8 Ways the Oxygen Advantage Improves Athletic Performance

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2 8 Ways the Oxygen Advantage Improves Athletic Performance techniques that any athlete, regardless of skill or level, can easily take on. And wouldn't you know it, this breathing method is almost 180 degrees opposite of conventional thinking. This new method is called the Oxygen Advantage. It's amazing to see the different training methodologies that have emerged over last couple of decades to improve athletic performance, be it for top-end elites or recreational athletes. The Oxygen Advantage uses the science of breathing with three goals in mind: Maximize the amount of oxygen getting to active muscles during exercise for sustained energy. Improve the running economy of the body systems affected by breathing including air flow, oxygen uptake, blood flow and breathing muscle strength. Reduce breathlessness, fatigue, acidosis, oxidative stress and other breathing related factors that slow the athlete, impact training or cause injury. From training techniques, to nutrition, sports psychology, high altitude training and personal trainers, the athlete training industry has exploded. More recently a new dimension of sports performance has been added, athlete breathing. Athletes and trainers have looked at different breathing methods to make the athlete go faster and further. Part of the conventional thinking is that breathing more air improves VO2max and AT, the gold standards of performance. In 2015, an athlete breathing methodology was introduced based exclusively on the science of breathing and exercise physiology. It uses scientifically proven breathing In this white paper, we ll take a deeper look into the science behind the Oxygen Advantage and the eight ways it helps an athlete improve performance while getting more enjoyment out of exercise and training. More specifically, we'll look at how the Oxygen Advantage : #1 Reduces breathlessness 2

3 #2 Increases oxygen uptake #3 Improves VO2max and Anaerobic Threshold #4 Makes the body a more efficient machine #5 Strengthens and conditions breathing muscles #6 Manages lactic acid and fatigue #7 Reduces illness and injury #8 Calms the mind and helps the athlete enter The Zone #1 Reduce Breathlessness The general belief is that breathlessness is caused by a shortage of air. The faster you go, the bigger the breath needs to be and the more gassed the athlete becomes. However, when we turn to the science of breathing, we learn exactly what's going on and it s not what you think. The real cause of breathlessness is not the need for more air or oxygen. It's the build up of carbon dioxide as we exercise. We're not able to get the carbon dioxide out fast enough(1). And while it would require a 50% reduction in oxygen pressure to cause us to take a breath, a 5% increase in carbon dioxide pressure will double our breathing rate(2). We clearly have a carbon dioxide problem our tolerance is low. The Oxygen Advantage program goes after and improves breathlessness right from the start. Breathlessness is the number one breathing compliant I hear from athletes. They know intuitively that their breathing, or more specifically their breathlessness, holds back their performance and exercise enjoyment. Some describe breathlessness as the athlete's albatross. Through specially designed breathing techniques, we increase carbon dioxide tolerance, effectively delaying the onset of breathlessness. We can also condition the body to endure more carbon dioxide, forcing an adaptation that keeps breathing under control even during long intense workouts. 3

4 #2 Increase Oxygen Uptake Oxygen is everything to an athlete and their performance. A continuous supply of oxygen to active muscles is required for sustained energy production, speed and endurance. There are a number of factors that ultimately determine how much oxygen reaches active muscles. This starts in the lungs where oxygen is extracted from the air we breathe. Breathing mechanics, the way we breathe, impacts oxygen uptake in the lungs. One study says that oxygen uptake in the lungs can be increased by 10%-20% if we breathe in a certain way(6). Techniques to optimize breathing mechanics are the first thing taught during Oxygen Advantage training. These techniques not only help with improved oxygen uptake in the lungs, they reduce body hydration loss(10), prepare the air for the lungs, reduce exposure to allergens and viruses(12) and help reduce exercise-induced asthma symptoms(11). #3 Improve VO2max and Anaerobic Threshold The two gold standards of athletic performance are VO2max and Anaerobic Threshold (AT). These deal with the amount of oxygen athletes are able to utilize for a sustainable flow of energy in active muscles. It's not a given that every oxygen molecule we breathe in will get to our muscles. In fact, how we breathe governs how much oxygen actually gets into active muscles. The process of offloading oxygen from the blood for absorption by active muscles is known as the Bohr Effect(4). First discovered in 1904 by Dr. Christian Bohr, the Bohr Effect defines the precise conditions that must exist for muscle oxygenation to occur. Dr. Bohr found that how we breathe governs this biochemical process. We also know the important role hemoglobin, a protein in the blood that carries oxygen, is to muscle oxygenation and athletic performance. 4

