Practice and confidence. Time slows down.
Practice and confidence. Time slows down.
Breathing gets fast and shallow because your heart rate is ramping up pushing and pulling more blood through your lungs.
USMC Recruit Training is where I learned to control this response as well as shutting off my emotions.
Breathing gets fast and shallow because your heart rate is ramping up pushing and pulling more blood through your lungs.
USMC Recruit Training is where I learned to control this response as well as shutting off my emotions.
Did they teach you to control your breathing first , or something else?
Did they teach you to control your breathing first , or something else?
Our training revolves around us reacting and making decisions when that's happening. It unlocks your brain to move faster than it is used to moving because the faster you move and do what you are ordered to do, the sooner the yelling and chaos stops. It is so we don't become frozen in combat situations and make the best decision at that moment. The hardest part was the first 2 weeks when we started, those 2 weeks were when everybody was getting smoked for mistakes or freezing. Some learn it the first day, 99% has learned it by the end of those 2 weeks. 1% is Pvt Pile, and every platoon has 1 or 2, typically not more than 5.
Our training revolves around us reacting and making decisions when that's happening. It unlocks your brain to move faster than it is used to moving because the faster you move and do what you are ordered to do, the sooner the yelling and chaos stops. It is so we don't become frozen in combat situations and make the best decision at that moment. The hardest part was the first 2 weeks when we started, those 2 weeks were when everybody was getting smoked for mistakes or freezing. Some learn it the first day, 99% has learned it by the end of those 2 weeks. 1% is Pvt Pile, and every platoon has 1 or 2, typically not more than 5.
FUCKIN PYLE AND HIS FUCKIN DOUGHNUTS.
FUCKIN PYLE AND HIS FUCKIN DOUGHNUTS.
My coach teaches this style breathing technique for active recovery to stop from being winded while in a fight:
Breathe in for 2 Hold for 2 Exhale and breathe 2 normal breaths Repeat
My coach teaches this style breathing technique for active recovery to stop from being winded while in a fight:
Breathe in for 2
Hold for 2
Exhale and breathe 2 normal breaths
Repeat
If you want to learn controlled breathing look into the Hindu practice of "pranayama". It is used as a control/discipline/meditation technique for thousands of years.
OTOH, if you want to achieve maximum oxygenation with each breath then I'd suggest start running/jogging. Your body will do what's natural and your VQ ratio (ventilation:perfusion) will massively improve.
BTW, stop smoking or vaping and you're golden.
If you want to learn controlled breathing look into the Hindu practice of "pranayama". It is used as a control/discipline/meditation technique for thousands of years.
OTOH, if you want to achieve maximum oxygenation with each breath then I'd suggest start running/jogging. Your body will do what's natural and your VQ ratio (ventilation:perfusion) will massively improve.
[Ventilation to stress](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5577533/)
BTW, stop smoking or vaping and you're golden.
Knocked off the vaping awhile ago. Wasn't a chronic user but a regular user.
Knocked off the vaping awhile ago. Wasn't a chronic user but a regular user.
You body is pumping blood in your muscles to make them ready for action, which means your hearth rate goes up. This is completely normal and without it you would be vulnerable.
Taking deep breaths helps you stay in control of this response.
Also realize that there is a reason why your body decided to give you an adrenalin dump and get you in fight or flight mode, your instincts might have spotted the danger, while your mind is filtering what it sees through your experience and is getting blinded by stuff like "social norms", "if I overreact I might get in trouble with the law", "I might lose my job if I bash his head against the wall repeatedly" and other irrelevant stuff your ancient and fine tuned instincts don't give a shit about.
I've been in quite a few fights and confrontations, if you have any additional questions ask away.
You body is pumping blood in your muscles to make them ready for action, which means your hearth rate goes up. This is completely normal and without it you would be vulnerable.
Taking deep breaths helps you stay in control of this response.
Also realize that there is a reason why your body decided to give you an adrenalin dump and get you in fight or flight mode, your instincts might have spotted the danger, while your mind is filtering what it sees through your experience and is getting blinded by stuff like "social norms", "if I overreact I might get in trouble with the law", "I might lose my job if I bash his head against the wall repeatedly" and other irrelevant stuff your ancient and fine tuned instincts don't give a shit about.
I've been in quite a few fights and confrontations, if you have any additional questions ask away.
I been in lotsa scrapes , but sometimes my breathing starts ramping up and I get that tunnel vision where I'm hyper focused on the perceived threat , usually when it's an unexpected thing.
Once that breathing shit starts I'm kinda fucked , still can't get that under control.
I been in lotsa scrapes , but sometimes my breathing starts ramping up and I get that tunnel vision where I'm hyper focused on the perceived threat , usually when it's an unexpected thing.
Once that breathing shit starts I'm kinda fucked , still can't get that under control.
Would you say that you breathing gets too intense as it might take away from you to fight properly if it comes to that, or your talking/reasoning skills go out the window? Does it happen sometimes where threat is not "real" and you get an adrenaline dump, let's, from you collogue startling you or something similar? If some questions are getting too personal, just ignore them or we can talk in DM.
Would you say that you breathing gets too intense as it might take away from you to fight properly if it comes to that, or your talking/reasoning skills go out the window? Does it happen sometimes where threat is not "real" and you get an adrenaline dump, let's, from you collogue startling you or something similar? If some questions are getting too personal, just ignore them or we can talk in DM.
