If you are looking for an edge as you train for a cycling race, consider breathing exercises. Training your lungs along with your legs can improve your cycling time-trial performance. It can also help you keep your cool during heated races. You can gain improvement with breathing exercises that last from five to 20 minutes per session.
Function
When you don't breathe properly, you do not use your lung capacity fully. This is detrimental in endurance sports that include cycling because you are physically limited by the rate at which oxygen can be supplied to your muscles by your heart, lungs and blood during cycling sessions. Performing breathing exercises improves the oxygen saturation in your body, boosts your exercise performance and builds cardiorespiratory function, according to the American Association of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
Anaerobic Threshold
Your cycling time-trial performance improves when you do breathing exercises because the exercises increase your anaerobic threshold, according to M.A. Johnson, lead author for a study in the "European Journal of Applied Physiology." This threshold limits your rate of maximal exertion, according to the Cycling Performance Tips website. However, breathing exercises do not appear to improve your VO2 max, or the highest rate at which you are able to take in and utilize oxygen during hard exercise, which is important for the aerobic component of your exercise sessions, according to B. Sperlich, lead author for a study published in "Military Medicine."
Muscle Fatigue
Deep breathing exercises also may improve your performance by delaying muscle fatigue, according to the Cycling Performance Tips website. However, this theory is controversial because not enough research has been done to determine whether such exercises can adequately train respiratory muscles to meet the needs of endurance athletes like cyclists.
Mental Game
When you breathe regularly and deeply your brain is able to control reactions, movements and emotions better. This can help you train more effectively. It also can help you perform better during races because you make better decisions, according to "Dph Sports-Series Cycling," by Ashok Kumar.
Exercises
Kumar recommends adding a simple but effective breathing exercise to your training regimen. Walk for 20 minutes at a somewhat brisk pace. Consciously breathe in and out for a regular number of steps, such as one inhale for every six steps and one exhale for an equal number of steps. Gradually increase the number of steps to nine or 10 per inhale or exhale. Also practice a second simple exercise: taking as much air in as you can and exhaling every last bit of air in your lungs. Do this for 10 breaths while standing. Bend forward when exhaling and stand straight when inhaling. Perform the exercise for 10 more breaths while laying down and keeping your body still.
References
- "Dph Sports-Series Cycling"; Ashok Kumar; 1999
- "Guidelines for Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Programs"; American Association of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehabilitation; 2004
- "Tips for Success: Running for Beginners"; Carl-Jürgen Diem; 2002
- "Basic Sciences"; Limiting Factors for Maximum Oxygen Uptake and Determinants of Endurance Performance; David R. Bassett Jr. and Edward T. Howley; 1999
- Pub Med.gov: Inspiratory muscle training improves cycling time-trial performance and anaerobic work capacity but not critical power; M.A. Johnson et al.; 2007
- Pub Med.gov: Does respiratory muscle training increase physical performance; B. Sperlich et al.; 2009
