Slow Down to Speed Up: A Former Pro Athlete's Breathwork Journey

I'm Amanda Russo , your host , a certified breathwork facilitator , level two Reiki practitioner and creator of the Mander's Mindset podcast . On my own journey , breathwork has been a powerful tool for releasing what no longer serves me and shifting my perspective to step into my fullest and greatest potential .

Each week , I'm joined by inspiring guests , blood work facilitators , healers and wellness enthusiasts who share how this practice has helped them and their clients heal , grow and embrace lasting change . So take a deep breath in and out , settle in and let's explore the magic of your breath together . The transformation starts now .

Welcome to Breathwork Magic , where we explore the life-changing power of your breath . I'm your host , amanda Russo , and I am here today with the RA and he was a professional table tennis player for 15 years .

During his career , he did a lot of research on sports psychology and in the last 15 years , after earning a PhD in physical education , he has specialized as a mental coach for high performance , and we are going to delve down his journey and how he uses the power of our breath . Thank you so much for joining me .

But it transforms , translates or transmutes from the placenta through our belly button and into our lungs and cutting it too soon already produces trauma , if I begin with that , but otherwise breathing , when I fell on a wasp , when I fell off a bike , when I was being pushed down in the swimming pool by friends or by some close relatives playing .

Of course we tend to connect when we lose our breath in this or other way . Otherwise we live like it's an abundance and it's free and that we just breathe . But specifically , I was a table tennis professional already at a young age and with 14 years of age I went to a yoga class that was in the 90s 1996 .

I went to a yoga class that was in the 90s 1996 .

And I was in a group of many grandmas or elderly people in a way doing yoga in the 90s , which was a boom back then in Europe , and I was learning to breathe there through my nose which I did before but never paid attention , and with my diaphragm which I did but never paid attention , only goofing around look at my belly being big I did before , but never

paid attention . And with my diaphragm which I did but never paid attention , only goofing around , look at my belly being big . So that's when I started to use the power of breathing . I won a championship under 15 because I used this power of maintaining focus . And this is where the story goes on then .

It was one week , one times per week , a session . Mainly I fell asleep there because in my school I was six hours , seven hours in school . I had a table tennis training , then I had homework or eating , then I had a yoga class and then I had another table tennis training . So those are my Saturdays filled , and on the weekends I had the tournaments .

So I was basically a lot of times sleeping over the asanas . But I learned how to calm down , how to listen to my body , listen to my breath and guide it .

But here comes the kicker I did start young to read books about confidence , already at the age of 12 or 13 , because my mom had those kind of books and I was a professional athlete at a young age and I did the yoga .

But practically a couple of years ago that I started with the EQ method and I was the first customer , client and attendee on online programs where I tapped into how dangerous it is to breathe through your nose , to use the diaphragm and not to be in touch with your body , your fascia , your muscles , your traumas , your nervous system , because you can learn how to

breathe well and deep and profound and have a good breathwork method and approach .

But if you're not doing the shadow , not de-traumatizing yourself , not necessarily with psychotherapy , but learning about yourself , it can only enhance , like it did in my case , because , as I said , I learned to breathe with diaphragm quite young and with nose I didn't use it as I use it now when I do any activity at my age of 43 , because now I know more ,

now I understand more . Now I studied psychology , I studied the sport , I studied kinesiology . I studied that I'm a professional , I'm a professor of physical education , and I never understood all the chemistry that happens in the body , the biology , the physics , so that literally exploded a couple of years ago .

I have a chronic injury on my right hip wear down , but because of the method , because of the breath work , because of this approach , I am able to be active without chronic pain . So what was your question ?

But I must emphasize once again that certain things can be achieved with only just some portion of breath work . But we can go much more deeper and really deliberately and consciously expand our awareness if we do it correctly . And also it can go the other way , the south way as well , if you do not . What happened to me ?

Because I didn't attend or approach my deep shadows or

my deep inner side , subconscious triggers or programs , but I did expand my breathing pattern and the more you breathe , the more you inhale , the more you prepare , the more you can exhale , the more you can execute , so the more energy you have . But my emotional immaturity or emotional ignorance stayed on low level .

So I had emotional outbursts , even if I was breathing with my nose and diaphragm and calming down my system . When the triggers came together , when the conditions were right , I could not tap it down like I can and I do now . So what's changed ? It down like I can and I do now . So what's changed ?

