Have you ever considered how your breathing affects your cycling performance?

We often focus on our legs and gears, but the power of proper breathing is something we can't ignore.

Learning how to breathe deeply and efficiently while cycling can drastically enhance our rides and help us perform better!

The Importance of Proper Breathing

Breathing isn't just about getting oxygen into your lungs—it's about making sure your muscles get the fuel they need to keep going. Shallow breathing, like taking quick breaths from our chest, limits the oxygen our body can absorb. This lack of oxygen causes our muscles to tire faster and can even make our heart rate and blood pressure spike. In turn, our body enters a stress response, which can lead to less fun and slower rides.

But don't worry! By making small adjustments to how we breathe, we can see significant improvements. According to Al Lee, author of Perfect Breathing: Transform Your Life One Breath at a Time, optimizing our breathing can increase performance by 3-5%. It's a game-changer with minimal effort.

Why It Matters

As Lee explains, our body needs constant oxygen supply—this is crucial for energy. While we can survive days without food, going without air for just a few minutes is life-threatening. "Ninety percent of the energy your body uses comes directly from the breath,"

Lee says, highlighting the importance of proper breathing for overall health and physical performance. Additionally, practicing breathing exercises helps reduce stress, regulate blood pressure, and can even improve physical health markers like circulation.

Focus on Belly Breaths

The secret to getting more oxygen into our body lies in deep, diaphragmatic breaths. This type of breathing allows our diaphragm to expand and push air through our lungs effectively. When we breathe from our chest, we're only taking in a small amount of oxygen, but breathing deeply engages our diaphragm, allowing us to take in more air.

If we want to maximize our breathing efficiency, it's crucial to create space for the diaphragm to move. This means straightening up our posture and avoiding sitting for long periods, which can limit the diaphragm's function. With practice, we can train ourselves to breathe more deeply—just like a baby, whose belly naturally rises and falls as they breathe.

Slow Down and Count

When we focus on our breathing, we often tend to rush. But the key to improving our breath efficiency lies in slowing down. Instead of breathing 15-20 times per minute, Lee recommends slowing our breaths down to about 10 breaths per minute, each taking about six seconds. This slower breathing helps us get the most benefits, such as improved circulation, reduced inflammation, and lowered stress levels.

Lee suggests spending just five minutes a day practicing slow breathing—three seconds in, three seconds out. With time, this practice becomes second nature and starts to show benefits not only on the bike but in daily life.

Proper breathing is more than just an afterthought in cycling. By focusing on belly breaths, slowing our breathing pace, and practicing off the bike, we can maximize oxygen delivery to our muscles, reduce stress, and improve overall performance. Next time we ride, let's remember that the power to perform is just a breath away!