Retain newly learned motor skills with breathwork

Yadav, G., Mutha, P. Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention of Newly Learned Motor Skills. Sci Rep 6, 37069 (2016).
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37069



THE BIG DEAL

How you breathe after you train a new motor skill affects how well you stay good at the thing you just learned and practiced physically, e.g. virtuosic passages on a musical instrument, moves in a martial art or techniques in sport, etc.

WHY IT MATTERS

Recovery is a fundamental aspect of the performance cycle.  Activating the parasympathetic nervous system to encode these new neural pathways is an art unto itself.  

TAKEAWAY

Discerning and implementing an appropriate breathing protocol, as usual, is a fundamental component of high performance.  In this case, the authors focus on a 30-minute session of deep (open to interpretation) alternate-nostril breathing.  This would clearly work, as would other, arguably equally if not more effective, methods such as XPT Balance Breathing and Cadence Breathing.  As always, proper and functional breathing with optimal biomechanics will dictate the efficacy of the practice.

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