This week we continue with nasal respiration (NR) and tackle its most relevant and significant challenge, respiratory demand. Last week I discussed another challenge to NR, stiffness demand, or loaded respiration - when one has to breathe and brace simultaneously, e.g. carrying a heavy box from a moving truck into your new home. While there is no doubt that loaded respiration is challenging and must be trained if one is going to be able to master bracing, maintaining NR with

Last week I discussed the benefits of nasal respiration (NR) in the stabilizing process. Essentially, NR helps promote an optimal stabilizing strategy - more specifically, NR allows one to stabilize in a way that maximally leverages intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) whilst utilizing as little spinal extensor activity as possible. If you recall, over-activity of the spinal extensors applies a massive axial compression force to the spine that causes all kinds of problems from a ti

Of late, nasal respiration (NR) has become all the rage. The research supporting its utility continues to grow. There are countless research articles, books such as the Oxygen Advantage, and organizations like the Health & Human Performance Foundation, all who tout the benefits of using NR to improve health and performance. For me, the journey into NR started in early 2020 after reading James Nestor’s book Breath. Having interest in improving my health and performance, after

If you are in the strength training profession, be it medical provider, coach or athlete, it is likely that you are aware of the the Jefferson Curl. Perhaps more than any other exercise, the Jefferson Curl conjures strong feelings and is shrouded in controversy. On one side you have medical professionals yelling about how loaded flexion is bad for you and on the other you have social medial influencers - often with a proclivity for being controversial - touting how this exerc

Ever wonder why you drop to the ground after a hard workout? First and foremost, it lowers the load on your heart improving its ability to circulate blood and oxygen to the body. But there is another reason of which you may not have thought; it has to do with the diaphragm (a profoundly important, dome-shaped muscle in your thorax, separating your chest cavity from your abdominal cavity). It is widely known that the diaphragm is essential for proper respiration (a la belly b