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Love cold water swimming.

Cold water is an acute stressor. Acute stress is intense and short and triggers a cascade of biochemical responses to help us deal with the situation. Cold water builds mental and physical strength and resilience. We learn to become comfortable and relaxed and tolerate discomfort.

Wim Hof says to let the body do what the body is capable of doing:

“Let the body do what the body is able to do, you are so much stronger than you think, you are going to be happy, the cold is real, it’s a force, your inner power, also your neurological networks, hormones, it all works for you, let it awaken …” 

We do this by controlling our breathing.

BE PREPARED BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE COLD WATER.

  • Lay your clothes/ towel/ dryrobe out in the order you want to put them on.
  • Use layers.
  • Take a hot drink.
  • Stand on something to keep your feet insulated until you get in.
  • Be strong in your mind.
  • Let your body do what the body is capable of doing (Wim Hof).
  • Enter the water SLOWLY.
  • CONTROL your breathing before swimming.
  • Don’t overstay your swim.
  • Stay aware of sensations around your diaphragm.
  • Stay aware of your breathing.

WHAT TO EXPECT.

  • Cold shock response – gasp reflex followed by rapid breathing.
  • Increased heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Blood vessels on the skin’s surface constrict in the arms and legs and blood flow is reduced. This is called peripheral vasoconstriction.
  • This keeps the heat in our core where most of our vital organs are, while our skin, arms, and legs cool down. Blood volume is centered to the core. 
  • Our body does this to conserve the temperature in the core.
  • There is a period of 10-15 minutes where the core temperature rises or stays unchanging. We find this in all our studies [Dr. Jorgan Melau]
  • Our head is not affected by peripheral vasoconstriction.
  • Heat loss during cold water immersion is greatest in the head, neck, upper chest, and groin.
  • Peripheral vasoconstriction stops quickly after leaving cold water and standing up.
  • Vasodilation (blood vessels relax allowing more blood flow) occurs immediately after emerging from the cold water.
  • It takes a little time before the cooling of the core begins.
  • The first couple of immersions may be painful (slight burning pain). This pain goes away.

Researcher, Dr. Heather Massey says:

“Smaller bodies of water will cool and rewarm more quickly. So as a general rule, if you have had a patch of cold weather with lots of rain, sleet or snow, expect the water to be very cold. Remember, it is always best to get into the water slowly and sort your breathing out before attempting to swim.”

AFTERDROP IS A CONTINUED COOLING OF THE CORE TEMPERATURE AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE WATER.

Dr. Jørgen Melau ‘s research found that the core temperature is lowest around 15-30 minutes after getting out of the water.

He explains Afterdrop:

“When we come back to warmer environments, the blood vessels in our arms and legs dilate again, and the colder blood will circulate back to the core. But more importantly, the warmer blood in our core circulates out to our arms and legs to heat them up. This is called afterdrop.”

HOW TO  PREVENT AFTERDROP.

  • Don’t stay in for too long.
  • Wear a hat. 50% of heat loss is through your head.
  • Stand on something to insulate your feet from the cold.
  • On exiting the cold water immediately dry off with a towel and take your wet swimsuit off.
  • Immediately dress in warm clothes. Begin with your torso.
  • Put a hat on.
  • Use a dry robe – it’s like being in a tent.
  • Do not have a hot shower.
  • Warm up naturally.
  • A brisk walk.
  • Rehydrate.
  • Hot flask of tea.

Scientists have observed that Afterdrop occurs more frequently in swimmers who undergo rapid cooling or rewarming. Go in slowly. Warm up naturally.

THE BENEFITS OF COLD WATER SWIMMING.

  • Improves muscle recovery time after a workout.
  • Reduces the effect of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
  • Reduces rate of perceived exertion (RPE).
  • Is a hormetic stressor.
  • Improved stress response.
  • Increases metabolic rate by 350%.
  • Noradrenaline concentrations increase by 530%.
  • Dopamine concentrations increase by 250%.
  • Builds resilience and grit.
  • Boosts immunity, metabolism, and circulation.
  • Brown adipose tissue is a type of fat that consumes calories to generate heat. Brown adipose tissue activation occurs best by cold exposure.
  • A feeling of being energized, increased optimism, and well-being.
  • Positive emotional state.
  • Reduces pain and inflammation.

