“It’s finally out of the way,” the paunchy white-haired guy announced.
“What’s out of your way?” I asked. “Your attitudes?”
“Did not answer. “My gut has finally moved out and now I can keep my leg straight and touch my foot.”
This was a huge breakthrough, considering the guy had trouble just seeing his feet, let alone touching them. We had been working hard to bring out that personal keg of his. Although he was strong as a farmer, he had a great time with flexibility, any type of resistance and movement.
That is until he gained some control of his breathing.
I was often breathing in and out at the wrong time and holding my breath and huffing and puffing like an old steam engine. We finally got him to exhale deeply while performing crunches. Then with hindu squats. Then other exercises.
Part of the problem was that her belly was pressing against her lungs, especially when she was on her back. This crowding of his lungs made it difficult for her to breathe or focus on what he was doing. He joked about his “45-pound handicap.”
The trick was to make him breathe with a gut that suffocated him. As we tried different angles such as kneeling, prone, side, plank, and standing (yes, standing) and very, very focused on her breathing, she finally felt a “shift” inside her ribcage.
WHEN SEVERELY OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE LIE ON THEIR BACK, THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY BREATHING.
You see, many people’s stomachs bloat from lack of exercise, slouching at a desk, eating junk, and drinking copious amounts of beer. There is not only a layer of (cutaneous) fat just under the skin of the belly, but also (visceral) fat between the internal organs. The weight of internal fat and a weak stomach wall allow internal organs to sink below the ribcage. When the gut sinks, so does the person’s energy.
The problem with many fitness programs is that they try to flatten a bulging tummy with a unique “burn more calories” approach and lots of cardio. They almost always skip body alignment and essential breathing techniques. Therefore, the paunchy client often has lanky arms and legs, pain in the lower back, and still has a large, protruding tummy.
With the deep breathing technique, my client was able to touch the foot of her extended leg. His agility has also improved to the point that he can almost stand up while sitting cross-legged without the use of his hands. Instead of getting out of breath after exercising, he calmed his breathing in less than a minute.
He literally breathed in for greater strength, flexibility, and a flatter stomach. The trick is to use full breath with full (and I mean full) exhalations with your exercises.
