The Breath Hold Push Up Protocol is very much a body and mind melding practice. You will be challenging your mind to relax as it screams at you to take a breathe. It is practicing to reduce that fear in a controlled environment to better prepare you and make you comfortable in the ocean and adverse surf conditions.
1 – 5 below describe ONE grouping of the Push Up Protocol you are going to complete 3.
I suggest starting with a 4-6-4 rep count in each set and progress from there. A good progression strategy is to add reps to the middle set in the second grouping first.
Example: Group 1 = 4-6-4, Group 2 = 6-8-6, Group 3 = 4-6-4
Prioritize maintaining breathe control (Breathe hold during sets, 1 breathe between sets) over higher rep counts of pushups.
1. Start with 2 minutes of nasal / diaphragmatic breathe
Start on all fours. You are looking to pre-load your body with oxygen, focus the mind, and feel prepared for the push up protocol.
2. Get into the top of your pushup form
2. Take 1 more deep inhale and HOLD THE BREATHE
You will hold the breathe throughout the repetitions of the set
- Complete the repetitions in the set
- Go back onto all fours
- Slowly but FULLY exhale
- Go back into push up form
- Take ONE more full nasal inhalation and again hold breathe throughout the next set
3. Complete Second Set
- Go back onto all fours
- Slowly but FULLY exhale
- Take ONE full nasal inhalation and again hold breathe throughout the next set
4. Complete Third Set
- Go back onto all fours
- Slowly but FULLY exhale
5. Complete TWO Minutes Recovery of deep nasal diaphragmatic breathe
That is one grouping. You will complete 3