Scientists find cold water immersion increases natural (NK) cells:

“Cold exposure acutely increases circulating mRNA [messenger ribonucleic acid] levels of genes involved in cytotoxic T cells and NK cells.”

Natural killer (NK) cells are:

“cytotoxic immune cells with an innate capacity for eliminating cancer cells and virus-infected cells.”

Science finds:

“accumulating evidence that daily brief cold stress can increase both numbers and activity of peripheral cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, the major effectors of adaptive and innate tumor immunity, respectively.”

A high dosage of granulated Vitamin C (60 mg/Kg body weight) boosts Natural Killer Cells:

“Vitamin C in high oral dose was capable of enhancing NK activity up to ten-fold in 78% of patients.”

HORMETIC STRESSORS.

Hormetic stressors are short bursts of stress that trigger healthy, positive, and adaptive responses:

“Hormetic stressors, acute intermittent stressors of moderate intensity, can produce stress resilience, the ability for quick recovery and possibly rejuvenation of cells and tissues.”

Examples of hormetic stressors are:

  • Intermittent fasting.
  • Heat exposure.
  • Cold exposure.
  • HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Intermittent bursts of all-out effort for about 30 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest.
  • Intermittent hypoxia.
  • Polyphenols(phytonutrients are concentrated in the leaf tissue of plants).

HYPOTHERMIA.

Hypothermia happens when your body temperature drops below 35 degrees Celcius – when the body’s core loses too much heat. This affects the function of our brain, heart, and other organs. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air of the same temperature.

Check this article out for a good read on hypothermia.

 

Love cold water swimming.

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Rest, or climb, and breathe.


Rest, or climb, and breathe………

Fryer and colleagues find advanced climbers:

“spent a significantly greater period of time shaking out and actively resting the arms” resulting in “increased blood flow, reducing metabolites [e.g. H+, adenosine, lactic acid, etc.] and the presence of the metaboreflex.”[1]

Paige Claassen recently sent Dreamcatcher 5.14d/ 9a. She rested for 4 minutes, breathing deeply and shaking out, before committing to the final moves:

“Some serious effort on the final boulder, followed by 4 riveting minutes of resting, and a nervous top out.”[2]

She says in an earlier article:

“The most crucial part of my redpoint burns is breathing. My stomach might hurt, my muscles might feel sore, but I still have a chance if I just breathe….“I don’t believe I’m much stronger than I was five years ago, but today I breathe and I never say take.” [3]

Trail running is a key part of her training. She says running has maintained her fitness when she can’t climb, increased her endurance and power, strengthened her legs for dynamic moves, and she can recover faster even when there are no great rests. 

Sheel, summarizes from the available data:

“climbing requires use of a significant portion of whole-body aerobic capacity.”[4]

However, it has been found:

“Climbers exhibit a lower aerobic capacity [VO2 max] than other elite athletes of similar body composition, i.e., endurance athletes.”[5]

VO2 MAX (aerobic capacity/ maximal oxygen uptake) refers to the highest rate at which oxygen can be taken up and consumed by the body during intense exercise.

VO2 MAX is limited by the ability of the cardiorespiratory system to deliver oxygen to the exercising muscles. The more aerobically fit an athlete is the more likely VO2 MAX will be higher.  It sets the upper limit for aerobic performance.

Michaela Kiersch says she sent Mind Control (5.14b) by increasing her cardiorespiratory fitness. She says running helped her climb faster, recover better on the wall and control her breathing and heart rate:

“Regulating your breath during a long crux sequence comes partly from having a certain fitness level but also from experience. During cardiovascular exercise, it’s easier to learn to breathe in a controlled fashion and to be aware of your heart rate than when you’re panicked on the rock. You can then transfer these breathing skills—a calm, slow breath while resting and a hard, forceful breath during exertion—to your climbing.”[6]

Michaela sent Dreamcatcher a few days after Paige.

Cardiorespiratory endurance.

