Hail to the Dinosaurs!
This morning I was reading a book that
described an old Apache warrior named
Stalking Wolf, and how he prepared for
a hunt.
He would begin by stepping outside his
small earth-shelter, and breathing
deeply, filling his lungs with fresh,
clean air.
He would close his eyes and focus on
the scents and the smells of the
morning.
For long minutes, he would stand
silent, his chest rising and falling
with every precious breath.
His breathing was slow and deep. It
sharpened his senses, and prepared
him for the hunt.
I was struck by the similarity between
Stalking Wolf's breathing exercise (for
that's what it was) and the breathing
exercises I've used in my training and
lifting for many years.
In the old days -- and I'm talking about
the period from 1890 through 1930 or
1940 -- every physical culture book
or course talked about the importance
of deep breathing and taught the student
special breathing exercises. There were
even some courses that consisted of
nothing but breathing exercises. That's
how important it was.
The big exercise breakthrough of the
1930's was The Breathing Squat -- and
note it's name.
Not "the high rep squat."
Not the "20 rep squat."
"The breathing squat."
That gives you some idea of the importance
they placed on deep breathing back in the
old days.
Bob Hoffman believed in the value of deep
breathing in-between sets. He practiced the
Hoffman Walk, where he paced back and forth
across the gym, in-between his sets, filling
his lungs with breath after breath of life-
giving air as he did so. he believed that
the Hoffman Walk helped to energize his body
and prepare it for the next set or the next
exercise.
It must have worked pretty well, because Bob
Hoffman had one of the most enormous chest
expansions of the era -- and in some of his
weightlifting workouts, he would perform up
to twenty or more single attempts with his
top weight in the snatch or clean and jerk.
It takes a real Iron Man to train like
that -- and if you asked him, Hoffman said
the secret was deep breathing in-between
his attempts.
So if you're looking for a simple way to
increase your training intensity and kick
your strength and power into maximum over-
drive, give the Hoffman Walk a try.
Practice deep breathing as you visualize
your workout.
Start your workout by closing your eyes
and doing some breathing drills. You'll
be amazed at how this simple technique
improves your training.
Deep breathing clears your head. It helps
you focus. It grounds you. And it energizes
and strengthens your body.
It worked for Stalking Wolf. It worked for
Bob Hoffman. It works for me. And if you
give it a try, it will work for you!
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a
good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Old-school physical culture is much
more than sets and reps -- and you can
learn the the training secrets that built
the greatest all-natural physiques and the
strongest men in human history in Dinosaur
Training, Dinosaur Bodyweight Training,
Strength, Muscle and Power and my other
books and courses -- including my new John
Grimek training course. You can find them
right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "The air we
breathe is life itself -- and so is the
iron we lift." -- Brooks Kubik