Understanding the depth and the connections , that we are not breathing only with our nose or mouth , here or there , with our lungs , we don't breathe only with our bronchus or aldeoles , we breathe with our body , we breathe with our jaw , we breathe with our neck , shoulders , armpits , arms , interrips , muscles , diaphragm , abdominal cavity is the main factor here Then

our lower back muscles , upper back muscles , shoulder blades , practically everything . And if we do not include it's like having a Formula One car but without brakes's like having a formula one car but without brakes , or having a formula one car but without the steering wheel . Yes , you have it , but we're using it . Yes , but it's very limited version .

It's pronounced excuse me if I'm mispronouncing it the oxygen advantage and so on . Combining this all in the aeQ breeding and with all my personal expertise and experience , all together brought like not just the revelation but deeper , using effective , being effective in breeding .

I did some energy treatment treatments , education , a traditional Chinese medicine , the basic versions , sub basic literally , and I've had all of this . But because I knew this only on my conscious level , on my 5% awareness level , my subconsciousness was not included as much and my inner child was still my inner child , it didn't grow up .

So my subconsciousness was still triggered , was still guiding me , my subconsciousness was still blocking me to use certain knowledge and experience and wisdom with my clients , even though I had it . And it always turned out like I know this , but I'm playing small or I'm people pleasing , or maybe I'm just playing good with them . I don't want to go too deep .

Of course , if you don't go with yourself too deep , you cannot guide anyone else deeper in any sense , because if you go deep with breathing , you go deep with emotions , with traumas .

So back then I knew stuff , I talked about it , I explained it a lot of times , like what do the first responders , whether they are medics or firefighters , do when they arrive at a scene of crime or accident or something ? They don't say be calm , relax .

They come with the aura of peace , with their nervous system prepared for the shit excuse me for the language that they are seeing and they bring that energy and then they just calm it down because a stressful person , confused , agitated , traumatized person cannot listen . So first I need to be calm and then I can talk about deep stuff .

And when I did , and when I do , work on myself , also breathing wise . And what is the consequence of this ? Because things come up , then I can use it and tap into it .

And I use the metaphor that I was a coach for 10 years and more , like officially coach , life coach or whatever life hacker , antivirus , deprogramming , reprogramming , whatever the name and I always felt something's missing .

And back four years ago when I found the missing part , then it's when it hit me that before we were playing like table tennis or tennis in a metaphor , without the ball , only consciously , only metaphors , only mental side .

We did include the body , I did meditation I did some humping , jumping stuff and then doing some movement , shaking off , but I never went so deep into the subconsciousness . So , using it now , how I observe first clients and then I give them some breathing modules , 4-2-4-2 , and we go up to 9-2-9-2 .

Or we do 6-2-10-2 , longer exhale , or we do 6-2-10-10 , after exhale , holding your breath . We can talk about that later , why and how regarding the carbon dioxide and stuff .

So , understanding all of this and what it's triggered and how they respond , I can then glide and guide , and we play tennis now in a metaphor , with the ball and because now we have the feedback , now we tap into the subconsciousness , into the fascia , into the embodiment , and that's the main , the main , the big factor that I use now .

You can do it , but I wasn't doing it as much . Of course , I changed my life . I moved from Europe . I live in Dominican Republic . I've changed a lot of things . I didn't run away or anything , but I wanted to live on the beach , on the pristine beaches , sand beaches , and I've did a lot in my life as a professional coach as well .

So it did have some effect on me . But now , when I use this , what I learned the past four years ? Now it has an immense effect . I have way , way less clients because not everyone is ready to go as deep and I have a filter . I don't work with everyone .

I work with the ones that really are open to do some deep work and ready and , yeah , it's much more efficient . I don't just work with everyone . I don't just work for money . Even that I did before as well with everyone . I don't just work for money . Even that I did before as well .

Sometimes I understand the impact , the effect and the consequences that I have and that I'm a teacher . I cannot force no one , I cannot expect anything . I can just do stuff on myself , see how I go through and then maybe , if someone else allows , I can guide them and respond and get their feedback and then readapt and realign stuff .

