“The Powerbreathe Effect”
Dan Atkins
Head Coach DAT Racing
Head Coach Queensland Jets/ QAS Metro Program
"As a professional Triathlon coach, I coach all levels of athletes. From age group beginners, to some of the world’s best performing athletes on the international race scene. When I was approached to consider using the POWERbreathe tool, my first thoughts where, “Is this gimmick going to sit in an athlete’s cupboard to gather dust after a month’s usage? Well if you where to go by the sales representatives, they heavily state that to use POWERbreathe, it will improve performance by at least 8%!!! Anyone that understands Triathlon knows that to improve performance by that much can be the difference between going under 2hrs for an Olympic distance triathlon to winning the World titles!!! So, let’s just say that they got my attention. Like any professional coach I am always looking for the winning edge.
For me, the best way to promote a performance product was to test it on myself, this way if I was convinced the POWERbreathe was to be an advantage I could very easily sell it to my athletes. The data provided to me early on, was very convincing to say the least. In saying this, it promotes heavily the benefits if you have any respiratory problems. I don’t have any problems with asthma or any other breathing difficulties that I am aware of. I have never used any kind of inhalers or prescription drugs to help my breathing. So, was the POWERbreathe going to help me in any way?
The claim that POWERbreathe helps recovery for me was the selling point. I was really trying to find the edge with my preparations for the World Triathlon Championships to be held in September 2009. Coaching triathlon full time, running a swimming business and also trying to enjoy some kind of a family life, meant I had to make sure every session counted!!!
Training for me had always been hard, as I needed to do 95% of my training by myself. For me, intensity was the key. But to keep a high level of intensity I needed plenty of recovery. I began to use the POWERbreathe twice a day. Starting at level 1, I struggled to push out the 30 breaths required. But persistence prevailed and twice a day, once in the morning as I woke and once on the way home from work at 8pm. I steadily improved each week and lifted the intensity as I improved.
The 1st difference I noticed was the recovery. Each session improved and the times gradually came down each week. To test myself I had to set myself goals every week. I needed to do this to make sure I was on top of my game and performance. After 2 weeks of using the POWERbreathe, very consistently, I had a ride run session. The target for this session was to give me a good indication of my running of the bike. Now in training my run times and holding km/hr pace had come down very quickly.
Going into the campaign I was looking to hold 3min 40secs for the 10 km. In training I was holding 3.30- 3.35 pace, around the pace needed to run off the bike for my target time, taking into consideration my fatigue factor. The session was laid out like this:
- 100km bike with a 30km time trial in the middle, finish off with a solid 30km just below 90% heart rate. Get straight off the bike and run 10km. T
The 1st 2km was easy at 3.55 per km pace. The final 8km was to be as hard as imaginable. I finished up averaging 3.40km pace the entire 10km to run 36mins 35 secs. A massive improvement from the 37mins 46 last race!!! But what was even more impressive was the fact I still got to get through my 16km run the next morning!!! I was Recovered!!! I continued on improving my times and feeling stronger and leaner than ever before.
My final real pre race test was to race. I travelled up to Cairns to race the local club Triathlon. Not a complete Olympic distance, but was 750m swim 27km ride and 4km run. My times for me where impressive!!! On the run I averaged 3.25 per km, plus I won the race by 3mins!!! I was ready!!!
I shed 8kg in about 12 weeks, whilst using the POWERbreathe. I was up to level 4, 2 weeks out form the race.
I was able to breathe every 4 strokes in swimming, whilst only swimming twice a week for 3km at a time; I was able to back up session after session. The whole time I was working 55 hrs a week. No injuries, no sickness. Something I have always struggled with.
The final 2 weeks before the race I increased my POWERbreathe usage to 3 times a day. At 30 breathes a usage. Every morning when I used the POWERbreathe, I felt more awake and more alert. I was coaching better!!! Not only have I felt the benefit of using POWERbreathe as an athlete, but it has improved me as a professional. It has convinced me in all ways. I have been getting my athletes to test out the benefits of the POWERbreathe and all of them have felt more air going through the lungs.
My outcome from the race wasn’t the desired effect, I finished 16th out of 130. My race was over through the swim, pushing too hard I swallowed plenty of sea water and stitched the entire race. I was proud of my finishing strength but for me it was a disaster!!! But, that is racing. I wasn’t good enough.
I have continued to use the POWERbreathe every day and still believe it is helping me recover better and allows me to use my lungs more efficiently.
If I break down the benefits it would take all day, but simply put I would recommend this tool to anyone.
Not just athletes, but anyone looking to improve life and get more out of it. My breathing and overall wellbeing has increased and anyone looking for that sort of advantage will benefit from using the POWERbreathe. You can read reports and data sheets all day long, but for me the results in recovery are the key point of its usage."