5 Hemoglobin quantities in the blood vary depending on a number of conditions, including the altitude we live at. The higher we live, the more hemoglobin can be found in the blood. Since the 1960's, athletes have employed high altitude training to increase the amount of hemoglobin found in the blood, increasing the amount of oxygen available for energy production. High hemoglobin quantities, actually more oxygen availability, coupled with the Bohr Effect, the biochemical process that releases oxygen from the blood, is the magical 1-2 punch that sustains maximum oxygen flow to active muscles. The Oxygen Advantage program takes advantage of all this science, maximizing the Bohr Effect and increasing hemoglobin quantities. Through breath hold training and intermittent hypoxic training, two of the pillars of the Oxygen Advantage program, the athlete can a) simulate and gain the benefits of high altitude training, even if the athlete lives at sea level, and b) create the conditions to maximize the Bohr Effect. #4 Make the Body More Efficient The respiratory and vascular systems are essential to athletic performance. And there s a price to pay for these systems, especially if they are not working efficiently. For example, strong breathing or breathlessness, may consume up to 15% of total VO2max(5). This is lost energy supporting internal processes that could be used to power active muscles. In addition, how we breathe governs the efficient flow of oxygen in the lungs and blood through the arteries and capillaries. If as athletes we breathe sub-optimally, airway and arterial size may be reduced by as much as 50%, significantly restricting air and blood flow(6). The Oxygen Advantage program employs breathing techniques that normalize breathing patterns at rest and during exercise, ensuring efficient breathing during exercise. 5

6 Other breathing techniques are used before and during exercise to ensure full dilation of airways, arteries and capillaries for optimal flow of oxygen and blood. #5 Strengthen Breathing Muscles from active muscles, arms and legs, and given to the diaphragm(8). Guaranteed, when this happens, you are going to slow down and general fatigue is going to set in. As part of the Oxygen Advantage program, the athlete is taught to perform special breathing techniques that load the diagram and intercostal muscles. These techniques strengthen the breathing muscles, delaying or avoiding the onset of breathing muscle fatigue and overuse. I'm no longer surprised at the number of athlete's asking for help with their diaphragm. Others experience similar problems with their intercostal muscles, the breathing muscles between the ribs. Never again should an athlete experience weakness of their breathing muscles. #6 Manage Lactic Acid and Fatigue And it's no wonder athletes have these problems given how they breathe. The breathing muscles are very large and like any other muscle can suffer from overuse and fatigue(7). With rest and rehab, the breathing muscles will come back. And like any other muscle, loading and exercising them, strengthens them. We also know from studies that when the diaphragm fatigues during strenuous exercise, it gets priority treatment over active muscles. Blood is diverted away Athletes that study exercise physiology understand that training creates a fair amount of lactic acid in the body, which slows them down(9). They go to great lengths to deal with the effects of lactic acid and the muscle fatigue that follows. 6

7 Traditionally, athletes have used highintensity training such as hill repeats to force the body to adapt to higher levels of lactic acid. reducing the amount of lactic acid produced. #7 Reduce Illness and Injury The theory is that exposing the body to acids through intense exercise will cause adaptations by increasing natural acid buffers such as bicarbonate, proteins and phosphates. Unfortunately, high intensity training has a big downside. There s a high risk of injury. Studies show that specialized breathing techniques employed in the Oxygen Advantage program, generate the same acid buffering adaptions as highintensity training, without the risk of injury. There's one study, hardly conclusive but important, that suggests the breathing techniques found in the Oxygen Advantage are more effective than high-intensity training at creating the buffering adaption. The Oxygen Advantage program also employs a breathing process athletes can use before a training activity or competitive event that lowers starting acid levels. Other Oxygen Advantage breathing techniques are used during training and competition to stay aerobic for as long as possible, delaying the onset of and Common illnesses seem to plague athletes more than the rest of the population. Several studies show incidents of asthma appear twice as often in athletes than non-athletes(13). And many of these illness are most likely sourced in how you breathe. This includes asthma, exercise-induced asthma(14), allergies, insomnia and other sleep issues. Other studies show that breathing pattern disorders increase oxidative stress in the body(15), the precursor to injury. Much of the Oxygen Advantage program is based on breathing techniques invented in the 1950 s to manage these common health issues. The Oxygen Advantage program not only helps improve athletic performance, for many, it helps prevent these common health issues. For example, with the 7

