The Most Important Exercise (Few people do anymore)

I like to begin each gym workout by doing light breathing pullovers lying on a bench — which used to be the key exercise in the ’50s and ’60s “Golden Era” of bodybuilding — producing those impressive chest to waist differentials through ribcage expansion — as well as midsection minimization. It was such a key movement, that Arthur Jones made it the prototype to demonstrate his Nautilus principles in action. His second machine, was the hip and back machine, which did not catch on in popularity — even though it was for the hip girdle muscles, as much as the pullover was for the shoulder girdle muscles — in his objective to work the maximum number of muscles as well as the largest of the body — with these two basic movements and machines.

Every other machine and movement was much less effective in its impact — because it was either redundant, or more specialized and isolating. And in the case of the neck, forearms, and calves, he felt that no machines in the Nautilus mode were necessary — because the standard mode of performance and resistance could not be improved on. What he, as well as most gym athletes failed to appreciate, was that those levers of the human body are activated and developed not so much by resistance as they are by the range of movement — inversely related to resistance. Because of that, most people lifting heavy weights, never move at their wrists, hands and neck — and even come to believe as many do, that such joints should not be articulated (moved) — because they cannot move under heavy resistance, or would be injurious to do so.

Such extremities were evolved (designed) optimally for range of motion — rather than lifting heavy loads as their primary purpose. That is the reason that the most impressive development of these muscles at the extremities are usually exhibited by the ballet dancers and gymnasts — who have unparalleled development of such movements and that musculature/functioning. That is usually the difference between the outstanding performer and the novice — who doesn’t exhibit such mastery out to their very fingertips. Those are people obviously born with high body intelligence and are usually recognized very early in life as prodigies of movement — which no amount of training can duplicate. So in many countries that appreciate those qualities, they can spot such talents in a roomful of youngsters and only train those who will greatly benefit by such guidance.

Every other society does that to some extent — because they recognize certain qualities as more desirable than others, and that life is not just a random crapshoot in which the normal have as much chance of winning as the “gifted” in that field or specialty. They don’t start off equal, and they don’t end up equal — which is the proper understanding of life and all its activities and outcomes. But that is not to say that nothing can be done — and those advantages are inevitable and inviolable.

The exercise that seems to make the most difference in leveling the playing field for most — is the breathing exercise which is best exemplified by the pullover done lying on a bench with either a light dumbbell or barbell — with either bent or straight arms — for at least 50 repetitions. That was the transformative movement that turned many puny weaklings into bodybuilding champions — in this golden era in which those taking up exercise with this modality were invariably successful beyond their wildest hopes. That was fairly typical of the results one could expect as a weight trainee of that time — but not so much anymore, when the wrong things are given greater emphasis and importance.

It was the importance and practice of breathing — and not merely the increase and monitoring of the heart rate that produced the greatest difference in exercisers. In fact, the pullover is hardly ever taught anymore as even one of the necessary exercises — while many much less and even unproductive movements are promoted as the must-do exercises — the usual being the bench press, squat and deadlift. And if that were not bad enough, done with dangerously heavy weights.

Meanwhile, the most productive exercise ever performed, is shunned because one cannot lift as heavy weights — or should. But proper deep breathing alone would probably be transformative to most people — for a very good reason. First off, they need to breathe only through the nose, and let the movement of air in and out of their body happen because the volume of the chest capacity is maximized and minimized by the natural action of the pullover movement — with a very nominal weight that serves mainly as a focal point. There is no other exercise or movement that comes close to duplicating that dedication to that objective and effectiveness. It is essentially the “breathing exercise” — and as such, makes all subsequent exercises much more productive — done in that same manner — with that attention to the breathing as the essential muscle contraction powering all the others.

In fact, properly done, every other muscle contraction and effort, merely “rides” the breathing contraction — and that is the proper cadence for sustaining any prolonged effort. That is the “flow” one wants to get into, which becomes conditioned so that one need not give conscious attention to in doing most other things. It should be automatic — because of this essential conditioning. 

The opposite of this are the mouth-breathers who force air in and out of their bodies — and deliberately make a conscious effort of even breathing, which adds to their workload diverting attention from the effortless flow. And so they are desperately trying to catch their breath — even in walking, talking and sleeping.  

It is so basic and essential that it is so easy to overlook -- as the most important thing we have to do in life.  Many ancient wisdoms have made it the foundation of their healthy practices.  This is how we practice better breathing by just the attention to it -- and all subsequent efforts become more productive.