Year: 2018

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Qigong Breathing

Brain Over Body – Inner Workings of The Inner Fire

Thrive Market 

I’ve been training in adaptation to both hot and cold for several years (each one has particular benefits to health, and performance), but it wasn’t until this past October that I attended a formal workshop on the material with the Art of Breath coach Rob Wilson. Although I had done Wim Hof’s 10 Week Course, I wasn’t completely happy with it. I felt that there were “secrets” missing from the material, some of which I uncovered by accident, in Scott Carney’s book “What Doesn’t Kill Us”.

 

The workshop with Rob Wilson was a good experience on many levels, the most important of which was just validating my experience with training cold exposure up to now, and also helped clarify my experience with the Wim Hof online course; compared to deep meditation methods like Vipassana or Zen which are meant to completely overhaul your mental “operating system”, cold exposure practice is really so simple, there’s not much “how to” to talk about, just do it, and nature pretty much handles the rest over time. The keys are a little bit of intent, and controlling your breathing to manage your physiological state.

Recently I posted about a review paper that detailed some of the relationships between breathing exercises and improvements in immune function and now, we have some more exciting new findings in regards to respiration / breathing exercises and cold exposure from Wayne State University as part of exerting active control over normally autonomic functions in the body. The study is titled “Brain over body”–A study on the willful regulation of autonomic function during cold exposure Here are a few highlights from the study

  •  fMRI analyses indicated that the WHM activates primary control centers for descending pain/cold stimuli modulation in the periaqueductal gray (PAG)
  • The periaqueductal gray (PAG), also known as the central gray, constitutes a cell dense region surrounding the midbrain aqueduct.
  • In addition, the WHM also engages higher-order cortical areas (left anterior and right middle insula) that are uniquely associated with self-reflection, and which facilitate both internal focus and sustained attention in the presence of averse (e.g. cold) external stimuli.

I think one of the more interesting findings from the study was that BAT, or brown fat, played a negligible role in generating heat to maintain core temperature during cold exposure, but instead the muscles of the rib cage, the intercostals, played the chief role by burning massive amounts of glucose.
This helps add some understanding to my own experience with the practice, which is that anytime I’m sleep deprived, or in a fasted state I have a much more difficult time resisting the cold compared to when I’m fed, and rested.

I commonly fast two days a week, and the first three or four days of every month. In a fasted state, core temp drops a bit anyway, and my system may not yet be fat adapted well enough to efficiently keep up with the higher demand for blood sugar through gluconeogenesis. (I suspect this is true, as I still have not recovered 100% of my exercise performance since switching to a ketogenic diet in June of this year). There was also a recent study done that showed blood ketone levels above 2.0 (which wouldn’t be uncommon during fasting) basically results in “ketone resistance”.

 Similarly, cortisol levels are high, and you’re naturally more insulin resistant when sleep deprived, so again, this could potentially play a role in not being able to keep up with the glucose demands of the “inner fire” practice.

If you’d like a  nice animated synopsis of the study and the results, the official Wim Hof YouTube channel released a nice video about it.

 

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References 1. “Brain over body”–A study on the willful regulation of autonomic function during cold exposure
Author links open overlay panelOttoMuzik
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811918300673?via%3Dihub

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Qigong For Health – New Science [Part 1]

The Science Behind Qigong For Health

The old masters discovered centuries ago that deep breathing practices like qigong and pranayama lead to long life and abundant health. I teach several of these traditional qigong sets as part of our local martial arts classes here in Tempe, AZ, including a variation of yijinjing 易筋經 unique to I Liq Chuan, as well as a qigong for health set taught by GM Sam Chin and the “five contemplations of breathing” taught by Venerable Jiru of the Mid-America Buddhist Association.

Possible Benefits of Qi Gong For Health

A new review article recently published in Frontiers in Psychiatry [1] reveals some mechanisms behind such practices and their applications in treating mental and physical disorders like anxiety, depression, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Crohn’s disease.

At over 15 pages and full of scientific jargon, the original review paper is quite long and dense for many readers, so I’ll summarize some of the more critical details below. Even as a summary, I’m going to break this post up into multiple parts:

Part 1: some basic anatomy
Part 2: The Immune system

Basic Anatomy

The human gut has an estimated 100-500 million neurons; this is more neurons than the spine. It’s the most significant accumulation of nerve cells in the human body. Often referred to as “the second brain,” it is more appropriately referred to as the enteric nervous system. Well-known author of martial arts and qigong books, Yang, Jwingming, has been writing about this since at least the 90s.

The enteric nervous system produces more than 30 neurotransmitters and communicates directly with the brain (and vice versa) via the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve originates in the brain stem and extends downward through the torso connecting to all the major organs, including the brain, heart, liver, lungs, and the gut. Due to its length and complexity, it’s called “the wandering nerve” (vagus means wandering in Latin).

