by Dana on September 6, 2010
While the CPSIA is a terrible law that has wreaked havoc on many small businesses, there is some good that has come of being involved in trying to have it amended: I met wonderful people. Even though I am not as active as I once was in the CPSIA amendment efforts, I have stayed in touch with more than a handful of people and because of one of these connections, I was recently introduced to the wonderful music of Charlie Hope.
When you check out her website, you’ll see her music is not targeted for the older set (although I’ve never argued with those who claim I’m a kid at heart), but several of her songs ring true for any age listener.
The song most applicable to this month’s mantras is “I can!” While the whole song is a subtle reminder of the power of our bodies, the lyrics that resonate most with me are these:
I can reach up high, grab a piece of the sky and bring it back to you.
I have feet as fast as lightning bolts in a storm.
In hearing her sing those two lines, I get a distinct visual of what a body CAN do, not what it can’t. As we move toward a goal – especially one related to our physical health – it’s easy to get caught up in what we haven’t accomplished instead of what our bodies are capable of doing.
The song may be intended for small children learning how their bodies work, but even adults need to remember how fortunate we are to have bodies we can move and to ‘grab a piece of the sky’ whenever we have the chance.
We all do it at some point. We are concentrating so hard while exercising that we hold our breath thereby making our workouts that much more difficult and less effective. I wanted to learn about any simple tips people had regarding how to keep from holding their breath so I posed the question to the group on Twitter.
@Sea_Breeze reminded me of a smart technique when she said, “to avoid holding my breath? I keep a running partner that forces me to talk constantly.”
This got me thinking and helped me with the post’s title: when we keep our mouths moving while we exercise we automatically have to keep breathing. Now, I’m not advocating chatting so much that you lose sight of your goals (be it number of reps or minutes per mile) but we all know how much faster our time on a cardio machine (or outdoors) goes if we can focus on something other than the digital display counting the minutes until we’re done.
If working out with a partner isn’t your thing, or it’s difficult to do because of scheduling conflicts, then singing to yourself (it doesn’t have to be out loud for everyone to hear, mind you) is another way to keep your mouth moving. Doing a silly dance in between sets while you’re singing is optional, although it will burn more calories.
If neither of these options work, set up a simple counting cadence that you say softly to yourself. When lifting, count the rep while you take it up and while you take it down. Many trainers suggest a down-count of five and an up-count of one if you’re not doing super sets or something comparable.
How do you keep your breath in check while you’re exercising? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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