Breathing and getting short of breath

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Back to the OP question. Personally, DDD, I think you've probably got powerful legs but don't quite have the aerobic fitness yet. A few longer weekend rides should get you going...

+1.

cjcp

gtvlusso wrote:

Asthma seems to be so prevelent in todays society - kids, CJCP, DDD.....some nice country bumpkin air should be prescribed.....It would be interesting to just find a bit of common geography to the well documented problem, just to prove the theories of asthma and inner city living.

Ah, you bumpkins can't blame The Big Smoke for this one.

I grew up just outside Cardiff, by the coast. It was picked up after I'd spent two weeks of work experience in a smoke-filled office and had a great deal of difficulty breathing properly.

Hey Jax

DonDaddyD wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Are there special breathing techniques when cycling?

I've noticed that I'm short of breath often on my commute but not physically tired.

I don't use any. However, as an asthmatic, I will sometimes take my inhalers before heading out for a ride.

Have you been tested for asthma? (I read recently that you don't use the lungs to their full capacity; it's the knackered leg muscles that's the problem. I think anyway.)

The odd thing is that whilst I'm asthmatic and certainly suffer when running, I rarely notice it when cycling.

I agree with the knackered legs muscles, I often feel my stamina far exceeds my legs capacity to keep going, especially on long hills.

+1, haven't had asthma for years, but something like that never reallly goes away.

I use to have a puff of asthma puff when cycling as it would open the lungs... (EPO junkie....) that and chew gum as the menthol helps me breath.

I get the dead legs....

exactly the same thing happened to me since cycling really hard. just cant get enough breath in and felt lungs werent expanding. (then used to cough for ages after) went to docs who diagnosed excercise induced asthma, and since having a couple of puffs before a hilly ride, my legs feels the strain and not my lungs! ive a new lease of life, its made a great improvement.
maybe you should go and have a check up, especially as you have a tendency to asthma anyway?

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Back to the OP question. Personally, DDD, I think you've probably got powerful legs but don't quite have the aerobic fitness yet. A few longer weekend rides should get you going...

+1.

+2

Get out on ya Bike DDD. There's no excuse now the sun is out and you have your Kharma.

Stuey01

Sounds like a basic lack of fitness, same as me.
My problem primarily is my legs. I lifted weights for years so I have large and very powerful legs.
Sprint = no problem
Holding high cadence over an extended flat = difficult
Spinning up a long hill = world. of. pain.

Steadily improving with time in the saddle.

cjcp

DDD - as you visit Richmond Park, try the following session:

1. Maintain a steady, comfortable pace on the flatish bits, and don't tear down the hill from Pembroke Lodge to Kingston Gate (coming from Richmond Gate).

2. Give it all you have up Dark and Sawyer's Hills, and the rise from Richmond Gate to Pembroke Lodge (hence the reason for not tearing it down the hill to Kingston Gate). This is intended to improve your speed up the hills and also your recovery after the hills, which will eventually improve your speed on the flat.

You should fine your times round the Park start to creep down.

Hey Jax

Stuey01 wrote:

Sounds like a basic lack of fitness, same as me.
My problem primarily is my legs. I lifted weights for years so I have large and very powerful legs.
Sprint = no problem
Holding high cadence over an extended flat = difficult
Spinning up a long hill = world. of. pain.

Steadily improving with time in the saddle.

opposite with me bizarrely. this all happened since i have become much fitter and do more excercise/cycling. was quite fit before in a gym kind of way, but cycling on roads is different and i feel much fitter than i used to.. but the lung thing had been brewing anyway, and colder air/excercise irritated the lungs which makes the smaller deeper airways close up

cjcp

Hey Jax wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

Sounds like a basic lack of fitness, same as me.
My problem primarily is my legs. I lifted weights for years so I have large and very powerful legs.
Sprint = no problem
Holding high cadence over an extended flat = difficult
Spinning up a long hill = world. of. pain.

Steadily improving with time in the saddle.

opposite with me bizarrely. this all happened since i have become much fitter and do more excercise/cycling. was quite fit before in a gym kind of way, but cycling on roads is different and i feel much fitter than i used to.. but the lung thing had been brewing anyway, and colder air/excercise irritated the lungs which makes the smaller deeper airways close up

My legs were stolen from a battery farm chicken, so I couldn't sprint my way out of a paper bag.

jimmypippa

Anything about posture?

I'd *imagine* (on no knowledge) that riding in a hunched fashion say on a bike with a poor geometry could reduce the effective use of the lungs.

Wasn't this the original reason for tri-bars?

low and aerodynamic, and easier on the lungs than drops (or am I imagining this, it was a vague recollection of sometehing that I can't even articulate well enough to google?)

cjcp

If you're hunched too much or even stretched too far, it does restrict the breathing, which is why the seat tube angle is steeper on a TT/Tri bike - it opens the angle between the legs and stomach/lungs.

