A quick note on Breathing, Under stress the heart rate can increase to dangerously high levels. A research program in Missouri measure the heart rates of officers not trained in efficient combat skills during simulated street fights the results were astonishing.

 When told they were going to fight, the officer's average heart rate rose from 75 bpm to 85 bpm

 When placed on the mats and given the fight rules the average surged to

120 bpm

 After actually struggling with partners for just 30 seconds, their rates ranged from 185 bpm to 235 bpm

 The average human heart starts coming apart when overloaded at 220 bpm or more per minute over some time.

When confronted with a life and death situation and using a gun to protect your life or the life of a loved one, I would suggest you are under a high level of stress.

Breathing deeply sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. Those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax. Amid strong emotion, the breathing of joy can loosen the grip of anger, fear, or despair. Deep belly breathing soothes frayed nerves and stills a racing mind. It can be utilized to great effect in times of stress. But the real key to managing our emotional states through breathwork is a regular practice. New shooters and experienced shooters alike often fail to breathe or are holding their breath. One of the first things I tell all levels of shooters, including myself, is to breathe. “get clear oxygenated blood to the brain”. When training, no one is shooting back at us or wresting with us. We create this stress/increased heart rate all on our own, by not wanting to mess up, thinking that we are doing something wrong, trying to be perfect, and a host of other things. Training should be fun and practical. So the

next time you are out training, Breath…. exhale the stupid.