POWERbreathe, anyone use them?

2 Wheels Good

Hi, Cycling Weekly mentioned these before Christmas and I'm thinking of getting one, as I'm slightly Asthmatic I think it could help with cycling, and the rest. Is anyone using one of these?
Link: Powerbreathe

leftism

For an asthmatic it may be of some theraputic use in terms of strengthening your respiratory muscles but in terms of general performance, these things are a complete waste of time and money. I cannot stress this enough!

Oxygen delivery into the blood via the lungs is not a rate determining factor in human performance, apart from maybe swimming (maybe). When you are gasping for breath at the end of a tough race, its got nothing to do with your lungs. The majority of post-exercise hyperventilation is an effort to bring the blood back to normal pH levels. When lactic acid is produced in the muscles, it is buffered in the blood by producing CO2 and water. H+ + HCO3 <=> H2CO3 <=> CO2 + H2O. Once we are exercising anaerobically we will be producing significant quantities of what is referred to a "non-metabolic CO2'' which needs to be blown off.

Remember that oxygen delivery to the blood is never the problem. The real problem is improving oxygen delivery to the muscles.

billy.fish

Snake oil.

mloc123

billy.fish wrote: »

Snake oil.

You selling? I need some at the moment.

FrankGrimes

I'd thought a little about these as I was thinking about doing a bit of swimming at some point and was looking at whether these would help with cycling too....but it's hard to see how they could help.

That said, the reviews on Amazon would have you believe this things work wonders....but then I guess that even a bit of tinfoil in a strip of plastic going for around €35 gets 3 out of 5 stars...

mo_bhicycle

Think of the improvements you'd have if you wrapped a Power Balance around a Powerbreathe!

billy.fish

mloc123 wrote: »

You selling? I need some at the moment.

I have one if you want it, i got it about 10 years ago when they came out at first for free.

They are still pointless

Canis Lupus

billy.fish wrote: »

Snake oil.

That any good on chains?

mloc123

billy.fish wrote: »

I have one if you want it, i got it about 10 years ago when they came out at first for free.

They are still pointless

I was after the snake oil

billy.fish

mloc123 wrote: »

I was after the snake oil

I may have some here, please send me 100 Euro

RobFowl

billy.fish wrote: »

Snake oil.

+1

They improve your PEFR measurement (marginally) but his has no effect whatsoever on performance.

niceonetom

Actually, snake-oil has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and might actually have some health benefits...