8 Oxygen Advantage breathing techniques, it s not unusual for an athlete with exercise-induced asthma to find the symptoms lessen and attacks less frequent. Some athletes find their exercise-induced asthma doesn t bother them any longer. In addition, the Oxygen Advantage program works to correct breathing pattern disorders that can lead to higher levels of oxidative stress, which may reduce the incidents of injury. #8 Calm the Mind and Enter The Zone Thoughts are rushing through their head faster than their legs and arms would move during a sprint to the finish line. They worry about their rival, how they're feeling, will their next transition go well, did they train enough for this event, will their sponsor be satisfied with their results, and on and on it goes. Recreational athletes tell me they worry about spending too much time exercising, curtailing family and work commitments. The Zone simply defined is exercise without thought. Imagine how wonderful that sounds. Humans have used the breath to control thoughts for over 2500 years. Those that regularly find The Zone know this and use these age-old breathing techniques. Any athlete who has experienced The Zone during competition will tell you how amazing it was. For athletes in The Zone, the race just magically happens, time stands still, it's effortlessly and they don t remember what happened. It's not unusual for athletes in The Zone to throw a personal record or do even better. These thought management breathing techniques have been streamlined and added to the Oxygen Advantage program. With a bit of practice, many Oxygen Advantage athletes easily find The Zone. They say that most of their events and even training sessions happen without thought, in The Zone. The biggest problem athletes face in finding The Zone is monkey mind. 8

9 Conclusion For the competitive amateur athlete with dreams of a podium spot, the Oxygen Advantage may just be the trick. And for the recreational athlete looking to be more comfortable with and enjoy their workout more, the Oxygen Advantage can be magical. While nothing will replace strength training, nutritional work and regular workouts, the Oxygen Advantage can take your athletic performance and enjoyment to a whole new level. In this white paper, I've outlined seven different ways the Oxygen Advantage program helps improve athletic performance. Several of these are fundamental to how the body works and every athlete should consider them just for a baseline of good health and performance. Other techniques help extend the athlete's natural capabilities through special physiological effects. The Oxygen Advantage program is designed with every type of athlete in mind regardless of ability or skill. Everyone will find value. For the elite athlete looking to move up in the rankings, the Oxygen Advantage has a great deal to offer. I hope to see you in one of my Oxygen Advantage training classes in the near future. Please check out the schedule page on my website Click Here. How you breathe does matter and it does impact athletic performance. It's time you had the Oxygen Advantage. References 1. X. Woorons1, et all, Scand J Med Sci Sports 2007: 17: Timmons B.H., Ley R. Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Disorders. 1st ed.. Springer; Lundberg JO. Nitric oxide and the paranasal sinuses. Anat Rec (Hoboken).2008 Nov;(291(11)): Aaron EA, et all, J Appl Physiol (1985) May;72(5): Timmons B.H., Ley R. Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Disorders. 1st ed.. Springer; page 7 9

10 7. Markus Amann, Pulmonary System Limitations to Endurance Exercise Performance in Humans. Exp Physiol March ; 97(3): The Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Anaerobic Power in Trained Cyclists By Courtenay McFadden 9. Xavier Woorons, et all, Effects of a 4week training with voluntary hypoventilation carried out at low pulmonary volumes. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 160 (2008) Svensson S1, Olin AC, Hellgren J. Increased net water loss by oral compared to nasal expiration in healthy subjects. Rhinology Mar;44(1): Hallani M, Wheatley JR, Amis TC. Enforced mouth breathing decreases lung function in mild asthmatics. Respirology Jun;13(4): Lundberg and Weitzberg, Nasal nitric oxide in man, Thorax : Rundell KW, Im J, Mayers LB, Wilber RL, Szmedra L, Schmitz HR. Selfreported symptoms and exerciseinduced asthma in the elite athlete. Med Sci Sports Exerc.2001 Feb;33(2): Hallani M, Wheatley JR, Amis TC. Enforced mouth breathing decreases lung function in mild asthmatics. Respirology Jun;13(4): The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, Volume 9, Number 1, February