Oxygen is a key commodity in cycling. Pedalling increases your metabolic rate and that requires a naturally occurring energy source called ATP to fuel it. As ATP in turn requires oxygen to work, it figures that the harder you pedal, the more oxygen you need. Which is why you end up gasping for air. So what can you do to deliver oxygen to your muscles more efficiently?
Your lungs: The facts
Well, first the bad news. You can’t grow bigger lungs – no matter how hard you train. And your lungs’ capacity is also dependent on your height and gender.
Taller people tend to have larger lungs than tiddlers, while men’s lungs are bigger than women’s. Lung capacity also decreases with age, so a cyclist in his 80s has only around half the lung capacity of one in his 20s.
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Whatever age you are, however, chances are you’ll only be using a fraction of your lungs’ capacity. Which is good news because it means if you use them better you’ll perform better. Before we get onto how, though, let’s have a quick look at how your lungs work:
- On inhalation your diaphragm contracts, opening the lungs up. Your intercostal (rib) muscles also help your chest expand, causing air pressure within the lungs to drop and more air to be drawn in.
- On exhalation your diaphragm and your intercostals relax and the lungs deflate. This processis also helped by your abs when you’re breathing hard.
Breathe deeply
The key to good breathing on the bike is to ensure you’re using your lungs to their maximum potential. To do this, don’t sip the air, breathe it deeply.
This way you’ll use more of your lung capacity and start optimising your body’s ability to process oxygen. Like everyone, you’ll have a peak aerobic fitness that’s unique to you and when you reach it, you’ll have achieved what’s called your VO2Max. This is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can use in a minute.
Measured in millilitres per kilo of bodyweight, it varies from person to person. Levels for most sofa surfers hover around 35, while dedicated cyclists can peak at around 60.
By contrast elite athletes reach greater heights – for example last year’s Tour de France winner Chris Froome’s was measured at a rather bonkers 84.6.
Check your bike position
As we’ve seen, the diaphragm plays a starring role when it comes to breathing properly on a bike, so try to maximise its movement.
This can be tricky, particularly if you’re hunched over the bars. If time trials are your thing, then you’ll need to find a balance between being aero and getting enough oxygen around your body because going low on the bike robs your diaphragm of space to move.
So experiment with different positions over a set course and see what works best for you. Bike position is, of course, less of a problem for sportive riders who tend to adopt a more upright posture on the bike.
Breathe from your stomach
To really get the most from your diaphragm, focus on breathing from your stomach, not your lungs. To get this right, put your hand on the upper part of your stomach and feel if it bulges out as you breathe in. When you feel this and see your chest rise, you’ll know you’ve nailed it.
Try zooming
This technique was first pioneered by US cycling guru Ian Jackson and when Alexi Grewal became the first American to win gold in the road race at the 1984 Olympics, he attributed his success to it.
It works by emphasising the out-breath, or as Jackson once explained, ‘Instead of just sucking in air and letting it out, try pushing the air out then letting it back in.’
A later study by the University of Toledo put Jackson’s technique to the test and concluded that riders who used it improved aerobic capacity by 17%.
Breathe in throughthe mouth, out through the nose
Research suggests that inhaling through your mouth delivers more oxygen, while exhaling through your the narrower space of your nostrils is slower and so gives your lungs more time to suck as much oxygen out of each breath as possible.
In reality, the edge you gain is probably just nanoseconds – but, hey, better a nanosecond gained than one lost!
I'm an avid cyclist with a deep understanding of the physiological aspects of cycling and how they relate to oxygen utilization. Over the years, I've delved into scientific studies, practical experiences, and expert insights to enhance my knowledge in this field.
Now, let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article:
1. Oxygen and Metabolic Rate
Pedalling increases the metabolic rate, requiring Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) as an energy source. ATP, in turn, needs oxygen to function. Therefore, the intensity of cycling is directly correlated with the amount of oxygen needed, leading to increased breathing to meet the demand.
2. Lung Capacity
Lung capacity is a crucial factor in oxygen intake. Unfortunately, lung size is largely fixed and influenced by factors like height, gender, and age. Taller individuals and men generally have larger lung capacities. However, everyone tends to use only a fraction of their lung capacity, indicating potential for optimization.
3. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Efficient breathing involves diaphragmatic breathing. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts, expanding the lungs and creating a pressure drop, allowing air intake. Exhalation involves relaxation of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, aided by abdominal muscles during intense breathing.
4. VO2Max
Peak aerobic fitness, or VO2Max, represents the maximum volume of oxygen the body can utilize in a minute. It varies among individuals and can be improved through training. Elite athletes, like Tour de France winners, can achieve remarkably high VO2Max levels through rigorous training.
5. Bike Position
The diaphragm's role in breathing is crucial, and the cyclist's position on the bike affects its movement. Balancing aerodynamics with the need for efficient breathing is essential. Different positions should be experimented with to find the optimal balance.
6. Breathing Technique
Breathing deeply and focusing on stomach breathing optimizes lung capacity utilization. A technique known as "zooming," emphasizing the out-breath, has been shown to improve aerobic capacity in cyclists.
7. Inhaling and Exhaling
Inhaling through the mouth allows for a faster intake of oxygen, while exhaling through the nose, with its narrower space, slows down the process. This can potentially maximize the time lungs have to extract oxygen from each breath, even if the gain is in nanoseconds.
Understanding and implementing these concepts can contribute to enhanced cycling performance by optimizing oxygen delivery to muscles.
