Training your respiratory system or simply using a resistance breathing device such as the Training Mask is a commonly overlooked aspect of many athletes (amateur or pro). If you are not working on improving your respiration you are not training optimally. This is something that has been scientifically proven by many studies conducted in different sports such as football, rugby or basketball.
If you are wondering how resistance breathing training can help your performance read on. We are going to cover some of the most important benefits of training your respiratory system in a nutshell.
#1 Improves endurance
Developing the endurance is actually a byproduct of making your respiratory system more efficient. A more paced breathing during an intense physical activity will increase your endurance. But controlling and pacing your breathing can be extremely challenging during high exertion moments.
The Training Mask can help you take control of your breathing by increasing your body’s tolerance to CO2. The CO2 level inside our bodies is what makes us feel the need to breathe in. As CO2 level rise you will naturally feel the need to breath in.
If you can develop a higher tolerance to CO2 you will feel the need to breathe in less often. Training Mask helps with this by artificially increasing the CO2 level in your body. It manages to do this in two ways.
First and foremost, the air resistance will force the lungs to take in less oxygen, which will mean that the CO2 concentration in the blood will be higher. Secondly, when you breathe in through the Training Mask you are using the re-breather which hold on to some of the CO2 you are exhaling. So you are actually breathing in air with a higher CO2 concentration.
#2 Improves stamina
Training Mask will increase your breathing stamina by making your lungs stronger. You will teach your body to become more efficient at using oxygen and we all know that oxygen is extremely important in both aerobic and anaerobic activities.
Oxygen levels will have a very important role in ATP production, which will give you the energy for your workouts. On top of that it will reduce lactic acid and regulate PH levels. This will pretty much determine your overall stamina.
If you are able to supply plenty of oxygen to the muscles you will be able to boost your stamina, you will be able to sprint faster or for longer, you will be able to keep going hard through marathon and you will simply perform better in any aerobic type of physical activity.
#3 Increases fat loss
Even though this has nothing to do with performance, it is nevertheless a great benefit of using the Training Mask. Fat loss has been and will continue to be a major concern of many individuals.
As you know, fat loss happens when you burn more calories than you eat. As per the findings of many scientific researches, the best way to boost your metabolism and start burning more calories is by doing any kind of high intensity physical activity.
The Training Mask is the perfect tool to add extra intensity to any kind of physical activity. Just put it on and select the air resistance based on the type of exercises you will do. This will burn more calories during the workout, but it will continue to burn calories even after you are done working out. This is known as the after burn effect.
#4 Strengthens the core
This is a great benefit if you are into weight lifting or crossfit training. A strong core will help you have a better posture, it will allow you to lift heavy weight without risking and injury and it will improve your form.
Developing a strong core is a “side effect” of using the Training Mask. By using it regularly you will train your diaphragm. This muscle which sits just below your lungs is the very foundation of a solid, tight mid-section. A strong diaphragm will allow you to take in more air so when you are holding your breath to stabilize your core, you will be able to create a higher intra-thoracic pressure, which will mean better stability.
#5 Better mental preparation
Lastly but not least you can use the Training Mask as a tool to disconnect from the environment and really just focus on you and your breathing. Establishing that connection with the way you breathe in and breathe out will help you learn how to use your respiratory system better.
Having a sleeve over your mouth and nose can seem very uncomfortable and hard to accept when you are struggling to breathe. But this is more of a psychological matter rather than physical. If you manage to mentally overcome the urge to rip the Training Mask off your face and learn to breathe in through that resistance you will develop the right mind set for overcoming any obstacle when you are competing.
