EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BREATH TRAINING

What we take for granted - breathing - can be trained and quite quickly become a powerful way to improve your cycling, writes Rob Kemp

- Rob Kemp

Take a breather for a moment to consider breath training. First, what is it? Breath training, or respiratory muscle training (RMT) to give it its proper title, helps strengthen both the inspiratory (breathing in) and expiratory (breathing out) muscles. It’s a method increasingly used by athletes, especially cyclists, to enhance performance, endurance and recovery. The main techniques are nasal breathing and inspiratory muscle training (IMT), which aims to strengthen the muscles used to inhale.

Nasal breathing is used to control airflow, boost oxygen use, and keep breathing calm. In addition, controlled breath holds - holding your breath after a normal exhale - raise CO2 and lower oxygen, helping the body adapt to breathlessness and improve breathing control under stress. IMT devices such as PowerBreathe are used to create resistance when the user inhales through the mouth.

“Think of it as weight training for your breathing muscles,” says Professor John Dickinson. “By adding resistance they force your respiratory muscles to work harder. Over time, that stress creates adaptations that make those muscles stronger.”

What’s in it for cyclists?

Well-trained athletes with efficient breathing patterns might see only marginal gains of 0.5-1%, explains Dickinson. “But for someone who struggles with breathlessness, especially on climbs or during hard efforts, the improvements can be significant. If your respiratory muscles are stronger, they operate at a lower percentage of their maximum effort. That makes breathing more efficient and less energy-intensive.”