Physical aspects
Breath: The multitude of breathing techniques which are covered are aimed to increase your overall lung capacity and are very effective. By dividing and understanding the segments of breath, you are able to teach yourself to use your breathing apparatus to the best of its ability. The breath of mental power teaches you the three segmented breath. It trains you to take up more oxygen per inhale and exhale cycle. This is done with a resistance breath technique with the belly: training you to contract and expand the belly in such a way that it allows the diaphragm to stretch fully and loosen the tension built up over years of stress. If you are older, this also helps in reversing the damage of long term shallow breathing. By developing a steady breathing pattern when exerting yourself, you are able to still take up the maximum amount of air your body needs, not taxing your nervous system through a lack of oxygen.
Personally, I have noticed that I am now able to breathe less and still get an ample amount of oxygen as I have developed a healthier ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide. As a result I also only need a much shorter rest period when training.
Neuromuscular connections & the grand circle
All muscular connection is created by having the right architectural frame of your bodily structure. By aligning the spine correctly, arteries are able to efficiently pump blood through the body with little resistance. Freedom of movement in the spine allows for an ideal neurological connection from the brain and improves the spinal neurological connections which drive your body. This gives you a better depth of perception of your entire body and a greater availability of muscular motion. Exercises with the hands and feet are utilized here — beginning with the contraction and extension of your hands. This is done with a slow, rapid, or constant manner. Moving each finger individually heightens your awareness of all digits and is crucial in building the myelin connection. By having very little tension held in your arms there is efficient blood flow to the hands and any previous blockages in the arms caused by unnecessary tension are getting nourished along with the neurological connections.
Neurological connections through the legs and feet are primed by utilizing a rocking motion: standing, tilting forward on your toes and then rocking back to your heels. Lifting the heels only as much as you're able to slide a piece of paper underneath builds control and teaches proper alignment without compromising the overall structure. This, while generating awareness of the small triangle built in the foot which goes from the big toe to the two outside edges of the ball of the foot. This movement triggers a very similar neurological connection as that of your hands, as well as creating appropriate perception of the joints in your feet. I prefer to do this exercise barefoot, as shoes tend to buffer the movement of your whole foot. The muscles of the feet, in combination with the achilles tendon and the muscles of the lower leg, need to be able to lengthen and shorten in the right capacity to their relationship to one another. This is what is taught here — as the rocking allows you to slowly reignite and maintain the neurological connection which travels from the foot, up the back of the leg to the spine and into the crown.
As you build this strength and begin to quicken the neurological response, you will generate strength which can be transferred to any motion you are wanting to create — such as better handstands, or punching power. You will develop the right neurological firing pattern to be able to remain in a relaxed position and gain force by building motion from the legs into the hips which transfers out into any object of force of your choosing. The ability to put your full attention to contracting a muscle group to its fullest capacity trains your body within the full range of motion. So, when any locomotive pattern is executed you are likely to be in control of weight distribution, equilibrium, speed, and strength — allowing both slow, controlled movement and explosive motion executed at high speeds.
This brings me to the development of explosive strength, contracting the body at a correct sequence so strength occurs from the feet up. In essence you are strengthening a mind-body connection and improving the circulatory functionality of your body at the same time. From a health perspective, the strengthening of the feet and hands automatically improves your overall well being. In old age, stability in the joints from regular standing exercises throughout your life creates a much greater range of motion. This can, of course, be generated later in life, but starting in your youth will prime your neurological pathways and tendon patterns as you age. You are teaching your body to automatically function in the correct manner.
Martial arts aspects
I am still investigating many applications in a martial arts environment, but I have already noticed I have a far quicker response time switching between stances. My footwork has vastly improved, and so has my balance. I am able to perceive the connection between my spine and limbs, so that even if my body is off-center, I have the stability to create force in a full range of motion. When it comes to shadow-boxing, my ability to transfer force from my feet through to my hips and hands — whether with elbow strikes or fist strikes — has improved greatly and so has my speed. I can also clearly feel a faster retraction of the fist when punching, and my coordination between arms is much improved. More efficient breathing when training also means I am able to train for a longer period without rest.
I have also very clearly seen an improvement in my grip strength, so any grappling situation will be improved. This is a result from priming the neurological connection from the brain to the hands. I am able to grip more evenly, with specific focus on each finger because I have trained my body to fire this way. This has also sharpened my climbing skills as the connection between hands, feet and core has improved. Additionally I have noticed more even grip in handstands — and I am interested to see how this will increase over time.
Mental aspects
As most of these exercises are done in an extended manner, it takes a lot of time and mental capacity to remain focused — becoming a very interesting meditative practice. In some ways, there is no need to do extra meditative work because if you are taking this seriously, as I did, you will be able to scan your whole body throughout the practice as a meditation technique. This strong awareness of your physical body is a tremendous way to tap into all of your senses — as I like to do with meditation.
What I found most interesting was the heightened ability to scan your body at any time and pinpoint where an ailment might originate in order to send your attention there. Also, having a primed circulatory system — both neurological and vascular — allows you to think more clearly and increases overall physical sensation. You might notice different parts of your body gain a heightened sensitivity to touch in general — which creates a very interesting heightened experience. Being in your own skin becomes more pleasurable.
