In search of a revival of vitality without going through intensive sports sessions? An exercise within everyone’s reach could well transform your daily walks. It does not require any particular equipment, is practiced almost everywhere, and would have even allowed Afghan caravanners to travel more than 700 km in just 12 days. Even today, she seduces those who seek to find breath, serenity and energy on a daily basis.
Afghan walking, when breathing is walking further
His name intrigues: Afghan march. Born in the 1980s thanks to the French researcher Édouard G. Stiegler, this method mixes breathing and movement in a very particular rhythm. The idea is simple: synchronize the steps with nasal breathing according to a precise sequence. By following this rhythm, the body enters a kind of moving meditation. Result: a more fluid, without fatigue, with better oxygenated muscles.
“”Afghan walking leads to a mindfulness state and strengthens bodily reality in the present moment“, Explains Marie-Laure Le Clézio, trainer and specialist in this discipline. This dimension makes it as much physical and mental sport, ideal for releasing tensions and reconnecting to oneself.
How to start the Afghan step
To get started well, the experts advise to choose a flat, quiet land such as a park or a beach. Then adopt this rhythm:
- Inspire in three steps;
- Hold your breath on the fourth;
- Exhale for three steps;
- Stay in apnea on the fourth.
This pattern, which can be modulated according to its breath, improves not only the oxygenation of the muscles, but also mental clarity. Studies have shown that nasal breathing stimulates the brain by promoting neural oscillations associated with better performance.
The expert’s advice to fully enjoy the benefits
Practicing Afghan walking cannot be fully improvised. Support can be precious, especially at the beginning. “”Be careful however, you should not set up a respiratory rate immediately to everyone in the same way. Each in their own way of breathing, more or less deep or short, thoracic or ventral, light or ample … All these points are to be considered at the risk of not appreciating it and not to benefit from its benefits“, Warns Marie-Laure Le Clézio.
She insists on the importance of observation: “It is necessary to observe the way of walking and breathing from everyone! If the breathing is always intuitive, there is often a lack of perspective on its own way of doing“.
A learning accessible to all, which transforms each walk into a revitalizing experience.