“CRF, also known as cardiorespiratory endurance, cardiovascular fitness, aerobic capacity, and aerobic fitness, among others, refers to the capacity of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to skeletal muscle mitochondria for energy production during physical activity.”[7]

A 2008 study identifies :

“cardiorespiratory fitness and dynamic strength of upper extremities seem to be the key factors in sport climbing.”[8]

Balas and colleagues summarized seven climbing studies. They found:

“climbers with low aerobic fitness (less than 45 mL·kg−1·min−1) may be limited during climbing to exhaustion by the cardiorespiratory system.”[9]

Smith and colleagues say:

“Whilst the predominant energy source during bouldering is likely to be derived from the anaerobic pathways, it should be acknowledged that an elite individual training for many hours will largely rely on the oxidative system for continued muscle contraction and recovery from high intensity bouts of exercise.”[10]                                                                                       

Resting is not only finding balance and shaking out. It’s conserving energy, recovering our body and mind, slowing our heart rate down, relaxing any unnecessary tension. We do this by breathing deeply and slowly.

During sports or deep breathing the diaphragm can move as much as 10cm depending on its strength and our ability to activate it.

“In shallow respiration the descent of the diaphragm can be as little as 1.5cm, whereas in deep respiration it can be as much as 10cm.”[11]

What does Tommy Caldwell do?

“Breathe, relax, exhale … hold on just hard enough, just loose enough, shake out, milk this rest, get it back, breeeeathe.”[12]

Adam Ondra says climbing is easy if you either climb or relax:

“It’s easy: I’m either climbing or relaxing.”[13]

Watch Adam climbing Silence [14]. During easier climbing he breaths easy and rhythmically. During rests he breathes deeply and slowly and relaxes. He slows down his heart rate to recover and reset momentarily. He recovers his breathing muscles. After resting and breathing slowly, he speeds his breathing up for the harder climbing. This is important for energy and attention. 

Breathe a breath to match your energy needs. Adam says at one point:

 “I entered the crux too relaxed.”

Adam had a moments lack of attention which would be revealed in his breathing pattern.

As we all know, Adam screams during crux moves.

The diaphragm has a dual role in spinal stability and breathing which it does simultaneously.

Sports science says:

“When experiencing substantial exercise fatigue, some athletes attempt to
maintain a strong athletic performance by yelling.”[15]

Hazel Findlay recently climbed Muy Caliente, a classic run-out E9 in Pembroke. She says:

“A power scream kept me on the rock and I managed to keep myself together for the rest of the route.”[16]

Power screams, swearing, pasat, ptssaaa  or grunting are powerful, audible exhales.

A 2019 systematic review on climbing points out:

“An efficient climbing style is based on perpetual focus, accuracy and high postural stability.”[17]

Breathing is key in all three.

A stronger diaphragm recovers faster.

“Metaboreflex is where the body restricts blood flow to the limbs when the breathing muscles fatigue.”[18]

Strengthening the diaphragm attenuates this response. The diaphragm has a high percentage of fatigue-resistant muscle fibres, a greater oxidative capacity (ability to use oxygen) and a high to moderate density of blood capillaries (a larger blood flow to deliver oxygen). 

Sports science studies emphasize:

“The dual role of the diaphragm is essential for spinal stability and all resultant movements, especially for the complex tasks that comprise athletic performance.”[19]

Szczygiel and colleagues say:

“Postural control and breathing are mechanically and neuro-muscularly interdependent. Both systems – of spinal stability and respiration – involve the diaphragm, transversus abdominis, intercostal muscles, internal oblique muscles and pelvic floor muscles.”[20]

Kibler and colleagues tells us:

“core stability is the ability to control the position and motion of the trunk over the pelvis to allow optimum production, transfer, and control of force and motion to the terminal segment in integrated athletic activities. In other words, proximal stability sets the stage for distal mobility.”[21]

  • The diaphragm performs breathing and spinal stability simultaneously.
  • A solid torso/ core begins with the diaphragm and radiates out to the furthest extremities.
  • Diaphragmatic motion and contraction of the pelvic floor muscles correlate with breathing.
  • The diaphragm’s proper function and mechanical action efficiency depends on its anatomic arrangement with the lower rib cage which is known as the Zone of Apposition. It is influenced by the orientation of the rib cage.

Breathing while climbing.

Resting/ recover – diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply until you’re ready to climb again. Close eyes momentarily. Smile and relax face. Keep your shoulders down.
Easy climbing – breathe in and out through your nose. 
Harder climbing – breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Keep it rhythmic. Breathing in through your nose increases nitric oxide levels (vasodilation).
Crux moves – exhale strongly (shout ptssaa (pasat), swear, power scream). 

