NR_Ohiobando Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I've read about corps doing "Breathing Blocks" a few times here on DCP, but I don't actually know what they are. Obviously I have an idea of what they're basically supposed to accomplish. However, I'd like to know what exactly happens during a breathing block. What do you do? How long do you do it for? What exact warm-ups/actions do you perform? The posts that sparked my curiosity were actually pertaining to the 90's Madison Scouts brass lines doing breathing blocks, and ridiculously how hard they were. But anyone who has done a breathing block that has a description would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PioneerLeadSop Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Basically running together in a block in step while breathing in for a certain amount of counts and then out for an amount of counts. You learn to control your breathing while building endurance. Also at the end then your dead tired you sprint to the finish line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoHmempho04 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 When ever it happened with me, a visual caption head/ tech or the drum major had a gawk block and they tapped setting the tempo and the step size (sucks if you have a tall Major...) They would also call out, in for 4, out for 4 or so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SynthLine09 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 We did 8-15 minutes of the Breathing Gym every day before brass warm-up As a result I feel my lung capacity has greatly expanded, and the ability to use my air efficiently to be greatly improved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StradmanBW Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I've read about corps doing "Breathing Blocks" a few times here on DCP, but I don't actually know what they are. Obviously I have an idea of what they're basically supposed to accomplish. However, I'd like to know what exactly happens during a breathing block. What do you do? How long do you do it for? What exact warm-ups/actions do you perform? The posts that sparked my curiosity were actually pertaining to the 90's Madison Scouts brass lines doing breathing blocks, and ridiculously how hard they were. But anyone who has done a breathing block that has a description would be great. Breathing blocks are, or at least the way we did them at Scouts (I was around for 2004 and part of 2007), hard. Essentially, as posters above said, you take air in for a certain amount of counts and then expel the air while running in time. The expulsion of air is done with a "hissing" sound (sssss), which creates resistance and makes one push to get air out. Typically, you'll fill up for four counts, then go out for four, do a "cleansing breath", then rinse and repeat with higher numbers of counts out. At some point, normally when the block gets hard, the cleansing breath will be taken out and you'll just do the sets back to back. I never ran in a breathing block where the counts went higher than forty eight out. The really long sets out aren't really what you have to watch out for. It's repeating the sixteen count sets while going at a brisk run--with a large step size--that really gets you worn out. Blocks at Scouts would last between 15 and 25 minutes, if I remember things correctly. You start out with relatively easy counts, then it gets harder. At the end you'll either do the sprinting the poster above mentioned, or you'll kind of "cool down" as a group, which consists of slowing the pace down and tapering out, hanging your head down, standing still, and praying for death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstdrumn Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Didn't know what they were untill I got to drum corps - then I found out I hated them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snax08 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Whenever we did them this year, after we were done with the sprint portion, we'd sprint over to our instruments and just sustain a low Bb for however long they wanted us to. Breathing blocks are pretty intense and after doing one, lungs feel like they're on fire... but they work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit7698 Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Dude.... breathing block.....omg!. Even though I am a drummer we ALL did it together at suncoast and at spirit. I even do it from time to time when I jog now. It really, really strengthens my cardio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallAZEuph Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 The Breathing Gym doesn't increase your lung capacity, because well, it is impossible to enlarge your lungs. The Breathing Gym is supposed to teach you how to utilize a greater percentage of your total lung capacity, because the majority of your capacity isn't used in your typical daily activities. Through doing those exercises, you improve your efficiency because you are using more air, with less effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SynthLine09 Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 The Breathing Gym doesn't increase your lung capacity, because well, it is impossible to enlarge your lungs. The Breathing Gym is supposed to teach you how to utilize a greater percentage of your total lung capacity. Thats what I meant, sorry to be unclear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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