Methods of improving respiratory effectiveness

Abstract

Methods for improving respiratory effectiveness including inhaling a breath and, while continuously holding the breath, swimming for a period of at least 10 seconds without exhaling or further inhaling, and inhaling a breath and, without exhaling or further inhaling, adopting, and holding for a period of at least 3 seconds, at least one stretch position, which requires constant muscular exertion to maintain.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for improving respiratory effectiveness of an individual, comprising the steps of:
 a) inhaling a breath and, while continuously holding the breath, swimming for a period of at least 10 seconds without exhaling or further inhaling; and   b) inhaling a breath and, without exhaling or further inhaling, adopting, and holding for a period of at least 3 seconds, at least one stretch position, wherein the at least one stretch position requires constant muscular exertion by the individual to maintain the stretch position.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a period of time between completing step a) and commencing step b), and/or between completing step b) and commencing step a), is no more than 60 seconds. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises swimming underwater or swimming along a water surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) is completed using a stroke in which arms of the individual are used to drive the individual through water, with legs of the individual not contributing significantly to locomotion of the individual. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises successively adopting and holding two or more stretch positions, each for a period of at least 3 seconds. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a separate breath is inhaled and held for each of the two or more stretch positions. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step b) is carried out with at least a mouth and nose of the individual submerged under a water surface throughout the stretching step. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises swimming a length or width of a swimming pool. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the pool is a 25-meter or 50-meter long pool. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises holding a stretch position for at least 15 seconds. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising alternately carrying out step a) and step b) at least 10 times each. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising alternately carrying out step a) and step b) at least 15 times each. 
     
     
         13 . A training program comprising the steps of:
 a) inhaling a breath and, while continuously holding the breath, swimming for a period of at least 10 seconds without exhaling or further inhaling; and   b) inhaling a breath and, without exhaling or further inhaling, adopting, and holding for a period of at least 3 seconds, at least one stretch position, wherein the at least one stretch position requires constant muscular exertion by the individual to maintain the stretch position; wherein steps a) and b) are performed by an individual at least once per week for a period of 6 weeks.   
     
     
         14 . The training program according to  claim 13  wherein steps a) and b) are performed at least twice a week for a period of  6  weeks. 
     
     
         15 . The training program according to  claim 13 , wherein step a) and/or step b) is alternately or sequentially repeated, with a period of no more than 60 seconds between completing a step and commencing a next step. 
     
     
         16 . The training program according to  claim 13 , wherein step a) comprises swimming underwater or swimming along a water surface. 
     
     
         17 . The training program according to  claim 13 , wherein step a) is completed using a stroke in which arms of the individual are used to drive the individual through water, with legs of the individual not contributing significantly to locomotion of the individual. 
     
     
         18 . The training program according to  claim 13 , wherein step b) comprises successively adopting and holding two or more stretch positions, each for a period of at least  3  seconds. 
     
     
         19 . The training program according to  claim 18 , wherein a separate breath is inhaled and held for each of the two or more stretch positions. 
     
     
         20 . A training material comprising printed instructions or video instructions, wherein the material describes and/or depicts the steps of:
 a) inhaling a breath and, while continuously holding the breath, swimming for a period of at least 10 seconds without exhaling or further inhaling; and   b) inhaling a breath and, without exhaling or further inhaling, adopting, and holding for a period of at least  3  seconds, at least one stretch position, wherein the at least one stretch position requires constant muscular exertion by the individual to maintain the stretch position.