Monthly Archives: May 2012

Vicky riding in Sedona, US, where she's been based for altitude training

The latest edition of 220 Triathlon (July 2012) included an interesting article from Vicky Holland, GB elite team member, about her experience of altitude training. Here it is…

"Your heart rate is higher, your lungs burn more easily, and your arms and legs fatigue quicker. Sounds fun, hey?"

Altitude training is something that until I joined my current coach a few years ago, I can honestly say I knew nothing about. Three years on and I would by no means call myself an expert, but...

Isn’t this sun and warmth a lovely welcome, it definitely gives you a boost in energy, makes you more motivated and wanting to achieve more. I have to confess that when it was cold and wet I did let my POWERbreathe routine slip a bit but am pleased to report in that things are back…plus a bit more; a few press ups in the morning and have started going on the exercise bike - only 10 mins today but aim to build it to 20mins a day.

My summer plans are going well and I didn’t overdo things when I had a few days away to see some friends and ex-colleagues. My school friend reunion has been put back to Sept/Oct, the date...

Ask yourself a question. If a friend asked you to join them in a 10 mile run starting immediately, would you say yes straight away on your way to the start line or would you say ‘Let me warm up first and I will join you when I am ready’?

People seem to think that because they speak everyday they are exercising their voice so don’t need to bother with warm up exercises. How wrong they are! Talking on a daily basis is not the same as giving a speech. Neither is walking down to the post box to post a letter the same as running 10 miles. You may be using the same body parts but they are being used in an entirely different way.

If you are giving a speech...

Just like athletes, anyone who sings should warm up correctly before any practice session and main performance.  You should go through a variety of warm up vocal exercises to loosen your voice and limber up your muscles to be able to be in the best condition for the performance.  A good warm up will take about tem minutes to complete.  Always start off gently. Don’t try and reach the high notes straight away as you will likely cause damage to your vocal muscles. Here are a number of steps to get your voice ready to perform.

Perform light exercise to loosen and relax your body. Jogging on the spot, swinging your arms and stretching are all good forms of physical...

The Keswick festival was very busy and had something for everyone.

There were talks by celebrities such as Chris Bonnington, Helen Skelton, Monty Hall etc. which took place in a meeting room in the town.

Talks also took place in a giant wigwam on the outdoor site where we had our stand.  I did two POWERbreathe talks, one on Friday and one on Sunday.  Both went well and led to sales.  One couple said that they had cycled 5 miles just to hear me and bought a POWERbreathe.  Most people would cycle 5 miles just to get away from me talking!!

We spread the word quite widely about POWERbreathe, as there were people from...

The Quality Management System of POWERbreathe International Ltd has been approved by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance to the following Quality Management System Standards:

ISO 13485:2003 - Certificate of Approval ISO 9001:2008 - Certificate of Approval

The Quality Management System is applicable to:

Design and manufacture of medical devices for improvement of respiratory function. 

BS EN ISO 13485:2003 Quality management systems 

Certification of approval for ISO 13485:2003 quality management system means...

Anyone who participates in sports is extremely active. Competitive sports people are so concerned and focused on winning they tend to become nervous, tense and unable to get into the ‘zone’ ready for competing in the game.

If you are getting wound up like a coil then you should be checking your breath. Are you experiencing short and fast breaths? If, so then your thoughts and ability to stay calm and focused have been affected.

Throughout the day you should always do a ‘breath test’. Is your breathing calm and smooth when you expect it to be? If it isn’t then the following technique should help you.  Inhale and exhale through your nose. While doing this close...

This week is Heart Rhythm Week.  Heart Rhythm Week is put together to raise awareness to arrhythmic conditions and ask that you understand your own heart rate better.

By doing pulse checks you can make sure that the beat is regular - although not everyone is sure of how to check it properly.

The British public are unable to recognise the warning signs of a deadly irregular heartbeat according to a new survey commissioned by national heart rhythm charity Arrhythmia Alliance (A-A). On average respondents in a survey were only aware of a third of the symptoms, even though irregular heartbeats are the leading cause of death in the...

The 4-4-8 breathing technique is a basic breathing technique which is designed to help you relax and focus. This technique is great if you feel stressed or tense. Using this technique will help you get rid of the tension so you can focus on what you need to do. No matter what your goal is, controlling the breath will help you focus and clarify your thinking.

This breathing method will only be successful if you are totally at ease and relaxed.  If you are tense then it makes good sense to relax your body. One basic relaxation technique involves you laying flat on the floor or sitting comfortably on a chair with your feet...

At high altitude the air is 'thinner', containing less oxygen than at sea level. The higher we go, the thinner it gets. Climbing or skiing at high altitude places enormous demands upon the breathing muscles. In order to compensate for the thinner air, the lungs must work much harder, and exercise, which at sea level brings on nothing more than a slight increase in breathing, can push your breathing to its limits at high altitude. At 3km (3000m) the amount of oxygen in the air decreases by 30%, and at 5km its half that at sea-level. This means that at around 1km you begin to experience breathlessness during moderate exercise, and at 4km you feel...