Yasin Seiwasser: The power of breathing correctly

Yasin Seiwasser believes that most people are breathing wrong – to their own detriment.

"We humans breathed perfectly as babies, because a healthy baby always breathes into the nose and into the stomach and never flat upwards."

Breathing through the nose into the stomach is best, the 48-year-old told DW. The mental and breathing coach believes in the power of breathing and sees various breathing techniques as the key to success, not just in competitive sports, but also in everyday life.

Samurai warriors and Zen

Seiwasser was aware of the importance of breathing beyond the obvious, even as a child. At the age of eight, he became interested in martial arts. He took out books on the ancient samurai and Zen teachings from the local library. He wanted to learn how to strengthen his body and, above all, his mind.

"So I started training on a mental level early on and that included lots of breathing exercises," Seiwasser said.

He worked hard – on his body, but also on his mind – and became German Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion in 2007. He also scored the fastest knockout punch in the history of his weight class (three seconds). He later worked as a bodyguard for the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Seiwasser then returned to Germany where he devoted himself to Zen teachings – and became a mental and breathing coach.

'I just breathed for two months'

In 2020, during the COVID 19 pandemic, he came to the attention of Frank Stäbler, a three-time former Greco-Roman world wrestling champion in the welterweight class. Stäbler was suffering from Long Covid and had severe breathing problems.

"I was desperate at the time," Stäbler told DW. "I was a contender for gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, but the illness meant I was no longer able to cope with the pressure and it was scientifically proven that my (physical) performance had dropped by over 20%."

His doctors had little hope that he would regain full fitness. He was severely asthmatic and without strong medication he had no chance of taking part in the Games, they said. But Stäbler tried a different approach, putting his faith in Seiwasser, who believed in him and a full recovery.

"We met up and started training straight away. This meant I was off the (wrestling) mat and worked exclusively on breathing techniques for a full two months."

Impressive blood values through breathing techniques

Stäbler's doctors and many people close to him and the wrestling association were skeptical.

"They said: 'Hey, Fränkie, he's crazy. He wants to be an Olympic champion and now he's no longer training, he's just breathing.'"

But Stäbler was undeterred and pressed on with his breathing training, both in sessions with Seiwasser, but also in the evenings on the sofa at home.

"The key is to have faith in something that is not visible," explained the 35-year-old. "We often talk about the invisible force."

Seiwasser gave him this trust very quickly.

The critics fell silent very quickly, as Stäbler's blood values improved after just a few days.

"We had the whole process scientifically monitored, and after just three weeks I had incredible values," says the wrestler.

"My red blood cells increased by 32% after just under a month. I've never achieved that in an altitude training camp."

Chemical changes to the body

What was a big surprise for many was nothing new for Seiwasser.

"You can reduce stress, you can reduce or even transform anxiety. You can acquire courage through good breathing techniques," Seiwasser said.

"The body's chemistry is restructured depending on how you breathe."

And this can make the difference between success and defeat. For Stäbler, the training paid off. He made a full recovery and won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

Word of the success that Seiwasser had with Stäbler spread, and now more and more athletes, as well as people having problems in their everyday lives are training with the breathing coach. He has been working regularly with Bundesliga club Werder Bremen since the end of 2021. With Seiwasser's help learing how to "breathe properly" again Werder won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2022.

'Many don't know how important breathing is'

Tina Rupprecht, unified WBC, WBO and WBA world female boxing champion in the atomweight class has also worked with the breathing coach. Rupprecht learned to control her emotions in the boxing ring and improve her stamina using the "fast bamboo method," fast, controlled breathing into her stomach.

"I believe that many professional athletes don't even know how important breathing is," Rupprecht told German public broadcaster WDR.

"For me, it's a tool to ground myself and find my center," she explained.

"It helps me not only in sports, but also in everyday life."

Her improved breathing techniques also helped Rupprecht become the first three-time female atomweight world boxing champion in 2024.

Stäbler plans to continue to work with Seiwasser after retiring from wrestling, as the training has also changed his everyday life.

"Every human emotion is linked to breathing. If you control your breathing, you control your emotions," Stäbler said.

"If you can control your emotions, then you can control your life."          

This article was originally published in German.