34 min

Pierre Aucamp — Conscious And Performance Breathing Use Your Breath To Change Your Life

With Pierre Aucamp — Conscious And Performance Breathing Use Your Breath To Change Your Life

HealthMindset

In short

Martial artist Pierre Aucamp explains why breath work moved from fringe to mainstream, and what it actually does: nasal inhalation carries nitric oxide from the sinuses into the lungs, dilating blood vessels; belly breathing uses the diaphragm rather than the chest; and "power breathing" floods the body with dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. Plus why desk work wrecks breathing. The one takeaway: Nasal inhalation delivers nitric oxide from the sinuses into the bloodstream, dilating blood vessels and improving delivery of oxygen and nutrients.

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How does a martial artist end up teaching people how to breathe?

Pierre started with judo as a boy on a farm near Pietermaritzburg after wanting to be a ninja, moving through karate, taekwondo, Muay Thai, boxing and eventually Brazilian jiu-jitsu. At 18 or 19 he saw Bruce Lee talking about breathing, then footage of Rickson Gracie doing similar exercises, and began studying everything he could find.

Why is breathing suddenly a topic when eastern traditions have taught it for thousands of years?

Because neuroscience is now starting to agree with what those old traditions said, and because information is far more accessible. Pierre thinks something is shifting in human consciousness, with people becoming more aware of their inner world, and cites Joe Dispenza's line that in the information age ignorance is a choice.

What is conscious breathing, and do I need a special technique?

Conscious breathing is simply thinking about how you are breathing rather than leaving it on autopilot. There are thousands of techniques, but Pierre says stopping a few times a day, slowing down and deliberately taking a few deep breaths already puts you in a very good space, no chanting required.

Why must I inhale through my nose instead of my mouth?

Because the epithelial cells lining the sinus cavities produce nitric oxide, and nasal airflow carries it into the lungs and straight into the bloodstream. Nitric oxide is the active ingredient in vasodilator supplements: it opens blood vessels so oxygen and nutrients reach every cell. Pierre also cites a Japanese study on lowering blood pressure.

Am I breathing with my chest or my diaphragm, and why does it matter?

The diaphragm does the work, not the intercostal muscles. Pierre uses the school biology jar with a limp balloon and a plunger: the lungs hang loose, and the diaphragm lowering creates the vacuum that draws air in. Being winded is that diaphragm going into spasm, like the "mouse" in a knocked forearm muscle.

Why has modern life made adults breathe badly?

Because modern threats are mental rather than physical. Sitting at a computer under deadline pressure, Pierre notices his breathing becoming so shallow he wonders how he is still alive, referencing a term Arianna Huffington coined about breathing while doing emails. A sprinter or rugby player still belly breathes; a stressed desk worker does not.

How do I practise belly breathing properly?

Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, extend the stomach on the inhale and pull it in on the exhale. Beginners often reverse it. Pierre suggests lying down with a book, phone or wallet on the stomach to feel it rise and fall, which also exercises a diaphragm made lazy by desk work.

What is power breathing and what does DOSE stand for?

Power breathing moves towards, without reaching, hyperventilation: hyper-oxygenating the body and blowing off carbon dioxide. The after-effect is a release of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins, hence DOSE. Pierre says it also shifts body chemistry slightly alkaline and, referencing Wim Hof, produces feelings of bliss and euphoria.

Can breathing help me if I have never been able to meditate?

Yes. After a power breathing session the body is flooded with feel-good chemicals and you end up meditating without trying. Pierre says you can either skip meditation entirely or find it suddenly easy afterwards, and links this to brain coherence, where conscious and subconscious minds are on the same page.

In their words

Taken from the recording, word for word.

if Bruce Lee and Hixon Gracie both say I should pay attention to breathing then I will pay attention to breathing

— Pierre Aucamp

nitric oxide through your nose right into your lungs, it hits your blood vessels, blood vessels dilates, open up nicely, and you get a brilliant flow of oxygen and all the other nutrients to every part of your body

— Pierre Aucamp

there's a Japanese study that shows that as little as six really deep breaths start changing your emotional state and start lowering blood pressure

— Pierre Aucamp

Our problems are not a guy with a spear or a lion, our problems are superficial problems that causes stress in our minds

— Pierre Aucamp

This is the most relaxed I have felt in my life after the workshop

— Pierre Aucamp

Key takeaways

  1. Nasal inhalation delivers nitric oxide from the sinuses into the bloodstream, dilating blood vessels and improving delivery of oxygen and nutrients.
  2. Breathing is driven by the diaphragm creating a vacuum, not by the chest expanding, which is why the stomach should rise on an inhale.
  3. Modern stress is chronic and mental rather than acute and physical, so it keeps people in shallow fight-or-flight breathing with no release.
  4. Power breathing near the edge of hyperventilation triggers a release of dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins, and makes meditation far easier.
  5. Simply stopping a few times a day for a handful of deliberate deep breaths is enough to make a difference, with no technique required.

Show notes

On this episode I chat with martial arts expert Pierre Aucamp about the importance of breathing and how by practicing conscious breathing you can quite literally change your life.

 

https://curiouspierre.wordpress.com/

Frequently asked questions

Can breathing exercises help someone with emphysema?

Pierre declined to answer, saying he is not a doctor and has never worked with anyone with emphysema. He would only speculate that improving circulation in the body should help, and David suggested checking with a doctor.

How long is one of Pierre's workshops?

Anywhere between an hour and a half and three hours, depending on how the workshop is put together. Lying down with something on the stomach to learn belly breathing is one of the tools used.

What is the benefit for athletes specifically?

More oxygen is exactly what cells need to function, and better circulation also carries other nutrients and supplements to every cell. Pierre adds that mindset leads performance, and more oxygen helps mindset.

What did listeners get from the episode?

A free three-hour breathing workshop in Edenvale on the following Monday public holiday. Listeners had to submit their name and details via a link on curiouspierre.com, which was left up until the next afternoon.

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