Hello Mark!
Apparently you have looked deep into this exercise and have
quite a bit of experience. It is very encouraging to have
a conversation with a fellow "researcher" of this exercise, as
so far I had to find most of things out by myself or from reading
russian sources. See some more comments below:

--- In strelnikova_exercise@yahoogroups.com, mclaym1@... wrote:
>
> Hello Evgeni,
>
> Great explanation of science beyond these breathing exercises!
>
> Actually, I was looking for a set of effective exercises for a long
time. I
> did not want these exercises just to be physical in nature. I want
them to be
> able to address my health concerns as well. I did try various aerobic
> exercises, weight lifting, jump roping, chi kung, and kick boxing
routines only to
> be disappointed with all of them towards the end. As someone said:
"The best
> exercises are not those that have potential of bringing great
results, but
> those you can stick to for the rest of your life!" It is very true.
>
> Aerobics and weigh lifting are great. However, one needs energy and
time to
> perform them. If you are very tired after work, it is highly
unlikely that you
> will stick to your weight lifting routine for a long time. Chi kung
is good.
> However, it needs to be learnt from the instructor. It takes a long
time and
> requires one making life changes to see the results. Also, it lacks
the
> physical benefits Strelinikova's exercises give us. Jump roping and
kick boxing
> are great as they burn calories. However, they have a high impact
on one's
> body and put it under undue strain. Also, they are physical in
nature, and they
> do not have the ability to heal a person. For most part, Strelnikova's
> exercises do not have these limitations. Since they are low impact,
one can do them
> even if he is very tired. I want my ideal exercise program to have
a healing
> effect on me and to bring physical/mental benefits at the same time.
> Strelnikova's exercises fulfill my wants.

Very interesting analysis. I guess the choice depends a lot
on a person in question. For kids to be used regularly exercise
has to be somewhat entertaining (apart from unique terapeutic
effect that Strelnikova exercise has on asthma). I had to make up a
lot of different stuff such as having sword-fights after each
exercise, or during back-rolls or inventing new moves to keep my
daughter interested when we were starting.
Young people in the active breeding age
would probably want an exercises that shapes their body.
They also are more willing to spend the time and have the energy
needed for heavy workout. Middle-aged people like myself focus more on
health benefits and energy and good feeling that exercise gives
although shape and coordination improvements also matters.

The good thing is, we do not have to decide on just one particular
exercise, as they are not necessarily exclusive as long as at
least one exercise is done regularly. Strelnikova
is great as a regular exercise that can be done anywhere
anytime and I would do it sometimes more then once if I feel like
getting a cold or need an energy burst.
It can be combined with some occasional flexibility exercise to
avoid back pain on other joints issues (I like the
Norbekov exercise for that, btw I am not a fan of his other
ideas but this one particular flexibility exercise works great) and
occasional heavier work-out. Of cause the entertaining exercises such
as tennis, basketball or swimming are great too. For myself I don't
like weights or machines (bores me) but I find it important to do a
regular running and exercising with a heavy stick in the morning to
stay in good shape.

>
> They are some other benefits that I noticed as well. Mood elevation,
higher
> concentration and focus, mental clarity, greater ability to solve
problems are
> some of those benefits. Some of these benefits are cognitive in
nature.

I have noticed it too. It definitely acts like a cup of a good
tea, wakes you up. I guess it is due to elevation of oxygen
level in blood, which interestingly occurs without significant
drop in CO2 levels which makes it unique for preventing asthma
attacks (maybe absence of a strong exhale helps with this?).

As
> most physical exercises, Strelnikova's exercises give us more
energy and have
> a positive impact on one's mood. When it comes to calories, I found
the
> following discovery to be surprising as well. For a person who
weighs way over 200
> pounds, it is easy to burn 300 calories in one session with
Strelnikova's
> exercises. I counted with heart rate monitor. In two sessions, it is
600
> calories. In one week, it is easy to burn 4200 calories. It can
amount to about
> 4-5 pounds of weight loss a month. Let's take some high impact
exercise that can
> burn about 800 calories per session. If a person does it 4 times a
week, it
> will amount to 3,200 calories. It all means that both types of
exercises have
> the same ability to burn great deal of calories because the
frequency of
> Strelnikova's exercises is higher than the frequency of any other
high impact
> exercise. Of course, if the frequency of both types of exercises is
equal, any
> high impact, intensive exercise will "win."

Very interesting observation. I never thought about Strelnikova
exercise ability to burn calories, but you are very right - it is
after all about 20-30 minutes worth of activity with elevated
hearth rate, and can be easily done every day (even during business
trips, vacation etc) as no equipment is needed. This regularity
will beat other more intensive exercise that is done rarely.


>The down side of all exercises is
> the more I exercise. the more I tend to eat.
Is that also true for Strelnikova exercise?
For me I don't notice much hunger in this case (too
little energy spent per one session), but for
intensive workout that is definitely true.

>
> I read Shetinin in his book talks about Strelnikova' exercises
having effect
> on "food center" in one's brain (hypothalamus, I presume). Also,
Shetinin
> states that these exercise burn fat cells and do not produce new
ones. I want
> to experience these effects.

I have no idea about the effect on food center, but as we do
notice an effect on brain activity, it might be possible.
As for fat cells effect, I highly doubt the exercise has an
instantaneous effect, as it is supposed to be controlled by hormonal
mechanism which are usually slow. Overal energy balance would rather
have an effect (burned calories through regular sessions).


> There are two problems with these exercises as with most of these
exercises.
> Some people do not get results because they are not doing them
correctly.

I suspect there is a degree of variation that can be allowed,
as long as the main principles are followed.
1) short loud sniff
2) part of the move that compresses the muscles coincides with the sniff
3) breath out is natural and unforced (as evidenced by absence of
audible sound).

Of cause it should be also done long enough to have an effect.
The overall duration of exercises as measured in sniffs should be
around 1000 sniffs per session. (e.g. 8 sniffs x 10 for one move, and
12 different moves gets you to this number). I guess it could be
done by time too (20-30 min) but counting sniffs for each exercise by
itself an exercise and keeps you focused.

We are of cause trying to follow Shetinin's description of each
exercise as close as possible.

> I
> managed to get results even when I did not perform them correctly.
> However, I
> believe you still have to do them correctly for more serious
conditions.

I guess any exercise when done regularly can be beneficial.
But specially for asthma cases, having a wrong breath-in (too long,
too deep) could actually cause an attack. Anyway good that in your
case that was not a problem.

> Secondly, time investment is big even though these exercise are
doable and low
> impact in nature. Many people are lazy. They will not invest time
even if they
> have it.

That is true. I have a strong driving force because I have to do it
with my kid and it has a priority over other stuff. By myself I might
also get lazy. Sometimes we do exercise while watching TV, specially
during advertisement breaks after muting the sound. Perfect win-win
situation.

Regards,
Evgenij

>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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