Dooley Noted: 11/11/2015
I admit it. I love cardio. But I don’t do it the traditional way anymore.
Steady state cardio is dead, showing up in peer reviewed literature as the grand tanker of strength as well as metabolism.
Also, form and function get decimated as you zone out, leaving one prone to injuries caused by faulty movement patterning.
I used to be a runner. My breathing was on autopilot.
I’ll occasionally jog to clear my head, but it’s not part of my program to become the fittest version of my myself, mind and body.
A fundamental training cog at Catalyst SPORT is Metabolic Conditioning (Met Con), the great replacer of traditional, steady state cardio.
Research staunchly supports high intensity interval training (such as Met Con) for cardiovascular health and preservation of lean mass, as well as maintenance of metabolic and hormonal levels.
But what I noticed yesterday from my own Met Con was the difference it made in my breathing.
In steady state, zone-out cardio, most of us don’t think about the way we breathe. And if we aren’t thinking about this fundamental efficacy for survival and thriving, then we likely aren’t thinking about proper body mechanics.
It’s called “the core” for the reason. The core, or intrinsic abdominal stability system, not only helps us breathe but provides the stability we need for limbs to properly move.
Yesterday, while doing heavy swing Met Con, I noticed the brilliance yet again of the kettlebell swing, as a superior method of cardiovascular training and injury prevention.
Here’s my top reasons why Met Con, such as swinging, is superior:
1. I had swung the 28-32 kilo bell 15 reps per minute. This left me with 35 seconds of recovery time to focus on breathing, dropping the heart rate, and what I needed to improve.
2. Within each minute, I knew rest was coming. So I was able to focus on the technique of each individual rep, instead of worrying about my total work volume. My heart rate could do a healthy decline, only to raise again at the top of the minute.
3. Breathing efficacy fuels the ease of the swing. If I was hiking my shoulders or using scalenes to help me breathe, I immediately lost abdominal tension. Then, the swing not only felt off but could even trigger low back, shoulder, or neck pain.
4. As one initiates the biomechanical breathing match, you can feel how the breath connects to the lats and glutes, tying in the thoracolumbar aponeurosis with the delivery of the upswing. This is huge for those trying to prevent or rehabilitate shoulder and hip problems, as well as low back issues.
5. When I do steady-state cardio, I admit it feels good. There always seems to be a price to pay, such as a loss of strength the next day or even costochondritis (rib/chest pain) after the run. I strongly believe this is because of breathing mechanics. When do you see a cardio person take a second to concentrate on breathing mechanics and form? It’s rare.
6. When taking rests, it’s imperative to keep stable positioning. Don’t slouch or sit to catch the breath. People compromise themselves on rests by not using the same techniques they required on the delivery of the task. When I took my rests in the Met Con, I used the time as active recovery to focus on my breathing even more in the absence of limb movement.
Watch the average person doing cardio at the gym or the park.
Do they look strong and stable?
If so, they are likely coordinating the upper and lower extremity on a stable platform of proper biomechanical breathing.
If they look somewhat uncoordinated or assymetrical, then they need to stop what they’re doing and regress to focus more on technique – especially the breathing technique.
If you are breathing with your neck or chest, you are not building proper pressure. The chest fills naturally with the increase of intraabdominal (core) pressure.
And if you use accessory muscles of breathing for breathing, then you can’t use them for limb movement. And this will leave you prone to shoulder, neck, back, knee, and hip issues.
I analyze my share of runners and cardio lovers.
I’m not badmouthing it. If you love it, do it.
But protect yourself. Get strong and stable enough to support your cardio.
Add in Met Con, to focus on breathing and strength.
Make some stops or set alarms while doing cardio to remind you to breathe properly.
Get out of your neck and chest and let the air fill the chest naturally.
If you simply can’t get out of your chest and neck, consider stopping the cardio until you can. Then, resume on a stable platform.
If you have no idea how to do this, then get assessed. Get corrected.
Cardio is some of the most highly evolutionary movement you can conduct.
Perform it wisely on a stable platform.
Start with proper biomechanical breathing.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
