Beyond The Breath: 2 Week Coach's Corner

Beyond the Breath: Why Breathing May Be One of the Most Misunderstood Parts of Fitness

A 2-Week Live Online Coach's Corner Experience

At some point, breath work became one of the biggest conversations in fitness. We started hearing that the way we breathe could improve our posture, eliminate pain, unlock mobility, strengthen our core, and regulate our nervous system. It almost seemed as though every physical challenge had a breathing solution.

And while there is some fascinating science behind the relationship between breathing and human movement, I began to wonder whether we were making something incredibly useful unnecessarily complicated.

Over the years, I've spoken with coaches and fitness professionals who genuinely want to incorporate breathing into their programs but struggle to understand how to make it meaningful for their clients.

Some have told me their clients simply aren't interested in spending time lying on the floor practicing breathing techniques. Others have wondered how controlled breathing translates into better strength, mobility, or movement. And many have become frustrated when the dramatic improvements they've heard about don't actually happen.

I understand those frustrations because I've had many of the same questions.

What if we've been thinking about breathwork in the wrong way?

Breath work isn't something that happens separately from movement. Every time we walk, reach, rotate, balance, or lift something heavy, our respiratory system is working alongside the muscles responsible for stability and movement.

Our diaphragm isn't just involved in breathing. It also contributes to postural control. Our abdominal muscles don't simply stabilize our spine; they participate in respiration. And our breathing naturally changes depending on whether we're relaxing, walking, or performing a challenging strength exercise.

Yet we often teach breathing as though there is one ideal technique everyone should master.

The more I've explored the research, the more I've come to appreciate a different perspective.

Maybe the goal isn't to teach people one perfect way to breathe. Maybe it's to help them become more adaptable.

This is the idea behind our upcoming two-week Coach's Corner, Beyond the Breath: Rethinking Breathwork Through Movement, Strength, and Mind-Body Science.

Rather than presenting breathing as another miracle solution, Jessica and I want to explore what the science actually tells us and, more importantly, how we can translate that understanding into practical coaching.

We'll examine how breath work interacts with core stability, strength, mobility, balance, and the nervous system. We'll also explore some of the less-discussed aspects of breath work, including attention, psychological flexibility, and our ability to respond to uncomfortable physical sensations without automatically treating them as threats.

One of the areas I'm especially excited to discuss is how we can integrate breathing into movement rather than always treating it as a separate exercise.

Through examples, we'll explore how weight shifts, diagonal patterns, rotation, and progressive resistance can provide opportunities to develop breathing awareness alongside coordination and physical capacity.

We'll also discuss when deliberately slowing the breath may be helpful and when it might actually interfere with the demands of an activity.

Because the breathing strategy that supports someone during a gentle mobility exercise may be very different from what they need when lifting a challenging weight.

My hope is that you'll leave with more than a collection of breathing drills. I want you to better understand why you might use a particular strategy, when it makes sense, and how to adapt it to the person in front of you.

You don't need to believe breathwork is the answer to everything to appreciate its value. In fact, I think understanding its limitations makes us better coaches.

If you've been curious about breathing but haven't been sure how to meaningfully incorporate it into your training, this is exactly the kind of conversation we want to have.

Join Jessica Bento, PT, and Joshua Henkin, CSCS for Beyond the Breath.

November 24 & December 1, 2026

3 PM Eastern | Live Online

BONUS: A Comprehensive Breath Work E-Book Included FREE

Every participant will receive a complimentary copy of Beyond the Breath: Rethinking Breathwork Through Movement, Strength, and Mind-Body Science. This detailed, research-informed guide explores the science behind breathing, challenges some of the biggest myths in breathwork, and explains how to meaningfully integrate breathing with strength, mobility, nervous system regulation, and movement. It's designed to help you understand not just how to use breathwork, but why, when, and for whom different strategies may be most beneficial.

Two weeks of exploring how breathing, movement, and mind-body science can work together to help us become more thoughtful, adaptable, and effective coaches.

Can't attend the live sessions? No worries! You'll receive access to all session recordings whether you attend live or not. The recordings are downloadable, so you can keep them and revisit the material anytime, at your own pace.

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs): Due to the nature and format of these courses, CEUs are not provided directly. However, you are always welcome to apply for continuing education credits independently through your certifying organization.

Please note: All virtual and downloadable programs are non-refundable.