[1] The effect of technique and ability on the VO2 – heart rate relationship in rock climbing (2012). Simon Fryer1, Tabitha Dickson1, Nick Draper1, Mark Eltom2, Lee Stoner3, Gavin Blackwell1.

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CTcvpgaDVOa/

[3] https://www.trainingbeta.com/paige-claassen-on-breathing-and-falling/

[4] Physiology of sport rock climbing (2004). A W Sheel.

[5] Physiological demands and nutritional considerations for Olympic-style competitive rock climbing (2019) Marisa Michael, Oliver C Witard, Lanae M. Joubert.

[6] https://www.climbing.com/skills/cross-train-with-focus-for-better-sending/

[7] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000866

[8] Somatic and functional profile of sport rock climbers (2008). André Padrenosso 1,2 A D, Erik S. de Godoy 1 – 5 A B D - F, Eurico César 2 E F, Ana Barreto 1,2 C E F, Vitor Reis 5 E F, Antonio Silva 5 E F, Estélio Dantas 2,5 C - F

[9] The Relationship between Climbing Ability and Physiological Responses to Rock Climbing (2014). Jiří Baláš,1 Michaela Panáčková,1 Barbora Strejcová,1 Andrew J. Martin,2 Darryl J. Cochrane,2 Miloš Kaláb,1 Jan Kodejška,1 and Nick Draper3.

[10] Nutritional Considerations for Bouldering (2017). Edward J. Smith1 , Ryan Storey2 , and Mayur K. Ranchordas.

[11] Anatomy and Human Movement, Structure and function (2011). Sixth Edition. By Nigel Palastanga, Roger Soames.

[12] Caldwell, Tommy. The Push (p. 45). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

[13] Adam Ondra hung with sensors. What makes him the world’s best climber?
Jan Boček, Jan Cibulka, Michaela Danelová, Damian Machaj aRobert Candra | 14 Sep 2018.

[14] ADAM ONDRA. YOUTUBE CHANNEL.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRTNHDd0gL8

[15]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254615000964

[16] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/muy-caliente-e9-for-findlay/

[17] Determinants for success in climbing: A systematic review (2019). Dominik Saula , Gino Steinmetzb, Wolfgang Lehmanna. Arndt F. Schillinga.

[18] Muscle metaboreflex activation during dynamic exercise vasoconstricts ischemic active skeletal muscle (2015). Jasdeep Kaur, Tiago M. Machado, Alberto Alvarez, Abhinav C. Krishnan, Hanna W. Hanna, Yasir H. Altamimi, Danielle Senador, Marty D. Spranger, and Donal S. O'Leary.

[19] DYNAMIC NEUROMUSCULAR STABILIZATION & SPORTS REHABILITATION. Clare Frank, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT,1 Alena Kobesova, MD, PhD,2 and Pavel Kolar, PT, PhD2

[20] The Impact of Deep Muscle Training on the Quality of Posture and Breathing (2017) Elżbieta Szczygieł, Jędrzej Blaut, Katarzyna Zielonka-Pycka, Krzysztof Tomaszewski, Joanna Golec, Dorota Czechowska, Agata Masłoń & Edward Golec.

[21] The Role of Core Stability in Athletic Function (2006). W. Ben Kibler, Joel Press and Aaron Sciascia.
 
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Breathing frequency, effort, and perceived exertion.

RATING OF PERCEIVED EXERTION
 fR [respiratory frequency]  is strongly associated with perceived
exertion [RPE] during a variety of exercise paradigms.

Sports science says, breathing frequency is a strong marker of physical effort and is the best correlate of perceived exertion.

Perceived exertion is the effort intensity, stress, fatigue or discomfort felt during exercise. It is subjective. If you use Strava or similar tracking apps you will be familiar with using RPE.

Sports science says our breathing frequency (rate) is a strong marker of physical effort. 

“Respiratory frequency (fR) is emerging as a valuable measurement for training monitoring,” and “more information can be gained from fR. Unlike heart rate, VO2, and blood lactate, fR is strongly associated with perceived exertion during a variety of exercise paradigms, and under several experimental interventions affecting performance like muscle fatigue, glycogen depletion, heat exposure and hypoxia. This suggests that fR is a strong marker of physical effort.”[1]

Breathing frequency has a strong linear relationship with perception of effort/ perceived exertion (RPE). 

