Breathwork, Cardio, and Becoming Superhuman?

The reason I created the Integrated Fitness Alliance Facebook group was to be a   resource where hand-picked pros who really know what they are doing could talk about what they do and why it helps. I was originally thinking about using the name Becoming Supernatural or Becoming Superhuman, because it's not only about achieving more results, but to actually optimize the human experience, no matter where you are on the fitness spectrum.

Also, if you have done something great, overcome an obstacle, or are in the process of becoming, we want to hear about it!

Chad and I were thinking of names, and I liked the name Becoming Supernatural, but I didn't want to plagiarize the title of one of my favorite books, Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza.

Some might think I am taking you on a trip way out into Woo-Wooville for the length of this post, but it's a subject I stumbled on long before I stumbled on and read (several times) the aforementioned book. I don't know how I knew how to do it, maybe it's ingrained in my DNA somewhere. I just started doing the practice I'm about to share with you while doing cardio, then later stumbled on the audiobook in my search for some yummy brain food. It looked interesting, so I bought it, and it just so happened to describe a practice that had many striking similarities to what I'd already been doing. While listening, I metaphorically had to pick my jaw up off the floor several times! He not only explains how to do it, but why he believes it works. And it was nice to know I wasn't crazy!

This practice will definitely make cardio a lot more interesting for you if you try it.

The Technique

Dr. Dispenza describes a method of breathing that is usually performed while sitting in a cross-legged lotus position. The difference with my method is that I did it while using a piece of cardio equipment, like a stepper or elliptical. My experience has been with steady-state cardio, not HIIT as it would not be conducive.

Breathe in deeply and slowly, which you can do even while your legs are moving-even if they are moving quickly. In my experience, I never seemed to require more air because I was doing cardio. Dr. Dispenza suggests contracting your pelvic floor muscles (the movement of my legs on the cardio machine seemed to create a similar result without a muscle contraction). Engaging these muscles and the muscles around the sacrum (tailbone) may influence pressure changes that affect cerebrospinal fluid movement. Then I hold the breath at the top (often I do not hold the breath but just let it rest there in an inhaled state), and let it out slowly.

Obviously if you feel lightheaded, then stop and go back to normal breathing. You can do this intermittently with normal breathing (that’s actually how I do it). We don’t need anybody passing out. Interestingly, this feels like it has increased my lung capacity.

Aside from the muscles and sacrum, breathing itself influences the movement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Think of it as part of the brain's internal maintenance system, helping cushion the nervous system and transport nutrients and waste products. Dr. Dispenza's explanation proposes that this breathing technique increases the upward movement of CSF and helps clear waste from the brain.

The Pineal Gland & Melatonin

Sometimes I naturally look straight up and flex my throat muscles during the practice. It places pressure on the pineal gland, which in the back of the throat over the back of the tongue. Dr. Dispenza discusses the pineal gland in connection with these techniques, and this is where things get particularly interesting.

The pineal gland produces melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle. One proposed explanation involves tiny calcite crystals found in the gland and their possible piezoelectric properties. Piezoelectricity is the ability of certain materials to generate an electrical charge when mechanical pressure is applied.

The theory suggests that pressure or mechanical stimulation creates electrical activity that influences the gland. Melatonin created at this point wouldn't necessarily make you sleepy even though it's usually associated with sleep. Dr. Dispenza proposes that the intense internal experiences reported during these practices may be connected to changes in pineal-gland activity, and that melatonin may be transformed into compounds related to dimethyltryptamine (DMT), sometimes called the “God molecule” because of the profound experiences associated with it and its presence in certain psychedelic plants, including those used in ayahuasca. People have reported experiencing vivid inner imagery, profound emotional experiences, and feelings of transcendence during meditation and breathwork.

Speaking of the pineal gland, darkness is another ingredient Dr. Dispenza discusses. The body's production of melatonin is influenced by light and darkness, and reducing visual distractions also help with concentration. I liken it to a sensory deprivation tank without the water. Only...on a stepper.

Safety note: If you're doing cardio, be sure the machine has a secure hand grip to hold on to and open your eyes before attempting to do anything (yes I actually have to say that – so no Darwin awards have to be distributed because of me and my bright ideas).

An important ingredient is the music, which ideally should have no words (voices are okay if used as instruments). Ideally, the music should have a faster tempo so your legs can follow it without much thought, and it can be powerful and intense.

