Matt Billock Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 (edited) I don't understand how anyone can look at a breathing block, then look at the demands the activity places on the performers, and then claim that a breathing block has no effect. Drill requires intense aerobic effort - breathing block helps train that through running. Horn players need to learn to control breathing while under duress - breathing block helps train that by forcing you to breathe properly while physically stressed. Every person who claims that breathing block is detrimental to a corps' success has either never done one or had latent medical issues that prevented them from improving as a result of the block. Even the argument that it tires people out on show days is invalid, because if you think about it you'll realize that what the staff can then do is just not hold breathing block on "big" show days, and suddenly your performers are that much more fit and ready. But that's really a non-issue, though, because given the ability of the human body to adapt to any kind of exertion you demand of it I guarantee that by the end of the season the body can handle breathing block, rehearsal, and performance all in the same day. Every corps I marched did some variation on breathing block. At the beginning of the season I hated it because I was out of shape from the winter. By the end of the season, we got used to it, and actually started to have fun with it. When I marched Glassmen our variation was to run several laps after lunch, then do breathing exercises in horn arc while our hearts were still pumping. At the beginning, we were all gasping for breath, but by the end of the season, we were singing songs while running around then knocking out 12-24-36-48-64 count breathing exercises. And you know what? It didn't impact our performance negatively at all. In fact, it helped all of us to play better while on the field. The hornline sound after a summer of breathing exercises was like night and day when compared to may camps. What was great was finishing a summer of breathing exercises, having seen and experienced the results first-hand, then listening to fellow band mates in high school and college complain about standing still and doing breathing exercises, claiming that they didn't get why it was important, or what it helped. Edited October 22, 2008 by Matt Billock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flervinuveling Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I don't understand how anyone can look at a breathing block, then look at the demands the activity places on the performers, and then claim that a breathing block has no effect. people who say breathing block has no effect obviously have never done it. or they just had a really easy show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 people who say breathing block has no effect obviously have never done it. or they just had a really easy show yeah...cadets 98 and 99 were really easy shows to march (on contra!!) (no, i didnt march them, but someone who disagrees with you did ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedawn Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 people who say breathing block has no effect obviously have never done it. or they just had a really easy show lol or they had teachers who were able to achieve better results without resorting to wasting time in a breathing block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickhaltsforlife Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 lolor they had teachers who were able to achieve better results without resorting to wasting time in a breathing block. all corps run, and all corps do breathing exercises... it takes up less time to do both at the same time, plus there is no doubt that breathing block is the best simulation to marching a show.... or of course you could sprint to a far object, sprint back, and then play sections of your show! Running and breathing block is just another way to do things. I'm sure every corps does something similar, even if it isn't running and breathing exactly, it still serves the same purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flervinuveling Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 (edited) lolor they had teachers who were able to achieve better results without resorting to wasting time in a breathing block. thus, have never done it so they wouldn't know Edited October 22, 2008 by flervinuveling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madscout96 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 lolor they had teachers who were able to achieve better results without resorting to wasting time in a breathing block. So what techniques or exercises did your corps use that were better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pooh bear Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 don't worry, next year the synthesizers can all perform the breathing block for you! my how drum and brass corps have changed... The running/breathing block is nothing new... The Blue Devils originated the block in 1980/1981... yes - it does improve your breath capacity and physical stamina we also used it to intimidate many corps - and yes it worked.... Blue Devils always had very powerful horn lines - and this was one of the reasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pooh bear Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 don't worry, next year the synthesizers can all perform the breathing block for you! my how drum and brass corps have changed... The running/breathing block is nothing new... The Blue Devils originated the block in 1980/1981... yes - it does improve your breath capacity and physical stamina we also used it to intimidate many corps - and yes it worked.... Blue Devils always had very powerful horn lines - and this was one of the reasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thePerfectbuzz Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 people who say breathing block has no effect obviously have never done it. or they just had a really easy show i guess my shows were really easy.....actually the first corps I was at we did breathing block, the second corps we didnt. I did and will always see it as a waste of time. But different strokes for different folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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