“In conclusion, fR [respiratory frequency], but not VE [minute ventilation], HR [heart rate] or VO2 [volume of oxygen], shows a strong relationship to RPE [Rate of Perceived Exertion] and a similar time course, irrespective of exercise duration.”[2]

A study compared Adam Ondra’s and Štěpán Stráník’s breathing frequency, minute ventilation and heart rate, climbing the same route.

Minute ventilation (VE) is the amount of air breathed per minute and can be anything between 6 L/min at rest to over 100 litres per minute during intense exercise. Extreme levels can reach 200 L/min, for prolonged periods, by Olympic Nordic cross-country skiers!

Increasing respiratory rate (breathing faster) or tidal volume (quantity of air breathed in/ taking a deeper breath) increases minute ventilation (air breathed per minute).

Tidal volume is best increased though diaphragmatic activation, not breathing faster. Athletes tend to have a higher tidal volume (TV).

Minute ventilation (VE) = Breathing rate x Tidal volume. For example: 12 x 0.5L = 6 Litres a minute.

Adam Ondra and Štěpán Stráník climbed the hardest route of the HUDY climbing wall in Brno – graded 8b. 

The authors of the study say:

“In comparison with Adam’s record (Silence is rated at 9c) it is a relatively easy route but for most Czech top climbers it’s the maximum difficulty. The aim of the experiment was to compare Adam’s style with that of another climber, so that route was perfect.”[3]

Adam and Štěpán both wore a biofeedback device (Hexoskin) while they climbed.

See this critical review [4] on biofeedback equipment/ wearable devices which are advancing at a fast rate.

Adam’s breathing rate and minute ventilation.

Adam’s breathing rate climbing this 8b was 14 breaths per minute (bpm). His minute ventilation (VE) while climbing was 35.03 l/ min.

His breathing rate barely increased. Instead, he increased his tidal volume (breathed deeper).

Sports science says well trained athletes are more likely to increase tidal volume (TV) and not breathing rate:

“In moderate exercise, well trained athletes maintain alveolar ventilation by increasing TV [tidal volume] with only a small increase in breathing rate.”[5]

The speed of our breathing tells us how much effort we are putting into an activity. His breathing rate suggests the route was easy for him.

Štěpán’s breathing rate was twice the speed of Adam’s.

Štěpán’s breathing rate was twice the speed (36 rpm). His minute ventilation was 67.97 litres/minute.

His breathing rate, compared to Adam’s, shows the climbing was more difficult for him.

In this case Štěpán’s breathing was not as efficient.

This is a clear example of breathing rate being a strong marker of physical effort. There are clear differences between Adam and Štěpán. 

  • The physical effort for Adam to climb the route is low.
  • His perceived effort is low and this shows in his breathing rate.
  • He breathes easy and he is not out of breath which suggest he has a higher aerobic threshold.
  • Adam increases his tidal volume by taking deeper breaths.

Breathing rate could be the most accurate indicator of rock-climbing induced physical and mental stress.

Monitoring or controlling  breathing rate before (for mindfulness/ anxiety/ focus), during (for perceived exertion/ efficiency/ emotional regulation/ focus) and after climbing (for recovery/ relaxation) is valuable for any climber (beginner to elite).

Pranaclimb. Love, Breathe, Climb. 

REFERENCES.

[1] Respiratory Frequency during Exercise: The Neglected Physiological Measure (2017) Andrea Nicolò, Carlo Massaroni2 and Louis Passfield3,4*

[2] Respiratory frequency is strongly associated with perceived exertion during time trials of different duration. Nicolò A1, Marcora SM2, Sacchetti M1. (2016)

[3] Adam Ondra hung with sensors. What makes him the world’s best climber? Jan Boček, Jan Cibulka, Michaela Danelová, Damian Machaj a Robert Candra | 14 Sep 2018

[4] A Critical Review of Consumer Wearables, Mobile Applications, and Equipment for Providing Biofeedback, Monitoring Stress, and Sleep in Physically Active Populations (2018). Jonathan M. Peake,1,2,* Graham Kerr,3 and John P. Sullivan4

[5] Exercise Physiology: Nutrition, Energy, and Human Performance (2014). By William D. McArdle, Frank I. Katch, Victor L.

