Pavel Tsatsouline – Second Wind Express

Our ancestors realized that disciplined breathing yielded tremendous power over self. Breathing practices shrouded in mysticism were developed around the world and more are still sprouting today—some effective, others harmful, many pure psychobabble. In contrast, the breathing systems developed by Soviet and Russian scientists are firmly rooted in physiology and thoroughly tested in the field.

(To anticipate your question: No, we are not teaching Buteyko or Systema breathing.)

Some of these low-tech/high-concept techniques promote physical and psychological resilience:

• Cultivate a “grace under pressure” found in elite soldiers and athletes
• Tune up your “on/off”switch—learn how to totally mobilize or relax on demand
• Boost your “anti-fragility” against all sorts of pathogens—heat, cold, blood loss, infection, toxins, radiation, etc.—by increasing your cells’ resistance to free radical damage and reducing the stress reaction
• Reduce fatigue induced injuries

Other SECOND WIND express techniques improve athletic performance, even in elite athletes:

• Endurance—through many adaptations in the heart, lungs, blood vessels, blood, muscles, and the nervous system
• Speed—through improved muscle relaxation and increased creatine phosphate storage in the muscles
• Power—through a possible conversion of type I muscle fibers to type IIA
• Coordination and reaction time—through improved muscle relaxation

Most of these techniques are simple to learn, require no special equipment, and can be incorporated into your regular training or done anywhere, anytime. They work for all healthy people, from general fitness newbies to intermediate athletes to champions.

Feel awesome. Be awesome.

Second Wind Express Course Lessons

Module 1: Breathing: The Basics

If you are serious about breathwork, you might know most of this—but perhaps not. Did you know that CO2 defends against free radicals? Or that holding your breath after exhaling has a profoundly different effect than after inhaling?

Module 2: Exhale!

…Inhaling is for sissies…“The lips must never be lacking in willpower”…Two drills to practice anywhere…Exhalation secrets of elite full contact fighters and Russian ballet dancers that make them unstoppable in their respective disciplines

Module 3: Inhale!

Suck all the air out of the room with a classic Soviet technique…And you thought you knew everything about nasal breathing…The top two drills for excelling at diaphragmatic breathing (neither is well known)…What yawning is good for…

Module 4: Power Breathing

“Pretend to exhale”…The Valsalva myths…Why some dancers and endurance athletes untrain the Valsalva…18% strength boost through smarter breathing…Inhale this much for a deadlift PR…and why the bench plays by different rules…KIAI for power

Module 5: Breathe Hard

Run just as fast—with a lower HR and 25-50% less lactate…Emergency recovery breathing—a game changer for fighters…Traditional strength training reduces vital capacity; how to increase it by 20%…Gadget free respiratory muscle training…

Module 6: CO₂ Magic

Why hyperventilation is a very bad idea…Extraordinary performance, health, and relaxation benefits of carbon dioxide…4 types of low tech hypercapnic training…The right way to do hypercapnic breath holds…Why shallow breathing is wrong…

Module 7: A Battle against Oxygen

Hypoxia fights free radicals and reduces stress…Hypoxic training for endurance, speed, power…Test your hypoxia tolerance…26 guidelines for safe and effective breath holds (many of the key points are missing from the pop methods)

Module 8: Relaxed Second

Elite athletes and soldiers relax in extreme situations—and this reaction is trainable…Hypoxia rewires neuroendocrine regulation when under pressure…Tolerance to hypoxia and “grace under pressure”…Breath holds for self-development…

Module 9: Q&A

Fitting what you have learned into your training and life…The breathing “program minimum”…

About Pavel Tsatsouline

Pavel Tsatsouline introduced the Russian kettlebell to the West in 1998 and started the kettlebell revolution.

A former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor, Pavel became a Subject Matter Expert to the elite of US military and law enforcement, including the Marine Corps, the Secret Service, and the Navy SEALs. His training system has been implemented by special operations units in two countries closely allied with the US. Pavel Tsatsouline founded StrongFirst, the “school of strength,” to bring “low tech/high concept” methods of achieving high performance and resilience to men and women from all walks of life, not just elite warriors and athletes.

Pavel Tsatsouline earned a sports science degree in the former Soviet Union and authored a number of books, including bestselling Kettlebell Simple & Sinister, the definitive guide on kettlebell training. Pavel’s books have been translated into many languages—including Russian. A kettlebell in his fist, he was voted the ‘Hot Trainer’ by Rolling Stone and appeared in media ranging from Pravda to Fox News to Tim Ferriss Show and The Joe Rogan Experience.

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