Better Breathing?
Peddle Up!
Posts: 2,040
Whever I'm pushing hard, either on the flat, or uphill, I sometimes become aware that my breathing is shallow. I guess deeper breathing would help with my endurance, but how can I remember to do that, other than, er, remember to do it? :roll:
Purveyor of "up" 
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stick a post-it note on your bars....0
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You could try taking a Yoga class. They teach breathing techniques. I find when climbing it helps to focus on exhaling effectively0
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If you can manage with shallow breaths, you can't really be pushing it hard...0
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Synchronize your breathing with your pedal stroke.
Easy one to try up a hill when your gasping - Breath out when one pedal is at the 3 o clock postion, and in when it comes around to 9 o clock. This will get you breathing in rhythm and also get your mind of the big hill your going up too. Obviously this will only work at a low cadence, but it will get air into your lungs.
If you start to get out out sync hold your breath for a couple of seconds and find that pattern again.0 -
I remember a piece of advice on a similar thread a few months back was to focus on the exhale and make sure you are exhaling fully and the inhaling will take care of itself. This seems to work for me on climbs and after a month or so of really concentrating, it has started to become second nature.
good look and happy breathing
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^ as zoomer37 and sparkins1972 say.
Use your diaphragm, abs and core to control deeper ventilation of the lungs. I've also found that it helps doing it in rhythm with pedal strokes. Pilates will also teach you to control breathing and core muscles.0 -
Pilates/Yoga???
what have we come to?
Try Yogalates........it's great
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OllyRidesFirst wrote:Pilates/Yoga???
Try Yogalates........it's great
Is that the latest offering from Starbucks? A combination of milky coffee and yoghurt?0 -
I watche this and picked up a few good tips
keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6QvK1NXINY0 -
Suggest maybe having a look at this site: http://www.breathplay.com/
It does unfortunately sound/look like some kind of fetish site, but its not. One of the managers at work who has a a couple of Marmotte gold medals to his name highly rates him. I just haven't had the time to look into yet (also read time to train to get the most out of it)0 -
I tend to find my breathing is self regulating and I don't have to think about it. Especially if I'm pushing hard up-hill, when I seem naturally to adopt the gasping like a fish on a river bank technique.0
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DCowling wrote:keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
Regardless of the comments by others above, pilates will show you how to do this properly, it's not just a case of sucking your stomach in. Core stability is the base for good control of power and a strong and healthy back. Without this you can't use your leg muscles to their full potential.0 -
Oh FFS. Your body will take care of your breathing for you without you having to think about it.0
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micken wrote:DCowling wrote:keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
Regardless of the comments by others above, pilates will show you how to do this properly, it's not just a case of sucking your stomach in. Core stability is the base for good control of power and a strong and healthy back. Without this you can't use your leg muscles to their full potential.
Utter bolleaux0 -
Pain is weakness leaving the body.....I have a lot of weakness!
My Blog: http://ipluswheels.wordpress.com/0 -
P_Tucker wrote:micken wrote:DCowling wrote:keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
Regardless of the comments by others above, pilates will show you how to do this properly, it's not just a case of sucking your stomach in. Core stability is the base for good control of power and a strong and healthy back. Without this you can't use your leg muscles to their full potential.
Utter bolleaux
Really? Next time you're powering up a hill have a think about what's happening to your core muscles. You should find that they are a bit higher up than your bollox. 0 -
micken wrote:P_Tucker wrote:micken wrote:DCowling wrote:keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
Regardless of the comments by others above, pilates will show you how to do this properly, it's not just a case of sucking your stomach in. Core stability is the base for good control of power and a strong and healthy back. Without this you can't use your leg muscles to their full potential.
Utter bolleaux
Really? Next time you're powering up a hill have a think about what's happening to your core muscles. You should find that they are a bit higher up than your bollox.
you assume he can find his bollox !0 -
DCowling wrote:micken wrote:P_Tucker wrote:micken wrote:DCowling wrote:keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
Regardless of the comments by others above, pilates will show you how to do this properly, it's not just a case of sucking your stomach in. Core stability is the base for good control of power and a strong and healthy back. Without this you can't use your leg muscles to their full potential.
Utter bolleaux
Really? Next time you're powering up a hill have a think about what's happening to your core muscles. You should find that they are a bit higher up than your bollox.
you assume he can find his bollox ! 0 -
P_Tucker wrote:micken wrote:DCowling wrote:keep loose, relaxed , and tuck stomach in
Regardless of the comments by others above, pilates will show you how to do this properly, it's not just a case of sucking your stomach in. Core stability is the base for good control of power and a strong and healthy back. Without this you can't use your leg muscles to their full potential.
