# Vasodilation Techniques.



## Nick9tap (Oct 24, 2021)

Hi, i am very interested about exercises that are focused around vasodilation. What they are used for, the effects both martial and for health. Has anyone come across such exercises? They usually involve the tightening of muscle etc while retaining the out breath.


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## Bill Mattocks (Oct 24, 2021)

Never heard of it.


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## Buka (Oct 24, 2021)

Nick9tap said:


> Hi, i am very interested about exercises that are focused around vasodilation. What they are used for, the effects both martial and for health. Has anyone come across such exercises? They usually involve the tightening of muscle etc while retaining the out breath.


Welcome to MartialTalk, Nick. Hope you enjoy it.

Exercise in general will promote vasodilation. I'm not aware of any specific exercise that would be better than another, but if you train hard, it will help - to a point. It will bring it to where it should be.

You can also eat foods that promote it. Do some Google-fu and check them out.


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## Nick9tap (Oct 25, 2021)

Buka said:


> Welcome to MartialTalk, Nick. Hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Exercise in general will promote vasodilation. I'm not aware of any specific exercise that would be better than another, but if you train hard, it will help - to a point. It will bring it to where it should be.
> 
> You can also eat foods that promote it. Do some Google-fu and check them out.


 Thanks but, i probably should of elaborated a little.  I  have come across some exercises from traditional Qi gong training, that require retention of the exhalation  while tightening the body mass.....And it is these type of exercises i am interested in learning more about the physiological effects


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## Gyakuto (Oct 26, 2021)

There is ‘Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training’. This is where you forcefully inhale against a 70% restriction, for 30 breaths each day. It’s been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure (vasodilation) and enhance function of the endothelium. Inspiratory muscle strength training lowers blood pressure and sympathetic activity in older adults with OSA: a randomized controlled pilot trial | Journal of Applied Physiology


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## Gyakuto (Oct 26, 2021)

Nick9tap said:


> Thanks but, i probably should of elaborated a little.  I  have come across some exercises from traditional Qi gong training, that require retention of the exhalation  while tightening the body mass.....And it is these type of exercises i am interested in learning more about the physiological effects


Retention of exhalation? Tightening of body mass? I think you need to explain these in more detail. In Zen there are two commonly taught methods of breathing, ‘fukushiki Kokyu’ (‘belly breathing’) and ’tanden soku’ (where the belly remains extended (as in the inspiratory phase) during the exploratory phase. The inhibition of the brain’s pre-Botzinger complex by slow, deep breathing has recently been implicated in the beneficial aspects of meditation.


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## Oily Dragon (Oct 26, 2021)

Stretching is fundamental to most forms of Qi gong.  Breathing is fundamental to survival.  Slow, mindful stretching with deep, relaxing breaths is probably one of the best health exercises there is.  Your heart rate will lower, your blood pressure will lower, your stress level will lower, and your blood oxygen will maximize.  And that's really all anyone has to know about Qi gong.

But it has to be real Qi gong.  The health benefits of real Qi gong are self evident, which is why the ancient forms use terms like "tendon changing" and "marrow washing".  If you do legitimate Qi gong regularly, you're going to see results.  If it's fake, you're just not.  Even a thousand years ago, gurus and masters were widely respected specifically because they were known for their health above all things, even combat skill.  And when two Qi gong masters contended, it would be obvious which one did it better.

At my current skill level I can slow my breath down to about 3 inhalations/exhalations per minute.  10 seconds to inhale, 10 to exhale, rinse and repeat.  Holding the breath is not as necessary as slowing it.  This is the secret to being able to meditate in the midst of chaos, since one of the main goals of kung fu is to keep calm and composed in any situation. 

And like Mr. Rebel said above, belly power is the key to it all.


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