Tactical & Focus
Anti-G Straining Maneuver (AGSM / "Hick" Breath)
- Structure
- Sharp, 0.5s inhale, immediately bear down (Valsalva) to lock air and tense all skeletal muscles for 3s. Quick exhale. Repeat.
- Benefit & Nervous System Impact
- Rapidly spikes blood pressure to prevent blood from pooling in the legs; Extreme Upregulation.
- Duration & Rationale
- Only during high-G exposure (Prevents G-LOC).
- Best For
- Fighter pilots, extreme aerobatics.
- Good If Combined With
- Lower body muscle tensing (G-suits).
- Source / Origin
- Aerospace Medical Association
- Intensity & Safety
- High. Not for casual practice; spikes blood pressure.
Related techniques
Iron Shirt Breathing (Tie Shan Shan)
Tactical & Focus
Creates a pneumatic shock absorber against strikes; Extreme Upregulation.
The Stoic Pause (Prohairesis)
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Engages the prefrontal cortex (Logos), overrides the amygdala; Downregulating.
4-2-4-2 Focus Breath
Tactical & Focus
Promotes focus with a slight relaxation bias; Downregulating.