Utter bolleaux
Interesting How often do we have to utter "bolleaux" - repeat with each breath - is this some kind of eastern philosophy mantra thing ?
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Not entirely true. Yes it will do enough for you to survive if you are doing a normal human activity, but if you are doing something that the body wasn't designed to do (ride a bike uphill, play the trumpet) or are wanting to maximise what your lungs can do, your body can take coaching.P_Tucker wrote:Oh FFS. Your body will take care of your breathing for you without you having to think about it.
For example, ask most people to take a really big breath, and they will raise their shoulders and push their chest out. I've no idea why people think that this helps them breathe efficiently - in fact, it does the opposite, as it reduces the capacity of the lower part of the lungs (the bigger part), bringing the stomach muscles in rather than expanding the cavity there. For wind instrument players, it is vital that they use the lowest part of the lungs, both because this is where the strongest muscles are for exhaling, and because you get the biggest breaths; expanding the ribcage (which is what people do when they raise their shoulders) is very inefficient.
If you want to practise good breathing, lie on your back on a bed, put your hand on your stomach, and then take slow deep breaths - you should find that your stomach muscles expand (and your hand will rise) as you breathe in. Then try doing the same when you are upright - for some reason it becomes much more challenging to keep the same action. But with practice, it can become natural. But it does take practice. Ask any wind player or teacher.
Why do I care? Because I get paid for breathing. The right way.0 -
To be fair the "right way" for playing trumpet doesn't mean this is the right way for cycling or anything else.
I'm with Tucker on this - unless you've got a specific weakness then your body will take care of your breathing - and from memory the only research I can remember seeing suggested that the amount of air you took into your lungs wasn't a limiting factor in sport for healthy individuals.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
True - though I was using the example of trumpet playing to demonstrate that natural reflexes don't necessarily induce the best response in all circumstances. Certainly in trumpet playing if you don't inhale and exhale properly you can get too much carbon dioxide left in the lungs, leading to a 'drowning' feeling - 'air' in the lungs, but not of the sort (oxygen-rich) the body is wanting. But since I'm not a scientist, and don't have any academic articles on oxygen needs during exercise to quote, I'll not make any grand claims.Tom Butcher wrote:To be fair the "right way" for playing trumpet doesn't mean this is the right way for cycling or anything else.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:and from memory the only research I can remember seeing suggested that the amount of air you took into your lungs wasn't a limiting factor in sport for healthy individuals.
:?:
This is a chief principle in sports. The more air you can process the better advantage you have. The elite athletes tend to have larger lung capacity, they may not need to use it all the time but it certainly helps!
Lung volume does have an effect on aerobic performance. It may not solely be about size but also efficiency combined with a large heart. To state air intake wasn't a limiting factor is naive.0 -
I'm happy to be corrected on it - I just have a memory of reading otherwise - that it was the amount of oxygen that could pass from the blood that was the limiter and that the lungs were more than capable of meeting the needs of passing oxygen from the air to the blood.
Have you got any references to back up what you say ? Never a sports scientist around when you need one !
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:Interesting How often do we have to utter "bolleaux" - repeat with each breath - is this some kind of eastern philosophy mantra thing ?
Just imagine you are reading the Road Beginners forum on BR. You will be uttering "bolleaux" at about the right rate, assuming that you can read at the level of a 10 year old as I'm sure you can. I can read at a 12 year old level myself, so I find that I hyperventilate.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:I'm happy to be corrected on it - I just have a memory of reading otherwise - that it was the amount of oxygen that could pass from the blood that was the limiter and that the lungs were more than capable of meeting the needs of passing oxygen from the air to the blood.
Have you got any references to back up what you say ? Never a sports scientist around when you need one !
Correct to the best of my understanding. I think the limiting factor is basically how fast your heart can shift the blood.0 -
briantrumpet wrote:Why do I care? Because I get paid for breathing. The right way.
what's the going rate..? You must be a multi-millionaire by now..? Any jobs going..?0 -
Sadly they only pay me when I've also got a trumpet on the front of my face and i'm playing the right notes too. Mind you, I did get £1.31 per note for playing off-stage trumpet in a performance of Verdi's Requiem recently.Pseudonym wrote:
what's the going rate..? You must be a multi-millionaire by now..? Any jobs going..?briantrumpet wrote:Why do I care? Because I get paid for breathing. The right way.0 -
briantrumpet wrote:Sadly they only pay me when I've also got a trumpet on the front of my face and i'm playing the right notes too. Mind you, I did get £1.31 per note for playing off-stage trumpet in a performance of Verdi's Requiem recently.
fair enough..
I learnt trumpet at school in my teens - taught by Ted Watkins, who is (was) Derek Watkins' dad...0
