What is the added value of a breathwork instructor?

...or why do I need one in the first place, since everybody breathes anyways, right? ;-)

Simply put, you don't.

You could watch tons of videos on youtube, listen to endless hours of podcasts, read amazing books, learn and breathe with Apps, go to Masterclasses, seminars from various breathwork schools, make breathwork a daily routine for years and you will have learned and improved a lot - guaranteed. In the end you even might become an amazing breathwork instructor!

So what are the benefits of a breathwork professional?

Experience will save you time

A breathwork professional comes with years of experience - practical and theoretical. This will save you time and accelerate your "return on breathing investments".

Not only, but especially during early stages of breathing exercises you will learn first-hand from someone, who has actually done breathwork instead of "thinking of how to do it". This is a recurring theme I have witnessed in my own development over the years: Breathwork is extensively about practice and the actual experience of it. It is subtle and depends on the setting, your thoughts and so many more variables you are potentially still unconscious of.

Observation will make you better

Most importantly, by working with something so subtle as the breath, you will hardly make progress on deep, profound levels all by yourself without a 1:1 coaching. Why is that?

Well, you cannot observe yourself from the outside or with your eyes closed. This is particularly important when you want to uncover dysfunctional breathing patterns, do trauma healing in altered states of consciousness, remove breathing deviations permanently or have specific challenges. An experienced Breathworker will guide you through breathing sessions appropriately and help you with experience and practical knowledge. This can come in handy, even for "simple" techniques aimed at stress reduction, better focus, improvement of your VO2 max, your BOLT score and a lot more.

Personalization will create lasting change

Beyond a doubt, there are a lot of great, simple exercises out there for free. However, some exercises are better for some individuals than for others. There is no one-size fits all approach. While for some it might be beneficial to do breathhold breathing techniques, for others with low cardiovascular fitness, low BOLT scores or panic attacks this might be counterproductive. Understanding the physiology and working together with healthcare practitioners is essential when it comes to your specific needs.

However, a breathwork instructor will not only tailor sessions to your individual needs, but also define clear goals with you depending on your objective.

Do you want to become less stressed in 3 months?

Do you want to improve your VO2 max for the next marathon?

Do you want to reduce ruminating thoughts or often have a congested nose?

Whatever it is you want to get out of breathwork, a breathing programme that creates constant progression will create constant improvements. You can compare it to any workout routine in the gym aimed at giving your muscles a new stimulus for growth and that is the key to success, but like everything in life it starts with small, actionable steps.

Bottom line: Watching Youtube videos is a great entry point, but working with a trained instructor can take your breathwork to a completely different level — more depth, safety, insight, and lasting transformation. And by then you also know why breathing through your mouth isn’t exactly doing your health any favors ;-)

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