The Gut-Brain Axis

Photo credit – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/

This “two-lane highway” between gut and brain via the vagus nerve is referred to as the gut-brain axis or GBA.

From an “Eastern” point of view, the body tissues can be divided into yin and yang types like flexors and extensors in the muscles or arteries and veins in the circulatory system. Nerves are similarly divided into two different fiber types: afferent (long “A” like hay) and efferent (long “E” like feel) fibers.

Afferent fibers bring information from the point of contact (stimulus) back to the brain and central nervous system. In contrast, efferent fibers carry information from the CNS back to the other end of the system. You could say that afferent fibers bring information “from out-to-in,” while efferent fibers bring information “from in-to-out.”

A whopping 90% of the nerve fibers in the vagus are afferent fibers, bringing detailed information about the gut and the state of its internal environment back to the brain, then to the brain stem and limbic system (more on this later). In comparison, the remaining 10% of fibers are efferent, communicating information about our external environment and mental state back to the gut. This intimate connection explains why you feel moody when you’ve eaten the wrong foods or why you get butterflies in your stomach when you get nervous.

How Qigong Works – Slow Breathing

So that you don’t forget to do important things like breathe, say, after you fall asleep, by default, respiration (breathing) is hardwired into the autonomic nervous system. However, being able to speed up or slow down our breathing voluntarily is an ability we all possess. (As a side note, I recently heard about a condition in which people lose the autonomic function and basically can’t sleep anymore. Every time they try to fall asleep, they wake up because they quit breathing and eventually die of sleep deprivation!)

The nervous system can be divided into two main parts, the voluntary (somatic) nervous system and the autonomic nervous system, which can be again divided into the enteric nervous system, the sympathetic (fight or flight), and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. The vagus nerve is the primary regulator of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. To make a rough analogy, if the nervous system were your house and the autonomic nervous system your central heating, the vagus nerve would be the thermostat.

As you may have guessed by now, breathing practices can directly stimulate the vagus nerve by increasing the vagal tone, leading to an improvement in autonomic regulation, clarity of thought, improved mood, and ability to cope with stress.

Heart Rate Variability & Vagal Tone

Simple breathing exercises seem to restore vagal tone, at least in part, through heart rate variability.

Each of us naturally has a different heart rate between the inhale and exhale, as well as from beat to beat. When you inhale, the heart rate speeds up a bit, and when you exhale, the heart rate goes down.

Good heart rate variability indicates that you’re in a relaxed state, whereas poor variability indicates a stressed, sympathetic state. So by slowing down the number of breaths we take in a minute and focusing on making the exhale longer than the inhale, we naturally cause the heart rate to drop, which restores vagal tone and increases relaxation as we shift from a sympathetic into a more parasympathetic state. Once in the parasympathetic state, the gut then upregulates the production of “feel good” neurotransmitters like serotonin, which go back to the brain, increasing relaxation and beginning a cascade that feeds forward into itself.

The old saying goes, “happy wife, happy life,” but “happy gut makes a happy brain” might be more accurate.

Although the effects of practicing various qigong for health techniques are at least initially, global, masters of breathing exercises like Wim Hof have shown that conscious and direct, targeted increases in autonomic nervous functions like immune responses to pathogens like e. Coli can be achieved.[3]

Slow your breathing, heart rate drops, and the gut starts doing all kinds of things beneficial to our health. We can do all this consciously because the forward, “thinking” brain is wired into the brain stem through the limbic system (the emotional center of the brain), which is in turn wired to the vagus nerve.

Part two will continue with how stimulating the vagus nerve through breathing exercises like qigong and pranayama helps to regulate the immune system and improve blood pressure and gut health.

Learn More About Qigong

References

[1]Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders
Sigrid Breit, Aleksandra Kupferberg, Gerhard Rogler and Gregor Hasler

[2] Sudarshan kriya yoga: Breathing for health
Sameer A Zope, Rakesh A Zope[3] Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans
Matthijs Kox, et. al

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Scientists “Discover” What Martial Artists Have Known For Centuries…

a martial arts master using his kiai, or spirit shout

A recent study by research scientists documented the effects of “grunting” during the execution of a kick.  What did they find? The average study participant generated almost 10% more force when they “grunted.”[1]

If you’ve trained in martial arts for any length of time, this should come as no surprise. The old masters have known this for centuries.  In the Japanese arts, this phenomenon is referred to as kiai 氣合, or “spirit shout,” and in the Chinese arts (i.e. kung fu), we train heng/ha 哼哈, and specifically in I Liq Chuan, we also train tu’na 吐納 breathing. The shout helps increase core stability, resulting in more power to the limbs. For example, in this study, researchers found that improving core stability of female handball players resulted in an increased throwing speed of almost 5%.

While this might seem like a no-brainer to experienced martial artists, the real secret lies in using the diaphragm. Most people are familiar with the diaphragm and its role in breathing; however, what’s less commonly understood is that the diaphragm plays a role as a respiratory muscle and a spinal stabilizer.

