Dr. Frolov's Respiration Training Device

There is much confusion about the Frolov device: what does it do and how does it work? It basically functions as an inhaler, but with no chemicals required. You inhale deeply and quickly into your abdomen and then slowly exhale through a porous container into a second container with a small amount of water in it. After a few breaths, the gas composition of the air you are breathing changes. It shifts towards more carbonic gas and less oxygen. The result of this is that it is similar to breathing at a higher altitude. It has an interesting effect on your body. As a result of the reduced amount of oxygen, your body starts to produce oxygen internally at the cellular level. This is called endogenic breathing and it is the goal of this training program. Dr. Frolov believes that endogenic breathing is the key to higher energy levels and lower amounts of free radicals. It also results in a more even distribution of energy throughout the body, which relieves certain tissues from excess loads placed upon them.
Dr. Frolov has used this device to cure a wide variety of diseases including arteriosclerosis, arthritis, asthma and even cancer. Dr. Frolov was diagnosed with intestinal cancer before he discovered endogenic breathing. He discusses his experience in his book. It is a pretty interesting story and his treatment makes sense based on the evidence presented. His book is actually quite good, it goes far beyond just being a training manual. It is a detailed treatise on health and longevity. The tone of the book is very scientific at times, which might scare some people away, but everything is well explained and fascinating, so I think it will be an enjoyable book for most people. For the more scientifically inclined, I would recommend the book simply because the science and its applications are interesting. He discusses many different research studies, population groups and species of animals as part of his evidence for the power of endogenic breathing. I found his argument to be pretty convincing.
My own experience with the device has been great. I have already improved my performance on the breathing exercise and I have noticed that I have more wind when I exhale. It will take some time before I switch over to endogenic breathing, but even early on I am impressed with the results. Charlie McCarthy, who also uses the Frolov device, reports that a brief session before studying helps bring him into a creative state of mind that boosts productivity. Others have reported that a full session before bed is great for helping induce sleep. Using the Frolov Device is indeed very relaxing and the potential health benefits make it something that is worth looking into. Dr. Frolov calls his device "the medicine of the third millenium", and he might be right.
The packaging of the device is very well done. It comes with an instructional video and a pamphlet that will help get you started. Everything is clear and easy to understand. His book is also very well written and interesting to read. If you are skeptical about endogenic breathing, I would encourage you to read this book. I was quite impressed by the quality of everything from this comany. Their website has several articles and testimonials and even has a user forum.
To find out more, visit Dr. Frolov's website at www.intellectbreathing.com and to order, visit RMAX.

Jump Stretch Flex Bands

These bands are incredible! I've had some Theraband for about a year now, but I never used it. They are too short and too light. Even the strongest one (gray) is too weak for many exercises. Enter the Jump Stretch bands... these things are the ultimate in versatility. Because they are long, continuous loops, you can do a lot more with them. You can quickly wrap them around things or through themselves to form a slip knot. This alone increases their convenience factor to new heights. They are superior to Theraband in every possible way.
Jumpstretch bands are also the choice of many professional and collegiate sports teams and top-ranked powerlifters. Most of the teams use the stretching program as a method of injury prevention. Dick Hartzell has also had incredible success in using the bands for injury rehabilitation, getting players back on the field quicker than conventional methods. The bands can also be used for strength training. What they do is provide increasing resistance throughout the range of motion. This allows the trainee to explode into the lift and keep applying force till lockout. The addition of ballistic training with the bands has helped many powerlifters break through plateaus and set new PR's. Dave Tate has written quite a bit on the use of bands in powerlifter training.
The first thing I tried was military pressing a 1 pood Kettlebell with a mini Flex Band attached. I anchored it to the floor with my two pood and had the band running between them. You really have to be explosive when working with this extra resistance. I think this exercise might push me even closer to pressing the 2 pood. My weakness is getting it off the shoulder, so working explosively with lighter weights will hopefully build up some starting strength. Also, it's just a good exercise in its own right. I like training explosively, so this fits the bill perfectly.
I also did some free squats with the bands. I used a pair of the medium bands. It wasn't extremely challenging (I guess that's what the strong ones are for!), but squatting explosively is a good exercise. It's also a brutal cardio workout. I will eventually try looping them around a barbell during squats, as powerlifters do.
The stretching routine that is provided with each order is a great bonus. This routine really shows off the value of these Flex Bands and their superiority over Theraband. I especially liked the groin stretch. It really loosened up my injured hamstring. All you need for the stretching routine is one light band, so this would be a good place to start. Andy Komorny said that these bands were instrumental in fixing up his shoulders. He and Craig Culver have written articles at Dragon Door that are worth checking out. Definitely do not miss this month's interview with Dick Hartzell, founder of Jump Stretch. Also, be sure to visit the Jump Stretch website for some articles and a guide to the stretching routine.