Another study that appeared in the European Journal of Applied Physiology gave even more proof that the respiratory muscles play a major role in running. As I brought out in previous blogs, when the first signs of fatigue appear it is usually due to respiratory muscle failure rather than cardiovascular system failure.
In this recent study it was shown that runners can run much further when the respiratory muscles are not fatigued. Note that the main muscles involved here are the internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominis. These are the key expiratory muscles.
Thus it appears that in running and in other sports, when you ” run out of air” it is not so much your inability to take in more air as it is your ability to get rid of the air in your lungs. The longer the air stays in the lungs the more saturated it becomes with CO2 and you’re no longer capable of supplying the body with good oxygen.
To prevent this from happening you should exercise the respiratory muscles the same as you do the leg muscles that are involved in running. One of the best ways to do this is to use a respiratory resistance breathing device such as the Sports Breather. It allows you to both inhale and exhale against resistance to strengthen the muscles involved in inhalation as well as exhalation.
The breather is a simple device that you can carry with you and use whenever you have some free time. For example, while you’re watching TV, waiting for an appointment, taking a break from reading or doing other work. By using this device for five to 10 minutes a day you can see appreciable results in a very short period of time.
Although it is used most often by long-distance runners, I have found that it can also be used very effectively with sprinters and athletes in other sports who must do some running. In addition, it is used by many musicians, singers and people with respiratory problems such as asthma.