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22.3.2020 / Breathing in Taekwon-do

Breath control in taekwondo from physiotherapist perspective

Breathing correction is one of my key focuses in my personal training, but also in working with both patients and taekwondists as physical therapist. In these times with restrictions and canceled trainings it is perfect time to correct this basic movement principle. Focus on breathing also work as psychical hygiene.

Breathing is vital life sign.

Maybe you can´t imagine living without kicking, punching and fighting, but we would survive without it. But there is no life without breathing. Normally we do not think about it, but we are able to voluntarily control it (for example holding breath before diving or while smelling something horrible, also speech and singing are voluntarily controlled breathing).
Breath control is one of points in Taekwon-do theory of power. Specific focus and variation of breathing incireases power, speed, protects body when hit. Sharp exhalation activates abdominal muscles and concentrates maximal effort into the movement, while slow inhalation prepares for next movement. Encyclopaedia also mentions that we should never inhale while delivering technique and that we should train disguised breathing, that opponent would not reveal we are getting tired. One breath for one movement, continuous movement is the exception.

All mentioned informations are very important skills regularly taught during trainings. I think that voluntary work with breathing is one of the reasons we benefit from our traning. Unfortunately how to breathe regarding internal movements and structure is not descirebed in Encyclopaedia.

My approach to breathing is deeply influenced by my physical therapist education and praxis. Developmental kinesiology is basis of plenty of concepts in physiotherapy. It explores human movement principles from birth. What will be described in following text can be seen in healthy 5-6month old human. Next reason why we consider it "correct" is that devoloping such a breathing mechnisms helps our patients with plethora of painful health issues and also with stamina.

Main breathing muscle is diaphragm, which separates thoracic and abdominal cavity. It looks like dome connected to ribs and spine. As it activates it descents to abdominal cavity decreasing pressure in chest (bringing air to the lungs). Pressure of diaphragm and following activity of abdominal and pelvic floor muscles increases intrabdominal pressure - this can be touched and felt on your belly allowing you to know what is happening with your diaphragm.

This is how it looks like.

Try this voluntary correction for inhlation (video lower):
1/ as you inhale you may feel pressure increasing in your belly button, sides of your lower torso (between ribs and pelvis) and also groin and back
2/ chest is calm regarding it up and down movement, but is spreading itself to the sides and gently forward

Exhalation:
1/ exhalation is mostly passive in calm breathing (lungs wants to contract, diaphragm is releasing) and the pressure developed during inhlation disappears. Calm breathing can be described and felt as gentle pulsation in lower trunk.

2/ exhalation in exercise differs. It is active and weak exhalation is often seen as one of causes decreasing physical performance. That is why few deep breaths inbetween sparring rounds may help to regenerate better.

When breathing practice may help:
1/ low back pain - intraabdominal pressure help stabilizing spine from front

2/ thoracic spine and ribs pain - moving your lower ribs to sides mobilizes joints between ribs, spine and chest bone

3/ stamina - breathing pattern disorder leads to paradox when there is more air in part of lungs where is less blood and vice versa

4/ digestion – repeated drainage (massage) of visceral organs helps peristaltics and function of internal organs in general

5/ relaxation - breathing in described manner for example in bed before falling asleep helps general realaxation of both body and mind probably because changing tone of vegetative nervous system

6/ pelvic organs health

These points may sound too magically, describing breath as helping to everything. It is and it is not. It helps slightly and is better to focus on as early as possible. Summation is its great advantage. One breath is small change, but as you breath in and out for more than 10 000 per day it sumates to huge difference.

Video in czech here, plan to shoot also english version HERE.
(let me know if you are interested)

Try to spent some time voluntarily correcting your breath in daily activities and also in training. Also use it as relaxation before sleeping.
Contact me at martin.svitek at taekwondo.cz if you have any questions.

Mgr. Martin Svitek, V. Dan, Sonkal Praha
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