Bassjunkieuk

+1 for the training. Longer rides and hills will help improve your fitness which will ultimately make you a better rider. As CJ says you have an ideal training ground practically on your doorstep......USE IT!!

Alternatively if you want a bit more of a kick up the ar$e why not sign up for a sportive next year? I'm sure training towards a target would make things a lot easier! I'm thinking of maybe Highclere next year as I missed it this year.........

lost_in_thought

cjcp wrote:

If you're hunched too much or even stretched too far, it does restrict the breathing, which is why the seat tube angle is steeper on a TT/Tri bike - it opens the angle between the legs and stomach/lungs.

OOooooooh good fact!

Rich158

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

+1 for the training. Longer rides and hills will help improve your fitness which will ultimately make you a better rider. As CJ says you have an ideal training ground practically on your doorstep......USE IT!!

Alternatively if you want a bit more of a kick up the ar$e why not sign up for a sportive next year? I'm sure training towards a target would make things a lot easier! I'm thinking of maybe Highclere next year as I missed it this year.........

Sound advice. I've been riding since last April, a little over a year, and I'm now hitting a gold time in pretty much all the sportives I do, and 7 hours on a bike isn't too much of a problem. I achieved this simply by refusing to be beaten, and going out and doing sportives on a regular basis.

I once read somewhere 'if you train the same you stay the same', which rang true, and I now push myself on pretty much every ride.

As BJ says you've got the ideal training ground on your doorstep, if you don't use it there's only one person to blame.

cjcp

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Alternatively if you want a bit more of a kick up the ar$e why not sign up for a sportive next year? I'm sure training towards a target would make things a lot easier! I'm thinking of maybe Highclere next year as I missed it this year.........

A very good way of motivating yourself. Setting a goal works wonders. Even if the goal is just to finish, your fitness will improe significantly (if you train, that is ), and you will have a great day out.

itboffin

Il Principe wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Are there special breathing techniques when cycling?

I've noticed that I'm short of breath often on my commute but not physically tired.

Well yes and no! I try to focus on my breathing on long climbs, it's important to keep your upper body loose and relaxed and your chest open - which is why you'll see a lot of people sitting up on long climbs, hands on the bars shoulders back more than usual.

However we're talking about commuting here and I suspect the answer is simple, train more, get fitter. You'll notice of course that unfit people tend to start wheezing and panting quicker than those in good shape. There's a good but longish explanation here:

Improved cardio-respiratory function means that the body is able to perform exercise much more efficiently. This results mainly from the body more effectively getting oxygen into the blood stream and transporting it to the working muscles, where it is needed for the metabolic processing of energy. In other words, the regular exerciser's body is much more proficient at loading, transporting and utilizing oxygen. He thus finds exercise such as climbing stairs far less strenuous than a person who does not exercise and is out of shape. Improvement in cardio-respiratory function does not result from changes in the lung's ability to expand, however. In general regular exercise does not substantially change measures of pulmonary function such as total lung capacity, the volume of air in the lungs after taking the largest breath possible (TLC), and forced vital capacity, the amount of air able to be blown out after taking the largest breath possible (FVC). Studies comparing TLC and FVC show little difference between regular exercisers and non exercisers, in fact. So even though people often report feeling out of breath during exercise, it is unlikely that pulmonary function limits their ability to exercise, unless they have a disease that specifically impairs lung function such as asthma, bronchitis or emphysema.

One of the largest differences between an exerciser and a non exerciser concerns the heart's ability to pump blood and consequently deliver oxygen to working muscles. Cardiac output is a major limiting factor for prolonged exercise. In addition, an exerciser typically has a larger blood volume, is better able to extract oxygen from the air in the lungs and is better able to extract oxygen from the blood at the working muscles than a sedentary individual is. Gas exchange involves not only oxygen delivery but also the removal of carbon dioxide, which is a byproduct of energy metabolism, and this process is also more efficient in an exerciser.

When all is said and done, regular exercise produces numerous favorable changes that collectively result in the body being able to work in a far more efficient manner. All of us are born with the ability to increase our physical fitness levels through regular exercise.


So in summary, some people are just born with a better Vo2 capacity than others, you can't change that but you can make your body more efficient!

NHS article here: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Breathlessness/Pages/Introduction.aspx

+1 bingo what he said

Back in nam we'd work each new grunt until he puked just to find his limits then we worked from there, same thing last time I enter the Mr Universe comp. you never know how far it too you can go far until you've been there once or twice :roll:

I don't like to talk about Eurovision

@DDD just ride ride ride until people start ask questions.

cjcp

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

also:

Eddy Merckx wrote:

Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades.

*breaths deeply, spreads arms, shouts to the sky* "As long as I breathe, I attack"

cjcp

"To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep-down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly-Winks."
Scott Martin

jonginge

Hey, tiddly winks is hard ok!
Edit: but i'm tranquillo about it

itboffin

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

+1 for the training. Longer rides and hills will help improve your fitness which will ultimately make you a better rider. As CJ says you have an ideal training ground practically on your doorstep......USE IT!!

