How the POWERbreathe IMT device works
POWERbreathe has a range of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) devices that are designed to strengthen your breathing muscles, reduce breathing fatigue and improve your quality of life. We offer breathing trainers with different resistance levels to suit specific needs. Read our guide to learn how POWERbreathe IMT devices work.
Explore POWERbreathe IMT Devices
What is an IMT Device?
An IMT device is an inspiratory muscle training device designed to strengthen the muscles you use to breathe in. These muscles include the diaphragm, which is your primary breathing muscle, and the intercostal muscles between your ribs. Rather than training the lungs themselves, an IMT breathing device applies resistance to your in-breath. This forces the inspiratory muscles to work harder than they would during normal breathing.
With regular training, this can help improve inspiratory muscle strength and stamina. After around four weeks of consistent training, your muscles will become more resistant to fatigue during everyday activity, exercise and sport.
POWERbreathe IMT in Action
POWERbreathe IMT devices have been widely used in clinical and scientific research worldwide for decades. There is an extensive body of published research referencing POWERbreathe and its use in inspiratory muscle training. Inspiratory muscle training can help a wide range of people, from patients with medical conditions to professional athletes and everyone in between.
In 2026, a randomised study involving competitive synchronised swimmers used the POWERbreathe Plus for four weeks. In the dynamically adjusted training group, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) increased from 91.81 to 135.52 after four weeks of POWERbreathe Plus training, equivalent to an improvement of approximately 48%.
“In summary, we suggest that adding inspiratory muscle strength training to the daily training of synchronised swimmers may be effective in improving the inspiratory muscle function and lung function of synchronised swimmers in order to improve their respiratory control as well as their respiratory efficiency, and thus improve their athletic performance.”
Xu and Fan (2026)
POWERbreathe Plus users can introduce this data-led approach into their own training by adding a POWERbreathe Smart Adaptor and using the ActiBreathe® App. The Smart Adaptor will help you create a training plan customised to your needs. It can measure your inspiratory or expiratory breathing strength and track your progress over the last week, month, or year.
POWERbreathe IMT Device FAQs
POWERbreathe breathing trainers strengthen your inspiratory muscles using a technique called resistance training. Your inspiratory muscles are the muscles you use to breathe in – they include the diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
The POWERbreathe range of inspiratory muscle training breathing devices create a resistance to your in-breath, which makes your breathing muscles work harder than usual. Think of it in the same way as you might use weighted dumbbells to strengthen your biceps. This is why POWERbreathe IMT is often referred to as ‘dumbbells for your diaphragm’.
When performing breathing training with a POWERbreathe IMT device, you’ll notice that you have to work harder to breathe in. This is the effect of the resistance training acting on the breathing muscles you use to inhale. Primarily, these muscles are the diaphragm, your main breathing muscle, and the intercostal muscles.
As your lung strength improves, you can increase the resistance on your IMT breathing device. Think of it as the same as using dumbbells – as your muscle strength improves, you can lift a heavier dumbbell.
As you can see from the video, breathing training focuses on strengthening your diaphragm rather than your lungs. This is because your lungs are a pair of spongy, air-filled organs, and not muscles, and therefore cannot be strengthened.
Our Plus and Classic breathing trainers require you to manually change the level of resistance. If you want to enhance your inspiratory muscle training, you can pair your POWERbreathe Plus with the POWERbreathe Smart Adaptor and use the ActiBreathe App to guide your training. The ActiBreathe App provides information about which resistance level you should be training at once you have performed a lung strength test, personalised training feedback, customised training plans, and detailed analysis of your breathing training progress.
The K-Series automatically adjusts the load to match your breath using tapered flow resistance. The K-Series range of devices patented technology is world unique, which is why these devices are often referred to as the ‘gold standard’ for use in healthcare. Depending on the K-Series model being used, you can perform a Maximum Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) lung strength test or S-Index, which is used to calculate your optimum training level.
