“If you activate forced exhalation muscles, you not only are inviting the activation of the stress response, but also are locking the spine.”
A little bit from a workshop yesterday from Simon Borg-Olivier.
So the fitness industry has an interesting paradox.
Yes the “six pack” is more evident when body fat percentage is down.
But, there may be an interesting trade off for those “chasing” it.
Natural breathing has a subtle inhalation through the bottom 2/3 of the trunk. There is a relaxed, quiet and passive exhalation as the diaphragm and ribs naturally return to their resting position.
This means the muscles that “can” cause a “forced exhalation” remain relaxed in natural breathing patterns. When we flex these muscles, we also lock the spine (try trunk rotation with flexed abs and a forced exhale), so we don’t just inhibit natural breathing, but also a lot of natural movement.
The “flat tummy” and “chasing” the six pack has done wonders for all kinds of supplement businesses, diet plans and 6 week challenges (short game).
However, in many cases creates a faulty breathing pattern that becomes chronic (often subconsciously created).
These faulty breathing patterns can (does) bring further stress and tension to the system, which, paradoxically, make it more difficult for the physiology to “relax” and allow for the same “leaner” body composition that the person was striving for originally.
