Breathing exercises/techniques ?

ellerino
ellerino Posts: 37
edited April 2014 in Training, fitness and health
Being an Ex~smoker i have reached a point of fitness where my breathing seems to be holding me back, i wasnt a heavy smoker and aways rode mountain bikes even when smoking and never really found it a problem but obviously wasnt working as hard as i am pushing myself now. Whether the damage is done and i have to live with my own supidity or are there exercises off bike or techniques that could help ?

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    When you say 'your breathing is holding you back' - what makes you think this is the case? How does it hold you back?
  • ellerino
    ellerino Posts: 37
    Not too clear at explaining things sometimes sorry. Just feel like my breathing is laboured. I didnt notice to start with but as i have got faster and improved in strength, my breathing however has not . Was just curious if anyone had any tips. On climbs i tend to struggle for breath wondered if there are ways of improving lung capacity and managing the way you breath other than just keep riding.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Just keep riding. You'll get stronger and the breathing will get better as you get fitter. Doesn't happen quickly though.

    I can still struggle for breath on hills, but the difference from years back when I first started riding again is that I am going much faster than I was then. As they say, it never gets easier, you just get faster.

    I haven't smoked for 12 years, and to this day, I do sometimes wonder 'what if' as to whether I hadn't smoked, I might be a bit/lot faster etc. but not much I can do about it now except to keep on enjoying the riding.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    ellerino wrote:
    On climbs i tend to struggle for breath wondered if there are ways of improving lung capacity and managing the way you breath other than just keep riding.

    Your oxygen requirement typically increases in line with your effort level - and if that's what you mean then that is normal. On the other hand, if you mean you are having breathing difficulties, then I would visit the doc.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    pop along to your local GP practice and book up with the asthma nurse. She will do all the appropriate capacity tests, give you a proper diagnosis and treatment if necessary. I have similar isuues and thought it was the result of having had asthma from a young age. Have never smoked and never been in in contact with hazardous stuff. It seems I have a mild form of POCD and a steroid based inhaler is helping and my lung capacity is improving.

    You can get devices like powerbreathe which are supposed to help and there are techniques and exercises you can follow. but i think the first step is to get a proper diagnosis
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Mikey23 wrote:
    You can get devices like powerbreathe which are supposed to help

    I don't think there is any evidence that Powerbreathe-type devices are anything other than worthless pieces of plastic...
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    I've found that paying attention to breathing can help me ride better, especially during extended near threshold/threshold+ efforts e.g. TTs or long mountain climbs.

    Breathing does 4 things
    - It gets oxygen in
    - It gets CO2 out. (This is equally as important, some of the pain/toughness that you feel during intense exercise is due to build up of CO2. Ultimately accumulation of CO2 is one thing that will force you to ease off)
    - It can help with cooling on hot days
    - It can be a focus to help maintain form and blot out negative feedback when things get tough.

    Accordingly it's important to breathe as fully as possible.While sounding like the bleeding obvious, this, at least in my experience is not as straight forward as it sounds. When pushing really hard form tends to break down a bit and there's a temptation of grit your teeth and push hard, compromising breathing and having a negative effect.

    What I do is
    - Have a target cadence that I will ride at
    - Count 1-2-3 for each pedal push (so "1" alternates left and right legs)
    - Breathe out in short heavy pants through through 2 and 3
    - Breathe in a big lungful hard during 1
    - Start counting/breathing 30s or so before the effort starts. (You want to be shifting CO2 from the off not letting it build up, by the time your body signals you to breathe harder you are already in deficit)
    - Practice doing this during training.

    OP hopefully this should work for you.

    All the above makes me sound a bit like a steam train making its slow and steady way up a mountain, which is fine because its a positive mental image that helps me keep going for the hour+ time some climbs take (point 4 on the list above).

    I guess some may regard all above as overkill, which it is to an extent. On the other hand breathing, like pedalling, is one of those things you just have to do when riding a bike. imo it's better to think about it and try doing it correctly, especially if the alternative is feeling pain>breathing badly>suffering>failing
    Martin S. Newbury RC

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