Alternatively if you want a bit more of a kick up the ar$e why not sign up for a sportive next year? I'm sure training towards a target would make things a lot easier! I'm thinking of maybe Highclere next year as I missed it this year.........

Ooooh Highclere yes please i'm looking for a few good men/women to help me win next year, is that selfish? well I don't care I've ridden the grand total of 3 sportives so far this year, one to see if I could then 2nd was Highclere (short) distance pretty much with the aim of a high placing and last months Dragon ride to see if I could tackle mountains and distance.

Happy to report a yes I can BUT I now know 2 things, 1) I prefer riding with friends to racing and or winning 2) ridding in groups esp with friends is way more fun than riding alone.

However I've ridden many many social rides this year with fellow SCRer's nay friends from BR and given our excellent mix of characters and ability I know we have a couple of solid teams capable of competing in any event.

Highclere communicate was made for Team SCR 46 miles of challenging climbs rapid descents and shockingly straights - god I wish you folks had been there we would have walked away with the top 10 easy.

Remember it's not a race.... yes right!!!

2010 anyone?

itboffin

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

also:

Eddy Merckx wrote:

Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades.

*breaths deeply, spreads arms, shouts to the sky* "As long as I breathe, I attack"

No castelli back then.............

Dark days :roll:

jonginge

itboffin wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

also:

Eddy Merckx wrote:

Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades.

*breaths deeply, spreads arms, shouts to the sky* "As long as I breathe, I attack"

No castelli back then.............

Dark days :roll:

When shorts were made of wool and chamois was real chamois. Yikes. Quite happy to be in this generation. Now pass me my merino jersey... :roll:

itboffin

I'm thinking headbands and a bad case of Diadora flu

Rich158

itboffin wrote:

Happy to report a yes I can BUT I now know 2 things, 1) I prefer riding with friends to racing and or winning 2) ridding in groups esp with friends is way more fun than riding alone.

+1 to that, there's nothing more booring than riding (training) alone.

I did two sportives last year , just to see if I could, and this year have done six, including three centuries. The only way to do it, is to get out and ride it

il_principe

itboffin wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

also:

Eddy Merckx wrote:

Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades.

*breaths deeply, spreads arms, shouts to the sky* "As long as I breathe, I attack"

No castelli back then.............

Dark days :roll:

Oh I beg to differ - Castelli clothed the great Angelo-Fausto Coppi and Merckx...

All this talk of pain though, it's enough to put DDD off this cycling lark!

DonDaddyD

Il Principe wrote:

itboffin wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

also:

Eddy Merckx wrote:

Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades.

*breaths deeply, spreads arms, shouts to the sky* "As long as I breathe, I attack"

No castelli back then.............

Dark days :roll:

Oh I beg to differ - Castelli clothed the great Angelo-Fausto Coppi and Merckx...

All this talk of pain though, it's enough to put DDD off this cycling lark!

Actually, though there are few things I like more than the sense of solitary freedom cycling gives me. Even though I struggle up hills and am not the fastest or most powerful sprinter, I love pushing myself physically and etching away at the boundaries of how much I can take.

After all:

"Pain is just an indication that tomorrow I'll be stronger. " Laurence D W (aka DondaddyD).

cjcp

DonDaddyD wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

itboffin wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Was it Merckx who said, Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike?

I dunno.

also:

Eddy Merckx wrote:

Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades.

*breaths deeply, spreads arms, shouts to the sky* "As long as I breathe, I attack"

No castelli back then.............

Dark days :roll:

Oh I beg to differ - Castelli clothed the great Angelo-Fausto Coppi and Merckx...

All this talk of pain though, it's enough to put DDD off this cycling lark!

Actually, though there are few things I like more than the sense of solitary freedom cycling gives me. Even though I struggle up hills and am not the fastest or most powerful sprinter, I love pushing myself physically and etching away at the boundaries of how much I can take.

After all:

"Pain is just an indication that tomorrow I'll be stronger, provided I rest properly after my training session, since, after all, rest is an integral part of training according to the oracles. " Laurence D W (aka DondaddyD).

Fixed that. Slightly less sexy quote, mind.

jedster

Pain is just an indication that tomorrow I'll be stronger

you know, I often find that pain is an indication that I will be in more pain tomorrow...

Stuey01

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Alternatively if you want a bit more of a kick up the ar$e why not sign up for a sportive next year? I'm sure training towards a target would make things a lot easier! I'm thinking of maybe Highclere next year as I missed it this year.........

Why not sign up for a sportive this year?

il_principe

Stuey01 wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Alternatively if you want a bit more of a kick up the ar$e why not sign up for a sportive next year? I'm sure training towards a target would make things a lot easier! I'm thinking of maybe Highclere next year as I missed it this year.........

Why not sign up for a sportive this year?

New Forest Road Challenge on Sunday. Blondie, Attica, Linsen (back permitting) and I in attendance, It's supposed to be a fairly quiet sportive and not as "climby" as many. Come on DDD you know you want to.