Dr. Anthony Alessi, Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Connecticut, wrote in an article in The Norwich Bulletin about how an efficient respiratory system is crucial for the success of endurance athletes.

He explains how endurance athletes are most vulnerable to any alterations in the respiratory system “due to their reliance in efficient air exchange over prolonged periods of time.” The high-intensity training these athletes have to endure pushes their respiratory system to its limits which can result in respiratory conditions such as exercise-induced asthma.

“A series of breathing tests are necessary to differentiate these conditions and plan a course of treatment,” says Dr. Matt Hall, a sports medicine specialist who works with athletes at the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Alessi summarises his article by saying, “Asthma and other respiratory conditions can be the result of intense exercise but should not be an obstacle to competing, even at the highest levels.”

One type of training that would benefit these endurance athletes and help strengthen their respiratory system for the rigours of their training, is POWERbreathe Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) which uses the principles of resistance training to improve the strength of the breathing muscles and increase their stamina. And because POWERbreathe is drug-free, if an athlete does find they need to take medication for say, asthma, then they can safely continue to train their breathing muscles using POWERbreathe as it will have no interactions. Stronger breathing muscles mean more resistance to fatigue and therefore more endurance – a win-win for endurance athletes.

So with POWERbreathe, endurance athletes can help make their respiratory system more resilient by improving the strength and endurance of their breathing muscles, also making their respiratory system more efficient and resilient.