It’s 12 minutes into a 20 minute AMRAP and you’re heart has been thumping against your chest since the red glare of the timer counted down 3-2-1. 

You finish your fourth set of 75 Double Unders as your forearms and shoulders scream at you as the inferno shoots up each of your arms.

Your breath is erratic as you gasp and claw at each molecule of oxygen.

And this is where the real workout begins.

Not the workout of your muscles… But the workout between your ears.

And your breath will make or break this.

The moment we lose control of our breathing, is when we lose control of our mind – and that is when we lose the workout between our ears. 

Our breath regulates our physiology; our whole physical structure and if we allow ourselves to lose control of this, our whole body follows suit.

It’s a downward spiral that finds us whirling deeper and deeper into the pain cave.

Simply: Lose the breath and you lose the mind. Lose the mind, and you lose the body. 

In these moments we need to remind ourselves that we are still in control. Maybe not of how heavy the weight on the bar is, or how many thrusters there are left in the workout. 

But…

We are in control of our breath.

So before touching a barbell, picking up a wallball, jumping up for another set of pull ups or hauling another dumbbell over your shoulder; remember just to breath and bring attention to this.

You are in control. 

You own your breath. 

Serge Houhlias