Using your POWERbreathe IMT device is simple. Make sure you breathe out fully and evacuate all the air from your lungs before taking a sharp intake of breath through the device. Repeat this for 30 breaths. Find out how to perform the correct breathing technique for POWERbreathe IMT in our video below.
Adjust the load to match your breath with Plus & Classic range
For our Plus and Classic range, we recommend that you start at the lowest resistance and only move up a level once you feel comfortable. As you grow stronger and fitter, the resistance may stop challenging you. This indicates it’s time to increase the resistance.
To adjust the resistance of your Plus device, twist the wheel at the bottom of the breathing trainer. You will be able to see the valve move up the column, and you can read the precise training level on the device.
To adjust the resistance of your Classic device, remove the handle cover and rotate the load adjustment knob clockwise to increase the training level.
We suggest turning up the resistance by a quarter of a turn until you can easily manage 30 breaths again.
On the electronic K-Series, the resistance is constantly monitored and tapered to match your reducing strength throughout the breath. So, the device decides on the best training level based on your breathing.
You should use your breathing trainer for 30 breaths, twice a day. This is a protocol often used in research. We recommend performing your training once in the morning and once in the evening to allow sufficient recovery time.
Following scientific testing, the POWERbreathe protocol was established. This highlights the best way to use your breathing device to produce the desired results.
Put simply, breathing training is for anyone who breathes, since everyone will benefit from stronger breathing muscles.
POWERbreathe IMT devices are popular amongst three main groups: sport & fitness enthusiasts, people with health conditions, and those working in the performing arts. We’ll take a closer look at how breathing training benefits these individuals.
Sport & Fitness
Whether you want to get fit or enhance your sports performance, improving the strength and stamina of your breathing muscles will make exercise feel easier.
As a result, you will be able to do more or train more, with less effort. Furthermore, stronger breathing muscles has been proven to help delay the onset of the respiratory metaboreflex – the body’s built-in brake. With a well-trained and stronger diaphragm, the blood flow to your limbs, the working muscles, remains greater for longerand sports performance improves because you have more breathing stamina and endurance In fact, there are many benefits of IMT in sport and fitness.
Older adults & people with medical conditions
Our IMT devices are also ideal for those with breathing muscle weakness that can cause breathlessness. For example, people with a medical condition such as COPD, asthma, heart failure, people undergoing surgery for prehabilitation or pulmonary rehabilitation or anyone looking to improve day-to-day breathing.
Using IMT, your breathing muscles will become stronger and resistant to fatigue. As a result, these muscles will require less effort during a given task, reducing shortness of breath. Research has found many more benefits of IMT for health and medical conditions.
Speak with your healthcare professional or contact us if you want to find out more about the devices available for medical conditions.
Singers, musicians & dancers
Breath control is essential to perform at your best in all of the performing arts. Exercising your breathing muscles with POWERbreathe will improve their strength. And the stronger your muscles are, the more you’re able to control them.
With a stronger diaphragm, you will be in a better position to control the movement of your thoracic cavity whilst singing, dancing, or playing a wind instrument. Research shows many benefits of IMT for singers, musicians and dancers.
Whilst research suggests that you will notice an improvement after 4-6 weeks, some people report feeling better in less time. To see results, you need to be consistent with your training programme. Follow the protocol of 30 breaths twice a day, and you should feel less breathless during activity. At this stage, scientific research shows that you no longer need to use the breathing trainer every day to maintain your improved breathing.
Once you have reached the peak of your ability, use your POWERbreathe device twice every other day to enjoy reduced breathlessness and improved exercise performance.
After four to six weeks, your breathing muscles should have improved substantially, and you should feel less breathless during activity. At this stage, you may not need to use your POWERbreathe IMT breathing device every day to maintain your improved breathing. Using your POWERbreathe IMT device twice every other day will be sufficient to continue to enjoy reduced breathlessness and improved exercise performance.
