Balance sports have always been a passion of mine. Skateboarding, snowboarding and climbing (which has just as much to do with balance as it does strength and agility). Slack lining is a great way to develop balance and core strength, but there are myriad other ways including balance boards.

Growing up, my bestest buddy Jason had a Bongo board. The both of us took a few spills in the garage, but eventually couldn’t be budged off the damned thing. Flash forward 15 years later and I’m living in Newport, RI – home of the Rolo Board. Everyone in Newport knew about them and the inside joke was a Rolo Board sticker was as good as a parking pass (Newport being a tourist trap, the police generate a windfall from parking tickets).

One Fall President Clinton was in town and I was lucky enough to meet him. As he worked his way down the meet-and-greet line, I saw people give him small gifts. I deftly searched my pockets (no reason to alarm the secret service) looking for something – anything to give WJC. I had a fresh stack of Rolo stickers – my friend Scamp was tight with the guy making the Rolos – so I handed one to the President explaining the importance of the sticker – what with it being from a local small business and all.

“Watch this,” he told me. “Somebody give me a Sharpie!” The White House photographer produced a Sharpie in an instant and our 42nd president signed the sticker with a flourish. We posed together, with me holding the Rolo sticker next to the man who wasn’t bad at balancing a budget. I gave the sticker to Scamp so he could give it to his friend. I thought it would be a cool and he might pin-it-up on the wall. The next day I had a brand new Rolo board as thanks.

The Rolo board was a big improvement from the Bongo of yore (note: Bongo makes modern versions now as well). With a concave deck and upturned nose/tail as well as bungees that hold the dowel in place you can ride it in two positions. Skiers, yoga enthusiasts and beginners straddle the dowel and snow/skate/wake/surf boarders set the dowel along the length of the board – directly under foot.

Balance boards are used by the NFL, the US Olympic team, NHL and other professional and elite sports organizations. They’re used to help avoid injuries and to help people recover from injuries. Grab one, start on a rug or grass in the straddle position and you’ll soon realize the benefit on the slopes, in the waves or wherever you put balance and core strength to the test.

There are about 650 named muscles in the human body (personally, I have 651 when you include Vitamin-L, a/k/a the Vanilla Love Log, but I digress).

In addition to named muscles, there are at least twice that amount in unnamed muscles. All muscles fall into three categories; skeletal, smooth and cardiac. Some muscles we can control (skeletal for instance) and others work involuntarily (e.g. smooth muscles like in the lining of the intestines and cardiac to make your heart beat).

When it comes to muscles resistance is not futile, it’s how we develop strength and endurance. Resistance training can be applied to the diaphragm, the dome shaped muscle under the rib cage that works in conjunction with our lungs so we can breathe.

While working at the DEMA (Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association) Show in Las Vegas last year, I tried a product that promised to develop my breathing. It looked like a runt snorkle and when I wore it felt at times like I was breathing through a cocktail straw.

The POWERbreathe is very similar to what I used at DEMA. When used for a few minutes twice daily, the Powerbreathe forces your inspiratory muscles to work harder, increasing both breathing strength and endurance.

Available in three models, the Powerbreathe works your diaphragm and lungs at adjustable levels. The ‘Wellness’ model is ideal for asthmatics, the elderly or anyone with a respiratory condition. The ‘Fitness’ model is for most of us, recreational runners, cyclists, gym rats, etc. The ‘Sports Performance’ model is for the more serious athlete-in-training and offers the most resistance and therefore greatest benefit.

If you’re looking for strong breath have some garlic, eat a hot dog with everything, smoke a stoggie and don’t bother brushing those stumps in your mouth. If you’re looking to breathe stronger, give Powerbreathe a go.