How To Measure Changes In Breathing Efficiency

Some motion or exercise that you can do easily, something that could be the right leg or the left leg --

I used a "kicking" exercise where I stood feet apart and kicked my right foot/leg upwards and to the left front -=- twisting the lower body to the left. The foot that is kicking is moved upwards close to the body, not a kick out into space. You want the maximum amount of twist you can get.

This results in an exercise for the middle of the body -- a type of exercise which otherwise the mid body would hardly ever get.

I did this for 40 counts to the right, then 40 counts to the left -- a total of 120 counts for each leg when I did three repetitions of each set to the right or to the left, then another 120 counts for kicking the right leg/foot to the rear and left, then the left leg/foot to the rear and right.

That was 480 kicks. I did this for many days in a row. I never noticed that it was easier or harder with time or with one leg versus the other leg -- untill I added "breathing" to the measurement.

These are excellent exercises for the reproductive and digestive system -- will probably cure erectile dysfunction -- might take a year for an old guy -- I do this 7 days per week.

So, I'd been doing that and then decided to think about practicing my breathing while kicking.

First I found that I could not count the breathing function and also count the kicks.

That caused some confusion, trying, for a few days.

I felt that my kicks were uniform -- they did not vary in any significant way as to the amount of energy I used.Â I kicked to about the same height and amount each time.

I found, right away, that when I first started this exercise in the morning I could kick, perhaps 12 times on one breath -- counting both breathing in and breathing out for one breath.

Soon, though, with no discernible change in the energy used for the kick, I could only count to 10, then 8, and even only to 4.

To me the conclusion is simple.Â You need oxygen to kick -- when you kick you use up oxygen.

But, if your heart is strong, and you have practiced proper breathing, you should be able to get MORE kicks out of one breath -- the test, the measurement, for "breathing efficiency."

We learn, in Kung Fu, that the right or the left side of the body is usually the stronger side -- the difference can be very large without your even being aware of it.

So, I can kick 10 times to the right on one breath, but the same amount of energy used in kicking to the left?Â I kick only 6 times on one breath!!

Conclusion, kicking to the left uses more oxygen than kicking to the right -- probably a weak leg consumes more oxygen doing the same motion as a strong leg??

When I can increase the number of (standard) kicks on one breath I have improved my breathing ability.

When I can maintain the number of kicks per breath after 100 kicks as the same as after 3 kicks, I have achieved a important statistic of improvement in breathing.

I now do almost all of my daily (one hour per day) exercise while counting the number of repetitive motions per breath --- it is fun and it is rewarding.

How fast will you change?Â That is a variable I think dependent on age, physical condition, length of time of practice, and more.

Without this means of measuring I was kicking 120 kicks right, then left, and not aware that I needed MORE practice with my left foot/leg kicking.

So, in Kung Fu we learn to exercise both sides of the body, but the breathing technology gives you the reason why and the measurement of success.