[6] Physiology of sport rock climbing. AW Sheel.

[7] The Relationship between Climbing Ability and Physiological Responses to Rock Climbing (2014). Jiří Baláš, 1 Michaela Panáčková, 1 Barbora Strejcová, 1 Andrew J. Martin, 2 Darryl J. Cochrane, 2 Miloš Kaláb, 1 Jan Kodejška, 1 and Nick Draper 3.

 

 

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The act of breathing is always in the present moment. Conscious breathing is an anchor connecting our will and autonomic nervous system.

Black zawn. Sennen
Black Zawn. Sennen.

  ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ After 2020/2021 a good approach to LIFE is to set an intention or project and then wilfully take a deeper, slower breath in that loves life and a long breath out that accepts (not always approves) of this very moment now.
 
The act of breathing always happens in the present moment. IT is automatic and autonomic.
🌱  Breathing happens anyway. Automatic/ autonomic breathing is driven by brain stem structures.

🌱 The lungs cannot breathe themselves. The muscular act of breathing always happens in the present moment.

VOLITION is the power of wilfully and deliberately choosing or deciding to TAKE a particular course of action.
Volition or will is a cognitive process by which we decide on and commit to a particular course of action.
 
It is not based on external principles and is not accidental. When we use our volition it is a purposeful act and we commit to a particular course of action.
 
Paige Claassen just sent Dreamcatcher 5.14d. She says in her Instagram post:

“I climbed well to the final rest, stuck my highpoint, and then made a conscious decision to not let go.”
 
Her volition kicks in and she breathes.
 
When we act with volition we are choosing or decidinG a particular course of actions. we do this by linking OUR will and autonomic processes by breathing consciously.
This insightful 2021 review article says:
 
“Linking the volitional and the autonomic, controlled breathing becomes an anchor in the present, which provides organisms with new evidence to update their beliefs on interoceptive states.”
 
by wilfully (VOLITION) taking a conscious breath we make a decision to take control of the moment.

Wim Hof  is a master of his volition and conscious breathing. Past the death zone in nothing but his shorts he recalls:

“In a moment in which everything was seemingly out of control, his mind took control, through his breath. “

In like manner, Tommy Caldwell takes control of the moment through his breath:
 
“As I begin to climb, my whole body trembles. The intensity is almost too much for me to handle. I try to force it out of my head. Focus, breathe. I climb slowly, careful to execute every move. I let the air whistle through my lips with each exhalation.”
 

Chris Sharma updates his belief (feeling total chaos) and finds peace by breathing:

“And it all comes back to just breathing, in those times that we feel like everything is total chaos, and to be in the middle of that you breathe and find peace in those moments.”

Controlled breathing is our anchor.

Controlled breathing is our anchor to the present moment, bringing all our energies to one coherent point.

First we have to THINK, BREATHE – even in chaos.
Then we have to CONSCIOUSLY BREATHE.
Practising is KEY.

❤️ PAY ATTENTION. BREATHE.

 

 
 
 
 
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PRANACLIMB BY ANNIE ANDERSON

Prana translates to life force and ayama translates to extend, expand, freedom or release. Ayama can also mean restraint or control. We extend, expand and control our bioenergetics, mindset and emotions by practising pranayama (breath control).

Breath control focuses our attention and regulates our emotion. It releases emotional trauma trapped in muscular tensions.

Breath rate and depth is at the heart of homeostasis, allostasis and allostatic systems and energy flowing through our system (bioenergetics).

Pranaclimb is a science-based book. Breathing modulates neural, cognitive and emotional processes. Controlled breathing anchors us in the present moment where we are able to update our beliefs and regulate our emotions, cognition, and physiology.

Pranaclimb is a reference book with a practice for climbers and yogins. It is based on 30+ years of climbing, 20 years of yoga practice, instructing, coaching and guiding and 7 years of research in breathing (anatomy and physiology, psychology, neurobiology, and sports science).

Current peer-reviewed science supports the effectiveness of conscious, controlled breathing in life (psychological, emotional, spiritual and physical health) and sports performance.

Breathing has immediate and potent effects on our mind-body (psychophysiological) relationship and increases our resilience and ability topush out of our comfort zone.