Also , with breathing , you need to inhale less , exhale more and wait after exhale . That brings more oxygen in because of the osmosis , all the chemistry and biology-wise and understanding that emotions are very much connected with this . So I don't want to trigger someone .

I know I understand more what I'm doing with myself , the dosage and the level that I go in . Not everybody can go or it's not necessary . So I'm playing this game of feeling the feedback and understanding that it's a process .

A change requires huge amounts of energy and time and attention and we cannot force anything and wishfully think anything into existence , especially not with the nervous system that was taught to breathe , contracted way , to breathe in a very superficial way since our upbringing , the first three years and then the next four or five years , and also teenage , puberty ,

adolescence , how it molds us and does not allow us to inhale . Because when we inhale and can , like in every superhero or super villain , even a superheroine movie . They realize that they have the power . Then some guru needs to come and teaches them how to use and guide this power , live with with it to not make damage .

So this is where I see myself to be really this attentive and very objective teacher .

It's focused on moms as well because I think , in my way of perspective , moms are way better professional athletes than many professional athletes are , because moms don't have all the equipment that professional athletes in Manchester United have , or anywhere else , or in Real Madrid , for that sake . So moms are overwhelmed , over-consumed women especially .

And then , of course , if they're not mom , they are in career and doing a lot and it's a big strain . So mainly , I've had more than 80 , 90% , I can say , women in my coaching career in the last 15 or more years . I have some men . I don't put them away or anything , but I connect more with women and guide them to tap into their potentials .

needed to activate the defense mechanism of activating parasympathetic . So it was break and acceleration . So now they are over , exhausted and burn out Women or athletes as well , of course .

So , understanding and connecting what is reality and what a lot of times humans have in the mind that we should need , could do , or that it's required from us and that we need to oblige and commit and , like in USA , it's this culture of I can do this , I'll go through it , no pain , no gain , without putting your body into the equation , into understanding what

actually is , into the equation , into understanding what actually is , what actually is the parasympathetic nervous system , that female body should live more . Men are more built differently . We can expand and actually manage stress differently as women , longer time , different , because our bodies are different .

Female body , even if it's not a mom also in the 50s , your body is built to deliver , to have a baby could be deformed , so your abdominal cavity cannot be as stressed as a man may males can .

So in that sense , biology , understanding the basics and then playing with that and adapting , and slowly , slowly , slowly this is the main focal point , bringing this in . No fast changes , no extremes , because it's a yo-yo effect , like with diet you'll go back to the same nervous system programs .

So that's why it's important to do these changes slowly , especially with breathing , with emotions , with behavior , with decontracting something that is unnecessarily contracted . That , of course , enables you to survive , but it's not necessary .

It's not you living back in some vicious family or some abuse situation relationship that you can bring yourself to the environment that allows you to be relaxed , because when our nervous system feels safe , then we are relaxed , then we breathe better . And this is a problem .

A lot of people are learning how to breathe well , but they do not have the power , they do not have the resilience , the understanding of the basics that I mentioned , and not even how to put things in order that that order will enable them and create the space that allows you to be relaxed , that allows you to breathe profoundly .

So you just breathe profoundly and nothing is in order . Of course it's a big mistake .

, we are in 2025 and we still live in the body . We are not AI , we are not digital world , we are still analog world . We still live here , we still feel , we still move , consume , breathe , make love . We still do everything with our bodies .

And if we just live mentally as our society wants us to fast-paced world , just go to the gym , do that , do that yoga , what I saw ? Some memes running to yoga place oh , I'm doing my yoga , yes , yes , yes , and then you run back home . That's not the life that we want to lead , that we need to live , and sooner or later , some things happen .

People , even with yoga , with breathwork practices , they have accidents , they fall down .

I'm not saying I don't have accidents , but if I move slower , if I relax my body , if I put things in order in my environment , if I breathe consciously and understand when and how , what impacts me and how I want to impact the exterior world , then I can guide it and live it and take certain measures and changes that are efficient , not doing some things fast

, inefficiently , because then I need to repair the mistakes and errors that I did along the way .

You know like , even if we don't have to rush to get to wherever we're going , everybody seems like they're in a rush and it's like I like what you mentioned .

I don't know exactly what you said , I missed it , but something about like preparing and having your stuff so like you're rushing less , you're more in the present moment yeah , this is a epidemic , that's real .

