How do you breathe when cycling? Do you breathe strictly through your nose, your mouth, or a combination of the two?
The question came up one evening, the cold air feeling painful in my throat as I struggled homeward, still reeling from a lengthy bout of sickness. If felt great to be bike commuting again but I realized that my usual mode of breathing - inhaling through my mouth - was uncomfortable. I resorted to 30 second bursts of breathing through my nose, then resorted to gulping air by mouth, repeating the cycle until I made it home.
I compared "breathing" notes with my husband. He only breathes through his nose while cycling and with any intense effort, like struggling up a short hill, might he open his mouth for extra oxygen. Completely opposite of me! I rely on mouth breathing, mostly, but will momentarily close my mouth on summer evenings when pedaling through a cloud of insects.
There are certainly benefits to breathing through the nose: filtering particles like dust, and in the instances of tender throat, pre-warming, pre-moistening the air before it reaches your lungs. I suspect I probably suffer from light nasal congestion, perhaps allergens, etc. so I've never been able to feel like I get enough oxygen strictly inhaling through my nostrils. And when I think about it, even when walking. There must be something about being outdoors that causes me to react this way because when I'm indoors or sleeping I prefer to breath through my nose. Either way, I'm not too bothered by my reaction because I manage cycling just fine!
With a cursory search on the Internet it seems that pro cyclists breathe through their noses and expel breath similar to yoga techniques for optimal efficiency. Not that I hold stock with the pros, but it is interesting, nonetheless.
I'm curious though, for everyday cycling, how do you breathe?
This is like asking a spider which leg gets moved first...
ReplyDeleteI've been regularly cycling for 40 years and I never gave the breathing subject a thought until the other day...and as you can see many of us have unique takes on this.
DeleteI don't pay any attention to how I breathe. I just do it. Sometimes when I am along on the open road I was pay attention to my breath if my mind starts getting bored. A meditation trick. My bigger issue is asthma which pays me a visit from time to time. Then I pay attention to my albuterol inhaler. And all is well.
ReplyDeleteI breathe through my mouth. But like you, I'm getting over a lengthy bout of illness (sore throat) so I've started breathing through my nose. And like your husband, I will breath through my mouth when I exert myself and need the extra oxygen.
ReplyDeleteThrough my nose unless I am stuffed up or riding hard enough to need the oxygen boost from an occasional gulp of air through my mouth. But I'm a pretty lazy rider and don't push myself too hard.
ReplyDeleteI hardly ever push myself either...but funny how many of us have preferences.
DeleteMostly through the mouth. Except for a few weeks after I cycled through a swarm of small insects. Then I took a deep breath before the swarm location and held it in until I'd passed it.
ReplyDeleteI believe like Kendra through my nose unless I'm congested or exerting myself. I too try to avoid pushing myself unless I have too.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I count breaths while riding as a meditation technique, to 10, then start over. But zoning out too much while riding is no good, either. Through my nose, if everything is working right.
ReplyDeleteOn the flat, I breathe through my nose - unless maybe if there is a brutal headwind. I always wear my heart rate monitor and my bike computer records all my rides. Climbing long hills, by the time I am in heart rate Zone 5 (90% of max), I definitely breathe through my mouth. Side benefit, the zone 5 pushes and deep breathing have eliminated my asthma symptoms the past few years.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Kendra and Randy on this one. But I only know because it occurred to me to pay attention, a few months back. Up to then, I hadn't noticed!
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