It's not easy being wheezyYou're here because you get short of breath, wheeze or cough during or after exercise, and it's stopping you achieving your goals. I know how frustrating (and expensive) it is to be dependent on medication long-term, and that you may be doubting your ability if you're stuck on the sidelines trying to catch your breath.
Exercise-induced breathlessness, runny or stuffy nose and anxiety can all be caused by the same thing - excessive mouth breathing.
Mouth breathing sucks cold, dirty air straight into your lungs. Many coaches will tell you it gives you more air, but they're wrong in most cases*. It's normally a shallow breath, and losing moisture can dry up and irritate your airways. Repeated irritation can lead to permanent damage to the lungs. Nose breathing brings in more air, for less effort, and delivers more oxygen to your muscles and organs. People who have switched have reduced their need for medication. For many the effect is life changing, as they become fitter, healthier and more resilient. Of course you can just #shutyourmouth and go for it. But as we all know, habits are hard to break alone. That's why Weight Watchers is so popular. |
The fast track to better breathingI can help you create a regular habit of simple breathing techniques that will enable you to nose breathe more comfortably and more of the time.
All you need to do is set 10 - 15 minutes aside every day to practice breathing more slowly and lightly, and train your tolerance to breathlessness. This is the type of training I did every day to set 5 British records in breath-hold swimming (freediving). Mini-courseTry a few of the exercises and learn more about my approach on this free mini-course.
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Please note:
* Those with a physical nasal obstruction may find nose breathing difficult e.g. deviated septum, broken nose, narrow nostrils. In many cases nose breathing can be assisted without surgery using a nose clip (like the one Chris Froome has been seen wearing).
Slowing down and holding your breath for short periods is perfectly safe for the vast majority of people. You can use breath awareness exercises, and some reduced breathing during pregnancy, however not in the first trimester. At no point should you hold your breath during pregnancy.
Please get your doctor's consent before starting these exercises if you suffer from panic disorder, severe anxiety, severe asthma, migraines, diabetes type 1, heart disease or high blood pressure. You should continue to take regular medication until advised otherwise by your doctor.
Slowing down and holding your breath for short periods is perfectly safe for the vast majority of people. You can use breath awareness exercises, and some reduced breathing during pregnancy, however not in the first trimester. At no point should you hold your breath during pregnancy.
Please get your doctor's consent before starting these exercises if you suffer from panic disorder, severe anxiety, severe asthma, migraines, diabetes type 1, heart disease or high blood pressure. You should continue to take regular medication until advised otherwise by your doctor.
Going Deeper
There are two pillars of performance breathing for exercise. Firstly we look at our normal, daily breathing to ensure it is efficient and adequate for our level of activity. Ineffective breathing is seen in at least 9.5% of the population, and perhaps up to 50% in the athlete population. It's more likely in individuals prone to asthma or anxiety.
The Fast Track to Better Breathing programme is designed to restore your natural way of breathing in a supported and structured way, to make it easier to transform your wellbeing and return to your current training intensity as quickly as possible. This is path to better breathing with minimal performance disruption.
Once you've nailed good breathing, we explore the benefits that Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT) and Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) can have on your performance. This includes breath-holds which simulate the effects of training at 3-4,000m altitude, without leaving the room! Scientific studies report improved aerobic and anaerobic capacity, VO2 max and running economy. Breath-holds, and using IMT devices both improve the strength of respiratory muscles, reducing fatigue that is slowing your down. Some of the exercises are mentally challenging, and can contribute to building mental strength for sport and daily stresses.
- Do you feel breathless or tight in the chest during exercise?
- Do you wake tired from sleep with a dry mouth?
- Do you mainly breathe with your mouth?
The Fast Track to Better Breathing programme is designed to restore your natural way of breathing in a supported and structured way, to make it easier to transform your wellbeing and return to your current training intensity as quickly as possible. This is path to better breathing with minimal performance disruption.
Once you've nailed good breathing, we explore the benefits that Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT) and Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) can have on your performance. This includes breath-holds which simulate the effects of training at 3-4,000m altitude, without leaving the room! Scientific studies report improved aerobic and anaerobic capacity, VO2 max and running economy. Breath-holds, and using IMT devices both improve the strength of respiratory muscles, reducing fatigue that is slowing your down. Some of the exercises are mentally challenging, and can contribute to building mental strength for sport and daily stresses.