Breath work

If flexibility is the one of the most ignored aspects of real physical fitness than mastery of ones breath is simply almost never attended to in modern fitness practice. The fact is that before food or water, the body needs air. The amount of air and quality of breath is in and of itself a martial art. In a high pressure situation the ability to control the breath will allow one to control emotional reaction and thereby allow for a measured thoughtful proactive reaction. Breath control can lower heart rate and give the body energy where it would normally have none. If you can control your breath then you can control yourself. If you can control someone else’s breath, you control their life.