I like modern cinematic music like Audiomachine or Two Steps from Hell, which are often used for epic movie scores. Music is intensely personal and a whole subject in itself. What makes one person feel like they're transcending reality might make another person feel like they're preparing to invade a small country (but sometimes that helps!)

Brainwaves

Not only does this practice feel meditative to me, but as a hypnotherapist it got me interested in the how different brainwave states may be induced.

Alpha waves are commonly associated with relaxed wakefulness, theta activity can occur during drowsiness and some meditative states, beta activity is associated with many forms of active thinking, and gamma activity is involved in certain types of information processing and communication between brain regions.

Not only can this practice place you in Alpha (usually associated with meditation) and Theta (usually associated with hypnosis) brainwave states, it may also spike brainwave activity beyond Beta (alert, paying attention, or stressed states – like at work when the computer crashes) into Gamma, the highest frequency range of brainwave activity.

In everyday life, Gamma activity is often associated with brief moments of insight, like a sudden “Aha!” or intellectual breakthrough. During this specialized breathwork, the brain can enter a sustained, high-amplitude Gamma state that Dr. Dispenza calls super-consciousness.

Gamma waves help synchronize activity across different brain regions, allowing separate circuits to work together as a coordinated whole. For example, when you look at an object, your brain processes its color, shape, size, and movement through different visual circuits. Gamma activity helps coordinate these processes, allowing you to perceive the object as one unified experience rather than a collection of separate details.

This whole-brain experience may be accompanied by a profound sense of freedom from fear and separation, along with intense bliss, ecstasy, unconditional love, and interconnectedness. Gamma activity is also associated with attention and information processing, potentially contributing to heightened awareness and a powerful sense of mental clarity. Put that together with the enhanced chemistry we mentioned before and you may have a very interesting cardio session indeed...

I Googled the positive side effects of this practice and have experienced all of these as I do this myself at least once a week if not twice, this is what Google said are the side effects, copied & pasted in all their glory:

Neurological & Mental Benefits

• Profound Mental Clarity: Flushing the brain with an increased flow of cerebrospinal fluid helps clear metabolic waste, leading to a sharp drop in brain fog and enhanced focus.

• Deep Subconscious Receptivity: By driving the brain into Alpha (meditation) and Theta (hypnosis) brainwave states, the mind becomes highly open to positive reprogramming, visualization, and breaking old behavioral habits.

• Enhanced Creativity and Flow: Practitioners frequently report sudden bursts of intuition, creative epiphanies, and a heightened capacity for problem-solving.

• Vivid Visual Experiences: As the pineal gland is stimulated, it can produce profound, dream-like inner imagery, deep meditative visions, and transcendental experiences without the use of external substances.

  
  

Emotional & Energetic Benefits

• Intense Euphoria and Bliss: The sudden release of upgraded neurotransmitters can trigger feelings of overwhelming joy, cosmic connection, and ecstasy (often referred to as a "heart-opening" experience – this can cause ‘heart coherence which are assessed through heart-rate variability).

• Release of Stored Trauma: Moving stagnant energy out of the lower "survival centers" (where stress, fear, and past conditioning live) often results in a massive, liberating emotional release.

• Shift out of "Fight or Flight": Over time, this breathwork trains the body to turn off the chronic stress response, replacing anxiety and hyper-vigilance with a deep sense of safety and wholeness.

  
  

Physical & Physiological Benefits

• Surge of Physical Energy: Drawing energy up the spine acts like a biological generator, leaving practitioners feeling deeply revitalized, awake, and energized.

• Autonomic Nervous System Regulation: The practice helps rebalance the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous systems, improving overall stress resilience.

• Enhanced Body Awareness: Squeezing and coordinating the intrinsic muscles of the pelvic floor, abdomen, controlling the breath, and flexing throat builds a high level of core somatic awareness and control.

  
  

There are also instances where these practices are contraindicated! This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Joe Dispenza's breathing method involves intense physical exertion. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any advanced breathwork practice, especially if you have a history of brain injuries, lung issues, cardiovascular issues, epilepsy, or are pregnant.

This post reflects my personal experiences, observations, and interpretation of the breathing practices discussed in Dr. Joe Dispenza’s book, Becoming Supernatural. Some of the concepts and proposed mechanisms described are based on his teachings and explanations, which I found particularly interesting in light of my own experiences. Individual experiences and results may vary.

If you do try this, feel free to share your experience in our Facebook group.