I'm talking about living , joy and living yes , grief as well , or anger of approaching pain , because we have only one nervous system , that through which and with which we feel pain and pleasure , life .

And if you block pain which , of course , rushing through life allows you and enables you to not feel pain you avoid stuff , you deny , you suppress , you push somewhere else , anything that happens . We don't have time for deep emotional talks . Yes , we have podcasts and stuff , but where are the elders ? Where are the bonfire camps ?

Where are we talking about wisdom and sharing stuff in family at least , if not in a community ? Because you're fast , you can avoid , you can deny , you can suppress , but your body still feels that something is limiting you , something is blocking you and you feel the consequence and you want to rush through it more .

And then the nervous system just collapses and you're just searching for fake pleasure fast Netflix , next episode pleasure , or porn or substances or food or caffeine to put you up , because you need to be high energy in this fast-paced world . But we pay the price . The world is paying the price the planet is paying of our oblivious ignorance living .

So excuse me for being so melodramatic or or panicky , but this is the reality where we live . And I'm not saying slowing down to be a slot like in that zootopia film animated , not saying that we become slots , not that . But slowing down means that you do things faster .

Actually , when you take time , when you give attention , because if you take time and you pay the right amount of attention , you're using the right amount of energy , you're efficient with your life's vital energy and you do things , you put things in order . If you want to save time , you're not paying attention and you need to put in a lot of energy .

You're inefficient and you do errors , you do mistakes that you need to repair and it takes you more time and everything .

Vicious cycle so I'd love to know if you have any suggestions or any tips for people to start to slow down write , write , even if you're not writing with your pens in your notebooks , then write on your keypad , on your notebook or whatever ipad . Or talk we have AIs now that you talk and it turns into text . Just communicate .

If you don't have anyone talk to yourself , write to yourself , put things out . The next thing is understand that in order that you come into order , you need to learn some stuff . It cannot happen wishfully or just like that manifest because you wish or you need . So you need to learn what are the basics of breathing . It's not oxygen , it's carbon dioxide .

If you have a lot of oxygen , if you're hyperventilating , you're going to have rust , like when you cut open an apple and you leave it on the table in five minutes it's rusted , like your bicycle is . If you leave it on on rain for a month and you don't clean it or wipe it down . It rusts the metal . The same is our body .

Oxygen is reactive gas , so we need to have higher levels of carbon dioxide in the body . How ? By stopping when you exhale . But those things do not happen because you do some breathwork . It's very much connected with the muscles .

If you're not aware that you're contracted in your abdominal cavity , in your shoulders , in your ribs , you can do whichever breathwork or Wim Hof or whatever method , it will not help you long term . It will basically maybe also put you down for a while because your body , your system , is not ready and it needs to go hand in hand .

Your emotional awareness , your somatics , your embodiment , your breathing , you're putting things in order in life . This is a huge process .

So learning a lot about this , understanding with what it's connected , maybe I have a PDF for your listeners I can share a link and it will be interesting knowledge for them regarding breeding , where I've put in a lot of data about this . But then again you can read , you can listen , until you do not put it into practice . And then what you

practice in the breeding session or somatics embodiment session , that you put it into your relationship . Because , as the Harvard study that's still ongoing more than 80 , 85 years long Harvard study the key to quality life is the level of quality of your relationships , and relationships are connected with your breathing . Breathing is connected with your nervous system .

Nervous system is connected with your muscles are breathing . Breathing is connected with your nervous system . Nervous system is connected with your muscles . Muscles are connected with your emotional traps , traumas or understanding . So it's a huge thing . Someone might say , oh , I better stay the same .

Yes , you can , but if you stay the same , if you don't change your breathing , it will not get better , and you are on a train that's heading to some stops that you will not like .

If you are starting to slowly consciously change your breathing , your emotions , your understanding of the nervous system , of your muscles , using the contraction , when and how much it's necessary , then you'll see that the train has changed , that the stops are more joyful , that this train stops on and that you don't experience any more agendas or issues with your

physical health . Emotional relationships get better because you don't say some stupid words that could come out of your mouth . You control them , you mold , you wait for the right moment and you express them efficiently , because emotions are created to bring an everlasting change .

