Breathing gym

[Coathope]

Are we talking about breathing block, per chance?

Not necessarily. The Breathing Gym is a compilation of exercises. Sure, every hornline has its own regimen of breathing, but this is a specific program.

[BigBadMadMan]

I'm talking about breathing block where you run and do breathing exercises at the same time.

Just, ya know, in case someone wasn't familiar with the term "breathing block".

[flervinuveling]

I'm talking about breathing block where you run and do breathing exercises at the same time.

Just, ya know, in case someone wasn't familiar with the term "breathing block".

No, breathing gym and breathing block are different. Madison does both of them. I can't really explain the breathing gym exercises cause I can't do them anymore (kinda hurts when you have a paralyzed diaphragm!) so I don't really remember them all. But I suggest googling it and checking it out.

[kaplac]

I'm pretty sure a large majority of corps do at least several breathing gym exercises in their warm-up routine. I have yet to meet a group that follows the breathing gym technique exactly to the book (i.e. all the exercises). But conversely, I have also never seen a group so far that doesn't reference breathing gym warm-ups in some way, shape, or form.

[Leland]

Sam's said that some of the visualization exercises, particularly the bow and arrow and the paper airplane, were lifted directly from pre-show routines of British brass bands. Other exercises have their basis in yoga.

If you've been a corps horn player, you've done some of this stuff whether you know it or not. What Pat and Sam did was put a bunch of stretching and visualization techniques into a coherent routine. It's almost like a method book for wind.

[Harmonious Cacophony]

The Breathing Gym

[TallAZEuph]

Regiment does. Check out the Brass Gym book - it closely resembles their warm-ups from a couple years ago.

Except not really. At all. The Brass Gym was derived mainly from a routine developed by Arnold Jacobs, which Sam and Pat then added some new exercises to the mix. The only exercise I've ever heard Phantom play that was derived directly from that is Schwarma. (Also a delicious Greek dish.) I only know of one corps that has used the Beautiful Sound studies, and in more than 1 key. Also, the "Smooth Air Movement" exercise, to my knowledge has never been used by a corps. Basically what I'm saying is that a few corps have borrowed bits and pieces from this warm up approach, but no one does the total Brass Gym approach. It's really not practical for the marching activity, especially because only having three valves inhibits the possible range. (Gotta love compensating Euphoniums)

So basically, don't ever say that the Brass Gym resembles Phantom Regiment's warm up. This routine was developed LONG ago by one of the forefathers of modern brass playing. Take it from someone who has studied with Sam Pilafian. I'm not saying, but I'm just saying.

[DITD]

What are the exercises exactly?

Various and many, and definitely worth looking into if you're a wind player. They are metaphoric. Associate inhalation and exhalation to throwing a dart, shooting an arrow.

As a teacher, the sigh breath exercise helps tremendously. High school kids identify so so well with this stuff.

[TallAZEuph]

To try and make this as short as possible, The Breathing Gym is broken down into three basic categories: Stretch, Therapy, and Flow. There is a purpose to this process, and really to fully understand it, just buy it. It'd take days to break it down on DCP.

[mellotech]

The Boston Crusaders horn line also use the Breathing Gym as part of their daily warm-up routine.