1/4 Hour Neuro #66: "Assessing and Working on Breathing for Performance"

Hello everyone and welcome to our discussion on breathing. Following various training sessions, we questioned whether there is a more effective way to breathe. This is a central issue we will address today.

Breathing is fundamental; it's the first element to check during an assessment. We often talk about diaphragmatic breathing, but there are many aspects to consider. The very way we inhale and exhale can reveal a lot.

Assessing Breathing and Physiological Implications

Observing a person's breathing from the side allows us to determine if they are breathing "correctly" or "incorrectly". During inhalation, we should observe an expansion of the ribcage, a slight flexion of the head, and an anterior tilt of the pelvis. Upon exhalation, the head rises, the ribcage descends, and the pelvis tilts backward. These fluctuations in the body's axis indicate correct breathing or the presence of restrictions.

From a proprioceptive standpoint, breathing well is crucial. Additionally, different types of breathing can influence various functions. For example, to stimulate the parasympathetic system and the vagus nerve, a basic technique is to exhale twice as long as we inhale. There are other specific breathing patterns for the brainstem, pons, cerebellum, and cerebral lobes, allowing us to target specific parts of the brain based on the medical history and initial assessment.

Glucose and oxygen are two essential elements for the brain, playing a major role in sensory inputs. While we often focus on the NRP (Neuro Postural Reflex), sports and proper breathing are central to an athlete's performance, whether in physical preparation or training.

The Impact of Inefficient Breathing on Performance

Breathing is the first act of life. If breathing is poor, it compromises performance. Ineffective breathing means poor oxygenation of the brain and muscles, leading to increased fatigue for a given task. It's like shooting oneself in the foot in terms of performance.

Stress, over time, often takes precedence over natural and efficient breathing. An infant instinctively breathes at birth. Breathing is linked to primitive and archaic reflexes. In adults or adolescents, it is common to observe thoracic breathing, which is inefficient and caused by stress and lack of motor control. This results in suboptimal oxygenation for the lungs, brain, and metabolic gas exchanges.

Poor breathing can also lead to a lack of motor control, blockages in the hips, shoulders, and restrictions in thoracic mobility. The example of CrossFit practitioners with thoracic mobility issues is telling. Therefore, it is essential to check individuals' ability to perform movements correctly and breathe properly.

Breathing and Reflexive Stability

Breathing plays a key role in reflexive stability, particularly through the stability of the body's axis. The diaphragm is at the center of this axis, coordinating the ribcage, pelvis, and head (including the cervical spine). This coordination ensures axial stability, reducing energy leaks during movement and optimizing performance.

During inhalation and exhalation, there is a coupling between the head, ribcage, and pelvis, involving three diaphragms (the main one and two lesser-known). This coupling is essential for flexion and extension, fundamental movements during walking or running. Testing these movements in different planes helps identify restrictions and assess lung capacity.

Specific manipulations, such as those targeting the phrenic nerve, can improve respiratory efficiency. This translates into better motor control in daily activities (walking, running) and more complex sports (football, rugby).

Relearning to Breathe Correctly

Many people have forgotten how to breathe properly. When they try to focus on breathing, they tend to inflate only the belly, then the ribcage, without a 360-degree breath encompassing the entire body's axis. It is essential to retrain these breathing patterns, often with the help of professionals.

To optimize breathing during training sessions, devices like mini-bands placed on the lower ribs or the sternum can be used to encourage expansion. A screening can observe if one side of the body fills more than the other during inhalation, adjusting the exercises for better proprioceptive feedback.

Breathing exercises can be facilitative or resistive, similar to physical preparation. The diaphragm and intercostal muscles can be trained like any other muscle, such as a bicep. Numerous exercises are available, tailored to each individual.

Targeted Breathing for Neurological Support

Beyond physical training, breathing strategies can support neuromotor and postural reprogramming. If a problem is identified at the level of the pons or a cranial nerve, specific breathing techniques can be employed to maximize the effects of exercises aimed at reintegrating those functions.

The brainstem is divided into several parts: an upper part, a middle part (the pons), and a lower part. The pons, for example, contains pairs of cranial nerves. By specifically targeting the pons through breathing, we can promote extension movements or other specific functions. The goal is to be as precise as possible in the approach.

Conclusion: Towards Efficient and Optimized Breathing

There may not be a single "more effective" way to breathe, but rather an efficient way adapted to individual needs and capacities. There are two aspects: normalization for healthy and efficient breathing, and optimization for performance.

We can normalize a person's neurological system while targeting specific exercises for performance, thus combining health and performance. Breathing is often the foundation of everything.