My experience has been that even dual role; as a respiratory muscle and a spinal stabilizer. In my experience teaching my martial arts classes here in Tempe, Arizona, even martial arts and yoga veterans often have extreme difficulty accessing the diaphragm and have faulty breathing patterns. As a coach, I’ve had to get creative at times with finding novel ways of to get people in touch with their diaphragm.

The secondary findings of the study are possibly more interesting; the audible noise made during exertion has the potential to confuse an opponent and cause them to misjudge their defense.

22 students from the University of Hawaii were tested on their ability to guess the angle of a recorded kick in the presence of a simulated grunt.

Although I think the methodology used in the second part of the study was problematic at best, the concept has merit.

With that being said, when my kids were young, I used to use the concept to interrupt bad behavior by them without having to spank them. Remember, this isn’t just any ole yell; it comes from deep down, propelled by a powerful diaphragm pulse. There were occasions when my kids were taken enough by surprise that their young nervous systems were overwhelmed, and their legs buckled, causing them to stumble. 

Of course, you can’t expect such an extreme response from a fully mature nervous system. Still, I have occasionally seen grown men nearly cry in my local martial arts classes when I demonstrated by belting out a powerful “ha” in their faces (then again, maybe it was just my breath…).

Returning to the study results, the students responded about 50ms slower to kicks accompanied by the simulated grunt. That’s about 1/20th of a second slower to judge the angle of an incoming kick. Enough lag to potentially result in a KO kick, or in the old days, when swords or other weapons were involved, make the difference between life and death.

Of course, this is martial arts, so if somebody didn’t take the concept to questionable extremes, it just wouldn’t be any fun, now would it?

Join us and unlock the secrets of the Old Masters!

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About the Author

I Liq Chuan Instructor Ashe Higgs

Ashe Higgs, I Liq Chuan Master Instructor & L2 Nutrition Coach

Ashe is a highly skilled martial arts instructor and certified nutrition coach with over two decades of experience in the field. He holds a Master Instructor certification in I Liq Chuan under Sam FS Chin, making him one of only several individuals worldwide to hold the title. He has taught classes and workshops worldwide and is passionate about helping others achieve their fitness and wellness goals.

With a background in full-contact fighting and a Level 2 certification from Precision Nutrition in nutrition coaching, Ashe is a well-rounded expert in the fields of martial arts. In addition to his expertise, he has a wealth of experience in teaching and mentoring others. He has a natural ability to connect with his students and inspire them to reach their full potential.

Read more about Ashe here…

Disclaimers & Conflicts of Interest

I am not a doctor, and the information provided should not be considered medical advice. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle.

Please note that some of the links provided in this content may be affiliate links, meaning that I may receive a small commission if you purchase through them. However, please rest assured that any products or services recommended are based on my personal experience and belief in their value. I only recommend products or services that I have personally used and believe in.

References

  1. Sinnett, Scott, Cj Maglinti, and Alan Kingstone. “Grunting’s competitive advantage: Considerations of force and distraction.” PloS one 13.2 (2018): e0192939.
    https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192939
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How To Find A Good Martial Arts Instructor

Ashe Higgs shares a laugh with students in Tempe.

When I was a teenager, Mortal Combat was at its peak of popularity.

Especially now, as a martial arts guy, I like the concept, but I never was able to get into it.

I know this might not seem relevant to martial arts, but bare with me. It will be…

I think two factors contributed to my not getting into it deeply. The first was economics: we didn’t have the right game console at my house, and we weren’t going to, and whenever I went out to the arcade with my friends, I didn’t have a ton of money to spend on playing at the arcade either.

My best friend in high school, though, had both. Consequently, he was very good. Which was the second contributing factor: Whenever we would play, he would just trash me… and quickly. Like a kung fu master, he knew all the advanced combinations that would defeat me before I even had a chance to get started.

Well, there goes my fifty cents. Guess I’m done for the day…

It was the same story any time we would play at his house. He would beat me Like a redheaded stepchild. This is where it starts to get relevant.

There were two possible scenarios here: one was to continue to beat me quickly and easily, each and every time, in which case I learn nothing.

The second was to use his advanced skill to help me learn. This is what GM Sam Chin does with his family’s martial art of Zhong Xin Dao I Liq Chuan (which I now teach here in Tempe, Arizona).

Setting his ego aside, he drops his level to just above the person he’s working with. He’s just out of reach, just enough to feel like you can reach him. In this way, he guides you along, a little bit at a time. He makes you feel like you can almost beat him; it’s so close you can taste it…

I started to notice that expert Thai boxing coaches do the same thing. I was watching a short video of Saenchai doing just this while working with a very young, foreign fighter.

As he was working with the boy, he was feigning defeat, as if this little kids kicks and punches were enough actually to put a world-class fighter on the ropes, and in so doing, he was sacrificing his ego and investing in the younger fighter, building his skill and confidence as a martial artist.