The Breathing, Movement and Structure Trinity

Optimizing breathing, movement and structure (BMS) is a core concept of Circular Strength Training. It is the trinity that leads to peak performance in whatever specific physical activity you may engage in. While BMS are separately identifiable and definable concepts, in practice they are inextricably linked together.

If any one of them is disrupted our entire body is in a state of dis-integration and malfunction. When they are unimpeded and integrated we operate at maximum capacity.

The BMS trinity is an incredible diagnostic tool that we can use to analyze any movement. For a practical example that just about everyone can relate to let’s consider the classic Push-Up. The fact that the Push-Up is primarily a linear, one-dimensional gross motor movement makes it a convenient exercise to demonstrate the BMS concept.

Features of the Push-Up structure:

     Known as Plank Pose in Yoga.

     Counterpoints: Elongate from the Crown, Activate the Core, pack the shoulders down away from the ears.

Features of Push-Up movement:

     Lower the chest to the floor – don’t just bend the elbows.

     Maintain counterpoints of structure throughout the compression and extension of the arms.

Features of Push-Up breathing:

     At first, exhale on the exertion of pushing up.

     Later, after your body adapts to the push-up movement the breathing pattern will reverse and you will exhale on the compression.

     Eventually you may even progress to the mastery stage of moving during a control pause.

Any variation away from the above described parameters of BMS and you are not practicing an efficient and effective push-up (to the extent that a simple push-up can be considered efficient). You are practicing some other movement that due to improper structure may be putting stress on areas of soft tissue that cannot handle the load. In a desire for more reps your movement may be shallow thus diminishing the full conditioning value. Or maybe you are holding your breath and bracing which could lead to internal damage.

Once you are familiar (intellectually and kinesthetically) with the BMS trinity concept you can apply this type of analysis to any exercise or movement.

This is why you must be mentally engaged while you workout. Instead of “zoning out” with your iPod or TV you must focus your attention internally. Use the BMS trinity as a guide for your mind and you self-monitor your performance. Don’t think of it as exercise but as learning a skill. I don’t like to even use the term “working out” but rather “training” or “Daily Personal Practice (DPP)”. That kind of mindset keeps me engaged and wanted to take my fitness further.

So the next time you are training during you Daily Personal Practice, think of the BMS trinity during some of your exercises. Don’t worry about the number of reps or even intensity level. Focus on just one aspect at a time for each set. Ask yourself, “Am I adopting the best structure?”, “ How is the quality of my movement?”, or “How am I breathing? How should I be breathing?”.

Comments

[Ryan Hurst]

Great article!

[John Sifferman - Real World Strength Training]

Very good and simple explanation of the BMS Trinity Jeffry!

John Sifferman