It's not that you have a tantrum , it's that you built that tantrum , which is actually inhale , and then you then exhale , express it in a way that the other person gets the message , or at least the environment surrounding your team , your team , your coworkers , community , whoever needs to get the message . And it goes on and on .

We stay in illusion that all is good and well and good when things are good , then we have a tantrum or we break up or we do something , and then we go back to the same rhythm pattern that we are familiar with . And in order to change , how am I so positive ? I don't know . I was born under some lucky star , probably .

I've experienced a lot in my life . I've gone through a lot of stuff . A lot of times I felt , oh my God , why is this happening to me ? And then I'm like maybe because I can learn something from it and then teach others . Okay , I'll take it .

Maybe it was some crazy form way that I used or thought of from my ego , maybe even some terminology that I want to mention now , but it helped me to really dig in , to learn and to be the optimist of life . Not positive , because we have negative , and positive , we have reality .

But if you are optimist in the half cup is full kind of way , even if the cup is half empty doesn't matter . Life is still here , natural law still exists . We need to breathe and get ready like a hero in a superhero movie . Know how to use this in the right way to not create damage for ourselves or others . That's the life .

What I've learned in the past four years , it's a more dynamic kind of way of meditating . Lying down or sitting , lying can be on whatever side of the body front , back or side of it .

And the dynamic meditation means that you give to your brain , to your ego , occupation something to work on and you say to it move this part of the body in this way , slowly . And then the ego is like I'm on it , yes , I'm working . And then you're moving slowly and you're noticing patterns . Oh , my left shoulder is way more heavier than the right one .

I can move my right shoulder better or it's triggering or something's happening . And in this dynamic meditation I've experienced way more than before in the past , also with breathing , because I've understood that if I elevate my shoulder I can inhale more .

Because I've understood that if I elevate my shoulder I can inhale more and if I move my hip down I can expand my lung and my abdominal cavity and my diaphragm and everything Back then before . Yes , I did also hyperventilation .

I advise not to do that kind of hyperventilation meditation that you inhale yourself and fill yourself with oxygen , saturate your body , advise against it and I advise to take it slowly and inhale only through your nose . If you need to inhale , let it be , only exhale and I advise that is something like that , that you let go stuff .

So this is what I've included now more in this dynamic meditation the past four years because I saw that only meditation , sitting down and doing some form of breathing made me and my clients sometimes even depressed or out of touch with reality because they went all like insightful , out of that meditation space and they came home and everybody was , of course , crazy

or lunatic and they were blissful and that created a lot of additional tension and they fell back into the worse rhythms and experiences . So with this dynamic meditation and this approach of embodiment and breathing slowly with your whole body , you experience a very much reality checkpoint .

You are not feeling better than anyone else that's not doing meditation or breath work . You understand that life is a deep process . Everybody is in their own path , in their own level , on their own velocity speed . So it's much more connected , efficient space to live in , from and in .

You need to stop and slow down . Maybe not stop , just slow down and then hear yourself breathing , hear your own heartbeat . We breathe , breathe more than 17,000 times per day . We inhale 20 liters or kilograms or 40 pounds of air per day , and we consume only three kilograms or six or five pounds of food per day .

So why do we put so much emphasis on Michelin stars

of eating if we need to pay more attention to breathing and understanding how it's connected ? So observe how you move , how you are with certain emotions and relationships that trigger you , and how you breathe and take a deep breath . Hold it , exhale it and hold it After you exhale . Hold it , don't inhale immediately .

Create that block of carbon dioxide inside of you that you need air , that you need oxygen , and then inhale slowly , and that's how you slowly get into alignment with yourself .

Remember , as long as you have your breath , you have options . You're not stuck . You can make a change , you can make a shift . Each inhale is a new beginning and every exhale is a chance to let go of what no longer serves you . If you enjoyed the episode , it would mean the world to me . If you shared this with a friend , left a rating or review .

Your support helps more people discover the magic of blood work and the incredible transformations it offers . If you're ready to take the next step , I encourage you and I invite you to join me every Monday evening , virtually for a mindful mindset Monday , a virtual pay what you can Blackwork session where you can reset , recharge and refocus .

All of the information is in the show notes . Until next time , keep breathing , keep shifting and keep embracing the magic with inside of you . I'm proud of you , I'm rooting for you and you got this .