and legs, would be an excellent way to harmonize the function of the mind and body.

[Jake Di Vita]

Interesting to be sure. Another way of looking at it is to train with an elevated heart rate so you are at home there.

Personally what I've found works best is to take a deep breath and hold it at the "are you ready" command and forcefully exhale at the beep.

I'd highly recommend that every shooter installs a good warm-up routine before the match and, if necessary, the stages. I'd recommend the pre-match warm-up be rigorous enough to work up a sweat but not fatigue you. What I've experimented with is 50 burpees followed by a 5 minute rest and 10 minutes or so of dry fire to get everything primed, lubricated, and working properly.

And as Brian said, mental and physical are the same.

[Pat Miles]

Bear down, as he put it in so many words: "bear down in the same way as if you were sitting on the toilet." (his words not mine).

Medical proof that when the timer goes beep a lot of folks plans go down the toilet.

Pat

[Chris Keen]

I do this (and many others do) already just before the buzzer, but his version was a little different. Breath deep through your mouth and exhale through the nose.

I like that part. Just playing with it for a bit, since the exhale is slowed by breathing out through the nose, the "quick-calming" effect feels more pronounced.

be

I tried this last night while working out on at the gym. I usually workout on either a treadmill, or an elliptical that have heart rate monitors, so I thought I would see if this had any effect and what do you know ....... I INSTANTLY saw my heart rate go down while focusing on my breathing.

Of course I also wondered if it was psychological or if it was actually working, and I believe it actually worked. Need more testing to be sure, but I think it's real.

[benos]

I do this (and many others do) already just before the buzzer, but his version was a little different. Breath deep through your mouth and exhale through the nose.

I like that part. Just playing with it for a bit, since the exhale is slowed by breathing out through the nose, the "quick-calming" effect feels more pronounced.

be

I tried this last night while working out on at the gym. I usually workout on either a treadmill, or an elliptical that have heart rate monitors, so I thought I would see if this had any effect and what do you know ....... I INSTANTLY saw my heart rate go down while focusing on my breathing.

Of course I also wondered if it was psychological or if it was actually working, and I believe it actually worked. Need more testing to be sure, but I think it's real.

After reading your post, immediately one of my favorite quotes, from Shunryu Suzuki (which is also in Kyle's signature) came to mind, "Things go the way the mind goes." Or in other words, "things" and the mind are not separate from each other.

[alpha-charlie]

Interesting to be sure. Another way of looking at it is to train with an elevated heart rate so you are at home there.

Personally what I've found works best is to take a deep breath and hold it at the "are you ready" command and forcefully exhale at the beep.

I'd highly recommend that every shooter installs a good warm-up routine before the match and, if necessary, the stages. I'd recommend the pre-match warm-up be rigorous enough to work up a sweat but not fatigue you. What I've experimented with is 50 burpees followed by a 5 minute rest and 10 minutes or so of dry fire to get everything primed, lubricated, and working properly.

And as Brian said, mental and physical are the same.

Interesting that you bring this up Jake. I agree with you completely on being warmed up and not fatigued. This also came up somewhat during the class. The doc (instructor) gave a little info about how the heart works. Our normal heart rate is around 60bpm. The faster our heart beats the more it's opening and closing and pumping blood throughout the body. As the heart beats faster and faster, it has to open and close faster and faster. This allows for less blood to fill the heart to be pumped out. When we hit an optimal heart rate the blood is pumping at a good rate and the oxygen in the blood is pumped faster throughout our body "warming us up" so to speak. One participant in the class is also a boxing coach and said they tell the boxers to breath deep between rounds but he doesn't want their heart rate dropping. The doc replied that the heart rate they come into the corner with after a hard fought round is too high to keep up. Their heart rate will be around 165 and up due to them being highly trained athletes. By breathing deep and dropping his boxers' heart rates between rounds to say 150, they will get more blood in their heart to be pumped through the body, thus supplying more oxygen to muscles, the brain, lungs, etc. This extra oxygen is what keeps your senses focused and at their best response rate. The other boxer coming back out with his heart rate still at 165 and up is not thinking clearly, seeing everything as focused, and is less aware of everything that is going on. Sorry about the rant, anybody see what I'm saying I know it sounds like a lot. So yes Jake, you're dead on according to the doc, warmed up and heart pumping at a optimal rate to get the right amount of oxygen to the body (sweating), but not too high to short ourselves of much needed extra oxygen (fatigued).

