- Courses, requirements, and fees
The courses are conducted in different states throughout Canada, and the USA and European countries.
- My teaching is based on 3 levels of learning the Buteyko breathing method by my students:
- Level 1: The student is able to eliminate the main symptoms of own health problems (e.g., asthma, heart disease, epilepsy, sinusitis, eczema, insomnia, constipation, etc.) using the Emergency Procedure so that the Emergency Procedure can substitute the use of medication or significantly reduce the dosage (e.g., twice). Such students have low CP s (usually about 5-15 s), while elimination or reduction in medication is their main practical result. Only about 10% learners or less are satisfied with this level. It takes from 10-20 minutes up to 1-2 days to learn.
- I teach Level 1 for free during my lectures, presentations, talks, and ordinary conversations. It involves learninng the Emergency Procedure (short breath holds and reduced breathing with air hunger).
- Requirements for Level 1:
- - desire to be medication-free or use less medication
- Level 2: The student partly normalised own breathing
until about 25-35 s CP, so that he has no need for medication and does not
experience the symptoms of his main health problem, e.g., asthma,
bronchitis, heart disease, epilepsy, sinusitis, eczema, etc. However, such
learner can still suffer from airways inflammation, allergies, GI problems,
hormonal problems, and musculo-skeletal problems. Various medical drugs can
be required to control symptoms of these “high-CP” diseases, This is the
level achieved by most people on the west. It takes about 1- 3 months to
learn.
These students require about 6 sessions, each about 2 hours long. Most sessions are done in a small group, but each student also has individual lessons. During the course the students learn the breathing exercises, practice them, and get homework. Apart from breathing exercises, the Buteyko method includes teaching of healthy lifestyle factors and detailed explanation of how and why these factors influence breathing.
Among these factors are common-sense ideas about
- keeping the mouth closed (nasal breathing only);
- not to sleeping on the back;
- eating only when hungry;
- physical activity;
- and other methods and techniques.
Requirements for Level 2:
- Theoretical: the student should have basic knowledge
about CO2 effects and effects of deep breathing on human body. The student
can get this knowledge by various means:
a) attending the introductory lecture;
b) reading the small book "Oxygenate yourself: breathe less";
c) watching my video course on GoogleVideo or YouTube.
- Personal commitment: the student will need:
- at least 1 hour every day for breathing exercises;
- at least 1 hour for physical activity;
- following healthy life style factors (only those that reduce your breathing!)
- The fee for the course in a group is 300-350 Euro.
Individual lessons are 40-50 Euro per hour.
Level 3: The student has no less than 60 s at any moment of the day. Such CPs provide the guarantee about absence of pathologies and symptoms related to many degenerative health conditions (over 150 so called “diseases of civilization”). While achievement of this level requires will power, self-discipline and determination, there are many students world-wide who got there and none has regrets about the time and energy spent. The final goal of the method for Level 3 is normalization of breathing. Among parameters of normal breathing, according to Doctor Buteyko, are: 60 s CP (breath holding time at rest, after quiet expiration, with no stress at the end of test); 4 l/min ventilation rate (for a 70-kg man); and 6.5% CO2 (about 46 mm Hg CO2 at sea level) in alveoli and arterial blood. As we can see here, his parameters are more rigorous than typical medical and physiological norms: 40 s CP; 6 l/min; 40 mm Hg at sea level (or about 5.3%). It often takes 0.5-2 years for an adult to learn.
- Level 3 course has 3 lessons, about 2
hours each.
- Requirements:
- Level 2 completed (over 25 seconds for the typical early morning breath holding time);
- 1 hour for breathing exercises every day;
- 3-4 hours for physical activity every day (it includes power walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, etc.)
- Sessions are done in groups.
However, private sessions are also available. The fee for the course in a
group is 200 Euro. Individual lessons are 40-50 Euro per hour.
The method can be learned by children as young as 3-4 years old. There are also special techniques for younger students.
I am also available for public lectures, workshops, seminars, and teaching new practitioners.
