This week we share our conversation with Brian Mackenzie.
Brian is part of a select group of coaches who were involved in the early days of Crossfit and beyond. Brian has dabbled in ultra endurance events and worked with his a wife Erin Cafaro MacKenzie a two time Olympic Gold Medalist in Rowing on preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.More recently he has become heavily involved in the importance of breathing for performance and as a byproduct health. He is working with some of the worlds leading athletes whilst researching and developing protocols to harness the benefits of breathing for boosting performance.
What strikes a chord with Chris and I are the philosophical nature of Brian and others in his position. I am not sure if developing an understanding of the mechanics of breathing and its benefits creates this or simply a matter of time in the game. Most likely both.
Having worked with some of the worlds best to achieve the impossible, Brian has a unique view of the world and takes this approach to his research and coaching.
His interest lies in the principles of performance rather than the dogma of a specific practice, his goal is to understand just what this being (our bodies) are capable of and breathing is a direct measure of this.
As we witness a boom in the number of breathing coaches around the world, it interests us that there are many different methods which people align themselves to and often as is the case with most things, believe their way is the best way. Yet there is no right way, other than following your own path combined with an understanding of the principles and this goes for breath.
When we understand the principles, are open to learn and able to learn and in the same breath unlearn our old ideas, that is freedom and that freedom unlocks our potential. As always this life is a process, and you have to have skin in the game to make the progress you know you can make.
There are some gems in this one, so have your notebooks ready and enjoy.
You can follow Brian @_brianmackenzie and his program @powerspeedendurance