|
Post by wcuracer on Nov 22, 2008 20:06:34 GMT -5
I notice a few things when I am riding that occurs...
I tend to breath through my mouth a lot more than my nose. I try to practice breathing through the nose quite often but its easier said than done when your HR is wamo and your trying to get air. I breath on a constant basis with my nose and not my mouth but am wondering has anyone had resistance in cycling such as this and found a cure for the problem (not surgery). Also has anyone ever used nasal strips during training? Do they really work...
This is a source I found on the web related to the above:
9. Nose breathing imposes approximately 50 percent more resistance to the air stream in normal individuals than does mouth breathing, resulting in 10-20 percent more O2 uptake. (Cottle, 1972:Rohrer, 1915) There must be adequate nasal resistance to maintain adequate elasticity of the lungs. (Cottle 1980)
|
|
|
Post by TC on Nov 22, 2008 22:00:26 GMT -5
The website you got this off of is suspect. www.breathing.com/articles/nose-breathing.htmHere is what I mean: 5. Each nostril is innervated by five cranial nerves from a different side of the brain. Totally wrong. Here is a list of cranial nerves, and their functions. I know if it Wikipedia, but for this particular exercise you can trust the information. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_nerveAs you can see, there are no 5 cranial nerves dedicated to any one thing. If the author can't get that basic information correct, what else is incorrect. If you think your O2 uptake is compromised, borrow a pulse-ox meter from the school. I would be completely shocked to find that your blood's oxygen level was anything less than 99% saturated at any given moment, even when you are totally out of breath. This is something I have experimented with in the past. It does not matter how much O2 your lungs exchange if your blood's saturation levels are 100%. You can not get more than 100% unless you are SCUBA diving or an a hyperbaric chamber (the closest one is at St. Joe's in Asheville).
|
|
|
Post by YellowLemondTed on Nov 23, 2008 0:02:34 GMT -5
I have asked this very same question to a very knowledgeable resource (physical therapist at the shepherd center who is also a cyclist). "Should I be trying to breath primarily through my nose when I'm cycling?" She said ideally, breathing through your nose is much more affective of getting cleaner o2 to your lungs. But because you are working so hard, your body wants to pull in more o2 than your nose can inhale on it's own. She explained it's better practice to steady your breathing into a rhythm through your mouth which will also help set a similar rhythm for your entire cardiovascular system. If you try to concentrate too much on breathing in through your nose, you could become light headed and/or dizzy, and when you're riding a bicycle, that's not too safe. She suggested if I want to improve breathing through my nose, wait until I am riding a smooth effort, not exerting too much and I can practice nasal inhaling then. As far as when you are climbing, or putting a hard effort, don't push yourself too far.
One thing I've also seen in some of the cycling/mountain biking dvd's I have watched is professional riders riding the trainer with cotton balls in each of their nostrils. The only sense I can make of this is that it forces you to inhale deeper through your nose. I imagine the result will be when you are riding without the cotton balls, you'll inhale naturally harder through your nose out of habit.
|
|
|
Post by mvi on Nov 23, 2008 14:38:51 GMT -5
As far as I know, lung gas exchange is not a limitation in exercise. VO2 max is limited by the muscle uptake, so breathing patterns have minimal effect on your power output. O2 saturation is typically in the 95% range and is generally not greatly effected by exertion in healthy individuals. I rode the trainer close to AT without seeing O2 sats change from ~95% in rest. Its been a long time since I studied this and much more accurate information should be easy to find. The nose conditions the air (heats it up) better than the mouth. Brain activity seems to shut off one or both nostrils to some extend. I don't know what science says about this , but in Yoga (pranajama) there are books full of empirical information about this subject. ps I noticed on the pictures they take of me at XC CC races that I always have my mouth wide open. Intensity is way up at those moments though. You could do a simple test yoursel,f to ride up Tilley Creek or so, at your AT , with and without your nose plugged up. I bet there will be no significant difference in your time. Andy A. might be able to give you a much more accurate answer on this subject.
|
|
|
Post by Josh Whitmore on Nov 23, 2008 22:07:46 GMT -5
When you need massive air volume intake - the mouth is the biggest hole to suck it into your lungs, you simply can't get enough air through your nose. When there is massive demand, you gotta get it in the easiest way possible. Sure the nose warms it, cleans it, etc. But when you gotta have a lot, the mouth is the way to go.
The cotton balls in the nose of pros that you see when they are warming up for TTs at big races are saturated with something like menthol that help (legally) open up the lungs before the effort. Its like aroma therapy.
The breath-right strips seem to increase the nasal capacity, but if you are going to be breathing through your mouth anyway, why bother? Probably better suited to what they were origionally designed for - people who snore at night.
My only other experience on this topic is when I was guiding mountaineering trips at high altitude. I was regularly in charge of people at 20,000-24,000ft. One technique of breathing at that altitude is "pursed lip" breathing, where you force your outgoing breath forcefully through clenched lips. This creates back pressure in your lungs and makes them absorb more oxygen. It only works a little bit, but when you are gasping for air like you are sprinting but you are only taking one step every 10-15 seconds, every little bit helps.
|
|
|
Post by TC on Nov 24, 2008 0:15:47 GMT -5
Pursed lipped breathing creates back pressure, known as positive end expiratory pressure, or PEEP, which in turn prevents alveoli from collapsing (known as atalectisis). Josh is right, you can't get o2 into collapsed lung tissues. The lack of pressure at altitude is one reason to breathe like this, but the most common reason to do it is due to emphysema. I have seen it used lots, and many of the patients that do it have o2 sats in the mid 80's. The amazing thing about patients like this is that the body actually adapts, and no longer calls for increased breathing with diminished o2 levels, but instead it relies on CO2 levels to manage your breathing reflexes (increased CO2 causes increased respirations). If you give a chronic lung patient pure O2, it is very possible he will stop breathing because of the lack of CO2 levels. Wild.
I just can't believe people still smoke, it's so horrible.......
|
|
|
Post by wcuracer on Nov 24, 2008 9:51:15 GMT -5
Thanks everyone , I appreciate the helpful information. I have been working on how I breath while cycling and was quite lost on should it be through my nose all the time (Now I know). It did seem quite impossible when your heart rate is sky high so now it all makes since. Thanks, Clint
|
|
|
Post by cujo on Nov 24, 2008 15:42:29 GMT -5
I have found that "lack of control" can be the biggest breathing problem. Many riders pay no attention to their breath and let the rate climb. This will also elevate HR. Your BR can cost you beats and also watts. This can be very physiological instead of physical. Also, it serves as a red flag to those around you as to your level or suffering.
Controlled breaths can slow you HR and calm you allowing better concentration to the task at hand. Many people will argue that the blood sat level do not change much. I would argue that 1% can make a difference at any level.
As for Cotton balls different riders have different things. Most of the time it is menthol but I have founf peppermint works as well. It also had a nice calm and focused mental effect.
|
|
|
Post by mvi on Nov 24, 2008 21:20:06 GMT -5
Quote"The amazing thing about patients like this is that the body actually adapts, and no longer calls for increased breathing with diminished o2 levels, but instead it relies on CO2 levels to manage your breathing reflexes (increased CO2 causes increased respirations)."
Are breathing reflexes not always triggered by CO2 levels and not by O2 levels?
|
|