No , it's not an inappropriate response , coworker , family member startling me , etc
It's like this , if I expect some kind of altercation , no big deal , it's when I'm blindsided so to speak , not expecting it . Then I get the overwhelming adrenaline dump , rapid breathing , tight chest , hyper focus etc.
No , it's not an inappropriate response , coworker , family member startling me , etc
It's like this , if I expect some kind of altercation , no big deal , it's when I'm blindsided so to speak , not expecting it . Then I get the overwhelming adrenaline dump , rapid breathing , tight chest , hyper focus etc.
Your body is getting ready to act. It's pulling resources away from systems that are not important in the moment (like digestion, etc.) and moving them to the systems that will be required for survival.
Thinking is less important than running or attacking, so it goes. We think our brains are important, but our bodies know how to run. Thinking just gets in the way.
But, as slwsnowman40 notes, you can train yourself out of that response. Exposures are a useful tool.
Your body is getting ready to act. It's pulling resources away from systems that are not important in the moment (like digestion, etc.) and moving them to the systems that will be required for survival.
Thinking is less important than running or attacking, so it goes. We think our brains are important, but our bodies know how to run. Thinking just gets in the way.
But, as slwsnowman40 notes, you can train yourself out of that response. Exposures are a useful tool.
I'm thinking that's really the only way , exposure training.
I'm thinking that's really the only way , exposure training.
Adrenaline producing a hypermetabolic response allowing energy to be quickly provided to the muscles.
Adrenaline producing a hypermetabolic response allowing energy to be quickly provided to the muscles.
Emotions (and inability to control them) are the primary cause....mostly fear in its many manifestations trigger these responses. Vairāgya practice done to the level of madhyama is sufficient for such needs. The Zen Buddhist 'non-attachment' is another method, particularly that practiced by the samurai. As is the 'centering' of Aikido.
Mastery of the emotions leads to mastery of the mind, which in turn brings mastery of the vehicle. When this is accomplished the Ego is subjugated, Maya is restrained, and the Atma regains control.
Emotions (and inability to control them) are the primary cause....mostly fear in its many manifestations trigger these responses. Vairāgya practice done to the level of madhyama is sufficient for such needs. The Zen Buddhist 'non-attachment' is another method, particularly that practiced by the samurai. As is the 'centering' of Aikido.
Mastery of the emotions leads to mastery of the mind, which in turn brings mastery of the vehicle. When this is accomplished the Ego is subjugated, Maya is restrained, and the Atma regains control.
To get more oxygen to the muscles.
To get more oxygen to the muscles.
adrenaline. it's your body's response to a stressful situation heightening your breathing, getting more oxygen to your brain and muscles in preparation for conflict or escape.
adrenaline. it's your body's response to a stressful situation heightening your breathing, getting more oxygen to your brain and muscles in preparation for conflict or escape.
Because when you're in a fight or flight scenario, it's the adrenaline rush (or endomorphins, depends if you're predator or prey in your mind), it makes everything spin faster
Whatever you do, don't stop breathing, breath as normally as possible, remain relaxed, no apnea, don't close your eyes, ever, unless it's absolutely necessary because gas for instance. Being out of breath is the last thing you need, and apnea even for a couple of seconds 4 or 5 seconds is the express way to get there in a fight, and once you're 'out of gas' you're toast essentially, you end up barely able to throw an attack or raise a defense
There's no time to think in a fight, the thinking has to be done before or after the fight, not during, it gets in the way
Because when you're in a fight or flight scenario, it's the adrenaline rush (or endomorphins, depends if you're predator or prey in your mind), it makes everything spin faster
Whatever you do, don't stop breathing, breath as normally as possible, remain relaxed, no apnea, don't close your eyes, ever, unless it's absolutely necessary because gas for instance. Being out of breath is the last thing you need, and apnea even for a couple of seconds 4 or 5 seconds is the express way to get there in a fight, and once you're 'out of gas' you're toast essentially, you end up barely able to throw an attack or raise a defense
There's no time to think in a fight, the thinking has to be done before or after the fight, not during, it gets in the way
None of the replies so far have actually addressed OP's first question. Namely how does short, shallow breathing help when the fight or flight response kicks in? I'm curious as well. Obviously the body is preparing to exert itself but in what way do the quick breaths help? Is it actually the most efficient way to oxygenate the blood? This rather goes against the general practice after very strenuous exercise, for example a sprint, of raising your arms over your head to increase lung capacity and taking deep breaths to get your 'wind back' quicker.
I recall reading that preparation for holding your breath for a long time involves taking short quick breaths. I think it has something to do with manipulating the CO2 levels in the blood. Is this similar to what's happening when Fight or Flight engages?
None of the replies so far have actually addressed OP's first question. Namely how does short, shallow breathing help when the fight or flight response kicks in? I'm curious as well. Obviously the body is preparing to exert itself but in what way do the quick breaths help? Is it actually the most efficient way to oxygenate the blood? This rather goes against the general practice after very strenuous exercise, for example a sprint, of raising your arms over your head to increase lung capacity and taking deep breaths to get your 'wind back' quicker.
I recall reading that preparation for holding your breath for a long time involves taking short quick breaths. I think it has something to do with manipulating the CO2 levels in the blood. Is this similar to what's happening when Fight or Flight engages?
(post is archived)