Boosting performance

Breathing patterns and boosting sports performance

We use both breathing exercises, other physical exercises, and mental training to enhance performance. Below, we describe why breath retraining can have an impact on sports performance. For this training, we can use heart rate variability (HRV) as a biofeedback tool to measure the effect of our training.

How can training breathing improve sports performance?

Efforts feel less intense when breathing frequency decreases (RPE).
More blood and oxygen flow to the muscles (respiratory metabolic reflex).
Red blood cells deliver more oxygen to the working muscles (Bohr effect).
Improved sleep quality and better recovery after training through biofeedback training (HRV).
Better posture and core stability.
Strengthening mental capacities.

How breath retraining and/or mental training can boost sports performance is explained in the text below. Although breathing patterns are a highly valuable parameter, they are almost entirely overlooked in healthcare and sports coaching. Therefore, the knowledge and unique expertise of specialized trainers or physiotherapists are essential in examining, training (and treating) breathing patterns to enhance sports performance.

Breathing patterns are closely related to the level of sports performance and have a significant relationship with potential physical and mental strain. For example, breathing patterns determine how heavy an effort feels and how well the arms and legs can sustain exertion. These phenomena are described based on the article by Nicolo et al., Respiratory Frequency During Exercise: The Neglected Physiological Measure (2017), and the text by Clifton-Smith T., Breathing Pattern Disorders and Physiotherapy: Inspiration of Our Profession (2011).

Breathing frequency and the perceived effort of exercise (RPE)

When we exert ourselves, we inhale and exhale more air. This happens because physical effort requires more energy. Our muscles need oxygen to perform, and the carbon dioxide they produce must be expelled through the lungs. Initially, the lungs breathe deeper (tidal volume, TV), meaning our tidal volume increases. Only after a while the lungs start to breathe faster, meaning our breathing frequency (Bfr) increases.

The ratio between TV and Bfr is a crucial factor in general health but also in sports, both physically and mentally. The study by Nicolo (2017) demonstrates that breathing frequency is closely linked to the rate of perceived exertion (RPE). In other words, the faster we breathe, the harder the exercise feels, both physically and mentally. By training our breathing, we can optimize tidal volume, which will reduce breathing frequency. As a result, the effort will feel less

Respiratory metabolic reflex

A rapid increase in breathing frequency leads to a less efficient breathing pattern. A higher breathing frequency increases dead space ventilation and decreases alveolar ventilation, making it harder to oxygenate the blood. This inefficient breathing pattern forces the respiratory system to work harder (Work of Breathing, WOB) and consume more oxygen. The oxygen used by the respiratory system is "stolen" from the arms and legs (respiratory metabolic reflex).

Breathing and mental capacities

The respiratory metabolic reflex also causes vasoconstriction in the legs through the autonomic nervous system (ANS). As a result, the blood flow to the arms and legs, will decrease leading to fatigue. This premature fatigue reduces performance and directly or indirectly increases mental strain.

Mental strain, in turn, increases breathing frequency, creating a vicious circle. If this breathing pattern becomes habitual, a dysfunctional breathing pattern (DBP) develops. Additionally, the respiratory muscles play a crucial role in posture and body stability.

Breathing and oxygen transport to muscles: The Bohr Effect

Our breathing pattern determines the concentration of CO2 expelled through the lungs or retained in the body. This concentration generally remains constant, but subtle deviations can be significant enough to cause issues.

One such issue is reduced oxygen delivery to the muscles. A slightly lower CO2 concentration in the blood causes red blood cells to retain oxygen molecules longer. If these O2 molecules remain bound to the red blood cells, they are not available for muscle use, reducing muscle efficiency.

Breathing, sleep, and recovery

Breathing exercises have a clear impact on sleep quality, falling asleep, and staying asleep. Additionally, these exercises influence the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which can be assessed using heart rate variability (HRV).

HRV has become a popular parameter in sports as it provides information about physical and mental conditions. In sports, HRV is used to estimate an athlete's recovery or to determine training load. In our training method, we sometimes use HRV biofeedback to assess the impact of our exercises on the autonomic nervous system. This allows us to evaluate how our exercises influence HRV, mental state and recovery.

Breathing and core stability

The respiratory muscles, particularly the diaphragm, play an essential role in posture and body stability.

On one hand, the diaphragm’s attachment to the lower and mid-back can contribute to discomfort or pain in the lower back, mid-back, and neck. On the other hand, there is a harmonic interaction between the diaphragm and stabilizing muscles such as the m. multifidus, m. transversus, and pelvic floor muscles. The function of the diaphragm also regulates pressure changes in the abdomen and chest, which can either enhance stability or cause issues if these pressure changes are not well-controlled.

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