Edited December 15, 2010 by alpha-charlie

[Bigpops]

Interesting to be sure. Another way of looking at it is to train with an elevated heart rate so you are at home there.

Personally what I've found works best is to take a deep breath and hold it at the "are you ready" command and forcefully exhale at the beep.

I'd highly recommend that every shooter installs a good warm-up routine before the match and, if necessary, the stages. I'd recommend the pre-match warm-up be rigorous enough to work up a sweat but not fatigue you. What I've experimented with is 50 burpees followed by a 5 minute rest and 10 minutes or so of dry fire to get everything primed, lubricated, and working properly.

And as Brian said, mental and physical are the same.

"50 burpees" as a warm-up? Your an animal!~

[pjb45]

I like this post. I was talking with Mark Hanish at RM3G about trying to settle my scope after running. This was my first real 3G match. Mark's advice was three deep breaths and hold it. It seemed to work wonders for me. His advice was in the same vein as this post. It was all about getting the heart to settle the rest of the body.

Awesome information. Thanks

[Memphis]

I take deep breaths before the buzzer but in the nose and out the mouth. Since I suffer from stage fright at times I'm going to try this one out.

Thanks for sharing.

[Corey]

Interesting to be sure. Another way of looking at it is to train with an elevated heart rate so you are at home there.

Personally what I've found works best is to take a deep breath and hold it at the "are you ready" command and forcefully exhale at the beep.

I'd highly recommend that every shooter installs a good warm-up routine before the match and, if necessary, the stages. I'd recommend the pre-match warm-up be rigorous enough to work up a sweat but not fatigue you. What I've experimented with is 50 burpees followed by a 5 minute rest and 10 minutes or so of dry fire to get everything primed, lubricated, and working properly.

And as Brian said, mental and physical are the same.

"50 burpees" as a warm-up? Your an animal!~

i had to google burpees... and now im sure of Jake being an animal, lol. next time i do some dryfire (maybe even tonight) Im going to do these to warm up a bit and we'll see how many i can get done ( i bet it wont be 50 )

[Chris Keen]

Jumping Jacks combined with push ups. Rough stuff, for the fitness beginner. I'm betting on less than 20!

(sorry, I'm just getting back into my fitness routine myself so dont feel bad)

[pjb45]

Freshman year in High School, every day the coach made us do burpees, leg lifts, jumping jacks, situps and push ups. Nice conditionings routine.

[Jake Di Vita]

I chose the Burpee mainly because of its ability to be done quickly and take all the major joints through their full range of motion (being ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow). Obviously the quantity and type of movement done to warm up is based on your current physiological tolerances, but you should make sure whatever you choose to do meets the qualifications I previously mentioned (the bold area). The dryfire after the body is primed is a critical part of it for me, primarily because it simulates the conditions that will be in my body during the first stage.

[John K]

Thanks for posting that.

Who would have thought that something as taken for granted as breathing could be more important than pulling the trigger?

This is a real nice piece of info to try out!

[Nuke8401]

I have been using this breathing technique for several years and I works well to reduce heart rate in preps for you turn to shoot.

From Dave Grossmans Book:

"The breathing technique that is being taught to SWAT teams, police departments, Green Beret battalions, and other elite forces around the world (sometimes referred to as “autogenic breathing”) consists simply of a deep, belly breath: breath in for a four-count, hold for a four-count, breath out for a four-count, hold for a four-count, and repeat three times."

[John K]

I like this. My mental prebeep que is always, chin up, ( work well with my eyes and the glasses, and BREATHE.

Thanks for posting!