Learn how to breathe like a pro cyclist with our ultimate guide to optimising your lung performance <\/p>

Many Tour de France cyclists now work with breathing coaches.<\/p>

It\u2019s a smart idea: we breathe 17,000 to 29,000 times a day and oxygen fuels our exercise, yet our breathing is so instinctive we rarely consider good technique and use only a small volume of our lungs\u2019 capacity.<\/p>

\u201cMastering one of the most powerful mechanisms in your body can have a huge impact on your cycling,\u201d says breathing coach Thomas Hague.<\/p>

\u201cIf we can breathe better, we can go harder, for longer, with less perceived effort.\u201d <\/p>

Read on to find out some essential cycling breathing techniques and how to take in more oxygen. <\/p><\/div><\/div>

1. Practise long, slow, deep breaths<\/h2>
Nose ahead: breathing through your nose helps engage your diaphragm. – andreswd \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Start sharpening your breathing technique by practising long, slow, deep breaths through your nose.<\/p>
\u201cAim to breathe deep into the belly, where the diaphragm (the key breathing muscle) is located, so you pull the maximum amount of oxygen deep into the lungs,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
\u201cWhen you breathe through your nose, the diaphragm contracts and pulls air deeper into the lungs, where there is the maximum amount of blood and alveoli \u2013 the little air sacs that diffuse oxygen into the bloodstream.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
2. Build better breathing habits<\/h2>
$\"Jack$
Good habits: even off the bike, you can practise better breathing. – alexei_tm \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
How you breathe in everyday life will affect how you breathe on the bike, so build good habits.<\/p>
\u201cLook at how you breathe while driving the car or walking the dog,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
\u201cCheck your posture is upright and neutral. Aim to lower your respiratory rate by focusing on light, slow, deep breathing. And don\u2019t use your mouth: the only reason would be to get more air in during high training zones, but it shouldn\u2019t be the norm.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
3. Practise bike-specific breathing<\/h2>
$\"Male$
Slow it down: concentrate on breathing purely through your nose. – Steve Sayers \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Once you\u2019re breathing better in normal life, work on breathing better on the bike.<\/p>
\u201cLeaning forward on the bike compromises the diaphragm \u2013 the primary breathing muscle,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
\u201cSo, do some lower-intensity training focusing on nose breathing only.\u201d This will improve oxygen delivery in that cycling-specific posture.<\/p><\/div><\/div>
4. Breathe like a child<\/h2>
$\"Man$
Get posing: Child\u2019s Pose can help you learn to draw air deep into your diaphragm. – Kobus Louw \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The yoga Child\u2019s Pose can also enhance your bike-specific breathing.<\/p>
\u201cWhen bent over a bike, we breathe into the back of our heads, towards our ears, but then we need to draw air deep down into the diaphragm,\u201d explains Hague. <\/p>
To practise this, do the Child\u2019s Pose. Kneel down, with your buttocks on your heels, then reach your arms out in front, with your forehead on the floor.<\/p>
\u201cPractise breathing in that compromised position,\u201d says Hague. \u201cThen put a small weight, like a book, on your back, so you feel your back rising on the inhale and sinking on the exhale.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
5. Strengthen your diaphragm<\/h2>
You can strengthen your diaphragm with any mobility work, such as postural or core exercises<\/a>. <\/p>
\u201cThe moves will also increase your lung capacity and the movement of the intercostal muscles in the diaphragm,\u201d says Hague.<\/p><\/div><\/div>
6. Boost your CO\u2082 tolerance<\/h2>
The better you can handle carbon dioxide, the more effective your breathing will be.<\/p>
\u201cWith good CO\u2082 tolerance, you\u2019ll enjoy greater oxygen delivery to the cells, which creates more energy, so you can go harder for longer,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
To test your CO\u2082 tolerance, find your BOLT score \u2013 a measure of how long you can hold your breath after an exhale.<\/p>
\u201cJust hold your breath on an exhale until you reach the first definite desire to breathe,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
\u201cThe time in seconds is your BOLT score. Over time, we want to get it above 25, and hopefully above 40. Improve it with breath holds while walking. Inhale, exhale, then hold your breath for 10-15 paces. See if you can build up to 30-100 paces.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
7. Beat race-day nerves<\/h2>
The same method can also help to suppress pre-race nerves. \u201cPeople with performance anxiety breathe quicker and their mouth opens,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
\u201cSo, slow your breathing and activate the \u2018rest and digest\u2019 state with gentle breath holds: hold your breath on the exhale for 10-15 walking paces to calm down your breathing.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
8. Find your flow<\/h2>
$\"Male$
Flow state: tune in to the rhythm of your breathing as you pedal. – Dave Caudery \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
When riding on the flat, zone into your optimal breathing \u2018flow state\u2019 on the bike, when you feel at your best.<\/p>
\u201cFind your best flow of pedal revolutions and tie that into your breathing,\u201d says Hague.<\/p>
\u201cSo, if you\u2019re breathing in over six revolutions, and out over six revolutions, tune into that steady flow of rhythmical breathing as you ride.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
9. Speed up your recovery<\/h2>
$\"male$
Concentrate on your breathing for 10 minutes post-ride. – Steve Sayers \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Controlling your breathing will also enhance your recovery after a training session. \u201cOur breathing is directly related to our heart rate \u2013 a process called respiratory sinus arrhythmia,\u201d explains Hague.<\/p>
\u201cAs we breathe in, our heart rate rises, but as we breathe out, our heart rate drops, which moves us into the ‘rest and digest’ state.\u201d<\/p>
By lowering your breath rate, and extending your exhale, you can therefore lower your heart rate and enter an optimal rest state for recovery.<\/p>
\u201cThe best way to do that is simply by reducing your breathing, focusing on light, slow and deep breathing, and by extending the exhales. This\u2019ll dampen your heart rate and promote recovery. You should down-regulate like this for at least 10 minutes after each workout.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
10. Bounce back in races<\/h2>
$\"Female$
Ins and outs: practise a few big inhales then exhales at the top of hills. – Haute Route<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cWhen you\u2019re catching your breath at the top of a hill, it\u2019s because of the heightened CO\u2082 in your lungs and blood, which is the primary driver to breathe,\u201d explains Hague.<\/p>
\u201cSo, take a big inhale through the nose and then exhale strongly all the way out, until your obliques tighten. Do that two to three times and your breathing will soon return to a steady state.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n
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