And I”m not talking about pushups, pull-ups or squats. I’m also not talking about jumping rope or running.
I’m talking about basic “natural” positions that are essential to our health, yet even most teenagers today cannot do them.
For example, can you get on the floor, put weight onto your knees and hands, then remove your hands from the ground and lean back until your lower legs are folded beneath your hamstrings and buttocks? If you can get into this position, are you able to remain there for one minutes as you breathe deeply and relax?
Part of the reason that people have so much trouble getting into basic primal positions is because they rarely let their breath go. They never fully exhale as they move.
When you don’t let go and relax, your body gets tighter and more constricted. You accumulate tension throughout your day and unwittingly carry it around with you everywhere you go. As this tension builds, you become less flexible.
One of the reasons that I emphasize the deep breathing methods that Farmer Burns taught in his 1914 by-mail course, Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture, is because they make you feel loose and limber again. As you breathe deeper, as you learn to go inside your body and move from within, everything changes.
When you practice the deep breathing methods Farmer Burns teaches, you are strengthening your entire body, giving your internal organs a vigorous workout, making them more efficient. When your internal organs are more efficient, your sense of overall well-being is enhanced. On top of that, your body is capable of more, including getting into and out of positions that were previously impossible.
Then there’s the waist-reducing aspect of the deep breathing exercises the Farmer teaches. You breathe deeply while doing isometric contractions and your body changes in ways previously unimaginable.
How in the world can you get results from something so simple, something that doesn’t require you to lie on the floor to do sit-ups and crunches?
Well, when you do the exercises on a regular basis, you will have your answer.
That’s why I continually recommend the Farmer Burns method. Although his course was written for wrestlers over 100 years ago, the truth is that if you stick with the calisthenics and breathing exercises that he advises, you will amaze yourself and your friends with the visible changes that have taken place. You don’t need to be a wrestler to enjoy the benefits.
Do the exercises and see your body loosen up as it gets stronger. Notice how you can now get into positions that you couldn’t approximate before.
The deeper your breathing the greater the connection you have to your muscles – and this translates into getting into basic positions and relaxing – something you couldn’t do before.
Grab a copy of Farmer Burns course NOW and I’ll enclose an autographed copy of one of the martial arts magazines that put me on their cover.
Let’s Go.
Matt Furey
