Better Breathing Blog by PowerLung

Athletes spend countless hours training for their individual spot, focusing on the dynamics, specific muscle groups, and the science behind the movement involved. However, do they consider training their lungs?

Studies have shown positive effects of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on athletes’ breathing ability and overall performance. Understanding the science behind the respiratory system can help explain why respiratory muscle training is so valuable to athletic performance potential.

It is common misconception that your body just “fails” as you age. We do understand the nature of human physiology-systems don’t perform at their peak as bodies get older. However, you need not simply accept the status quo. There may be activities you can do to maximize your abilities and slow health decline; plus, improved lung function will provide you energy to add (or increase) exercise to your schedule. Exercise has shown to improve feelings of happiness and fulfillment. 

Amid all your exercise and training plans, can you add one more thing to your plate? Respiratory muscle training (RMT) is one skill you may be considering. However, is it worth the effort, both in increasing performance and for an easier recovery?

You may think your training regimen covers all aspects of your conditioning needs, that it is not necessary to concentrate on your breathing ability. However, the fact remains: respiratory muscle fatigue during exercise can limit performance.

The need for every living thing to breathe well cannot be denied. However, the need for strong breathing is evident to athletes. Since both respiratory and activity-based muscles compete for oxygen, athletes must become more efficient in their breathing ability to maximize performance. Although this relationship is understandable in all athletic events, none is more obvious to understand as in the sport of swimming.

Athletes, professional and amateur alike, think about training their heart, legs, back, and anything else related to their sport. However, rarely do people ponder training their lungs. There is a direct link between fatigued breathing and reduced performance (weakness) in your legs or other muscles needed to compete in any given sport. The bottom line is that when you breathe better, you provide more oxygen to your muscles, thereby improving your athletic performance.

If you play competitive football, you know what it feels like to be out of breath.

Swimming requires a high level of endurance. It has become common to say the way to raise endurance levels is by increasing lung capacity. We’ll go into why this is confusing. But, the general idea behind this advice is true; to increase endurance you need in increase the efficiency of your breathing. This means using less energy to breathe and breathing in and out more air when you do.

When I started using PowerLung seventeen years ago, it took me some time to learn how use it to the best advantage. More importantly, I had to learn how to breathe properly to get the most from the training. It was, therefore, no surprise to me when the same thing happened with CrossFit. While still weak in some skills, the improvement in others is more than obvious.

PowerLung has received many inquiries about using the device with Crossfit. Needless to say, I was curious for that reason alone, but I had personal reasons as well. I’d lost weight, but in the past two years I’d been working out still hadn’t built the muscle I needed to pursue Crossfit training. Frankly, I was somewhat afraid. Three areas of concern were:

• Age
• Current fitness ability
• Stories about people injured when starting the training (everybody had one!)

I discussed Crossfit with people my age who used this training, read a library of books about the subject, and sought recommendations of “boxes” near me. But I did not start a regimen. Then one day, destiny gave me the needed push. A Groupon® appeared for a facility within two miles. I bought the one-month option and, within two days, I had begun my journey to better strength, flexibility and fitness.

A Trip to Remember

Congratulations! You purchased a PowerLung and have started a regular regimen for conditioning your lungs. The device has worked as we promised. Your breathing has improved. Everything you do—from simply climbing stairs to competitive rowing--is now easier.

Vacation time has (finally) arrived, and you’re packed to enjoy your favorite activities, the ones that probably inspired your dedicated training. Check your list once more. Looks as if you have forgotten your PowerLung.