Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Hi, does anyone have any techniques to control breathing during high intensity efforts?

Thanks

When you say 'control', do you want to slow it down, speed it up?

When I am doing VO2max intervals, I start breathing deeply and fully well before the intervals, and keep breathing that way through the whole interval, even during the rest period after the interval. As you get fitter, you get more efficient, generate less CO2, and things feel easier. At that point, you increase your intensity, and it still feels hard again

road_warrior wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:14 am

When you say 'control', do you want to slow it down, speed it up?

When I am doing VO2max intervals, I start breathing deeply and fully well before the intervals, and keep breathing that way through the whole interval, even during the rest period after the interval. As you get fitter, you get more efficient, generate less CO2, and things feel easier. At that point, you increase your intensity, and it still feels hard again

I guess I'm looking to slow down.. I'm gasping for air (hyperventilating) during/after the efforts

I've tried slow in/slow out and fast in slow out (in through the nose) as recommended in this video.. but seem to come unstuck during high intensity still.. probably just unfit?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwChVOMXE3k

I will describe a technique that my coach passed on when I was a middle distance runner in my teens. Middle distance and long distance running is all about minimizing inefficiency in energy use.

Focus on breathing out long and slow, not on breathing in hard and fast..

As you need more air, you get it by emptying the lungs more rather than expanding the chest more. the breathing IN will then look after itself.

It's really a stress relieving technique. Tension and stress tends to result in muscles working against each other requiring extra effort. This technique reduces this. Or to put it another way, you only use the minimum energy required for the job.

To start off, you should try an get comfortable with in in a normal situation where you are not screaming out for air. If you have attended neo-natal classes, then recall the slow "loose lips" long slow exhale.

(As a relaxation technique, on a train once I talked a person down from a severe anxiety attack by breathing as a pair with him this way. First responders had been encouraging him to "breathe deep" as he went from bad to worse.)

ColinOldnCranky wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:56 am

I will describe a technique that my coach passed on when I was a middle distance runner in my teens. Middle distance and long distance running is all about minimizing inefficiency in energy use.

Focus on breathing out long and slow, not on breathing in hard and fast..

As you need more air, you get it by emptying the lungs more rather than expanding the chest more. the breathing IN will then look after itself.

Yeah this is great advice. When breathing out try pursing your lips a bit, to create some resistance. This has been medically proven to lower panic levels (nobody knows why).

Also get your MD to do an asthma check. You may have constricted airways.

You might need to drop your intensity levels if you are getting to the point where your breathing is affected like this.

One more thing that 'works for me'. When breathing in, try to breath in a bit through your nose as well as your mouth. This seems to reduce my perception that I am choking. I don't know why it works, but it is worth trying.

Also if you can do some swimming, that helped me learn about breath control.

Thanks for the advice! I think the long slow breathing out with pursed lips in particular has controlled the breathing a lot better

I find swimming helps a lot at teaching you how to breathe, particular doing pyramids. It teaches a lot of control but also making sure you exhale all of your air out of your lungs. Under load it's hard to breathe deep and use all of your lungs. But pyramids test that you are getting the max air in and out.... 1 lap breathing every 2 strokes, then 3 strokes, then 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9 and then back down again.
(Swimming seems to work for Ritchie Porte)

I found bench presses and riding with your elbows out wide when training opened your chest and lung capacity up. I always breath through my nose and out through the mouth but never get into the situation where your breathing is out of control on the bike.

Foo