Breathing?

[Choada_Boy]

May seem like a dumb question, but what's the best way to breathe during high output exercise? Long full breaths, deep quick breaths, in through the mouth and out through the nose? I'm thinking there's some science behind it, namely the most efficiecnt way to exchange CO2 for O2, and I find that forcing myself to consciously breathe rather than breathe autonomicaly has improved benefits, but what works the best, as far as the exercise physiologists are concerned?

[John Frieh]

breathing ladder

[Sherri]

I like to do belly breathing as much as possible to keep the side stitches at bay(or to get rid of one). If I stop paying attention to my breathing it gets weak and shallow and my performance follows.

 

If I'm cranking full-steam up a hill, I do an exaggerated, forceful exhalation every third or fourth breath to fully clear out the carbon dioxide and maximize the oxygen I can take in on the next inhalation(disclaimer: I don't know the true physiological merits of this technique, but I do find that it helps tremendously).

 

Massaging your diaphragm trigger points and intercostals can facilitate the ability to take those deep, relaxed breaths.

 

 

[lizard_brain]

What type of exercise? Climbing? Running? Depends on what you're doing...

[G-spotter]

i gave up breathing a couple years ago.

i've found that being a zombie has done wonders for my stamina and pain tolerance.

[denalidave]

breathing is aid

[iluka]

If I'm cranking full-steam up a hill, I do an exaggerated, forceful exhalation every third or fourth breath to fully clear out the carbon dioxide and maximize the oxygen I can take in on the next inhalation(disclaimer: I don't know the true physiological merits of this technique, but I do find that it helps tremendously).

 

I can't speak much to whether there is data about one particular breathing technique being better than another but there is not much physiologic merit to the idea of doing one thing or another to fully clear out the carbon dioxide or maximize the oxygen you take in. If you have healthy lungs, they will do an efficient job of eliminating carbon dioxide and taking in oxygen independent of whether or not you pressure breathe, do a forced exhalation every 4th breath or do other things.

 

In the end, with healthy people (i.e. no emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, severe asthma, heart failure) maximum exercise capacity is limited by the ability of the heart to deliver oxygen to the exercising muscles. Healthy people are not limited by the ability to take oxygen in or get rid of carbon dioxide through the lungs so the exact pattern of breathing will not have much of an impact.