Powerbreathe

Hi all

In recent issues i have seen this new fitness aid promoted. Being impressed with the write ups and the website just wondering if anyone has had experience of trying one? Do they work?

Looking forward to your advice

Comments

  • Occasionally an invention comes along that it is so utterly fantastic and ground breaking that in what seems like a matter of weeks you wonder how you ever managed without it.














    Unfortunately this isn't one of them.
  • total rubbish, we had one to test, just stayed in the drawer in the end. Save your money, a complete waste for runners.
  • Has no one a good word for this?
  • But at least it means Runner's World sell some advertising space - to keep down the cost of the magazine!!!!



    Whizzy
  • I had a powerbreathe for over a year now and I am very pleased with the improvements in my performance. If you use it as prescribed you will see benefits in your breathing within weeks. I would advise all runners to buy on, and suck and see for themselmes for benefits of powerbreathe. for local stockists look on www.powerbreathe.com
  • I have the PowerLung Sport (makes it difficult to breath in and breath out, same thing I think), according to my Physio friend he says it has a massive benifit for fixed breath sports. IE where the number of breaths is generally limited by the exercise. Eg Swimming and Rowing. However he did say it was a waste for runners who can take all the oxygen in they want. I really believe it does work by the way!

    Just a word of warning it's really horrible to use! I haven't used mine in ages even though I want to. I never thought 30 breaths could be so tiring!
  • I'm not clear why runners can take in all the air they want but rowers can't - is it something to do with the action?
  • Powerbreathe trains the muscles we use when we breathe in, by placing a load on them. This is the same as we do when we weight train or do any form of resistance training. The end result is stonger breathing muscles which require less energy to perform and can keep performing for longer therefore the breathing muscles use less energy and more energy can go to other working muscles. simple really, which I had thought of the concept!!!
  • The PowerLung Sport that I have trains both the muscles for breathing in and breathing out.

    What I meant by fixed breaths for rowing was a rower will only generally breath in once or maybe twice on the recovery part of the stroke and breath out once on the drive (the part where you do all the work) it's generally restricted by the movement of the stroke. Try breathing in on the rowing machine when you're working flat out on the drive phase. You will soon be huffing and puffing.

    And when running it doesn't matter if you take 1 breath a step or 1 every 2 steps as long as you have enough breath you'll not get an oxygen debt and also not interupt the way you run.

    I'm not qulified in any biology field just saying what I've been told.

    From thursday I'm definatly going to start using mine again. not before as I have an test on Wednesday
  • Great for ex-smokers!

    I've had trouble with my breathing being extremely heavy, even during light running. Only been using the powerbreathe for a couple of weeks and already I have noticed my breathing to be more comfortable. No longer gasping for air!
  • I have a powerbreathe. At 50 quid I wasn't sure whether or not to buy one but I did anyway. I have been using it about 4 months and I feel that they genuinely work. During my speed work sessions I was running 400's in about 1:22-1:25 after a few weeks I noticed my breathing was much easier. I am now running 1;15 TO 1:17's with 40s rest and my legs are struggling more than my lungs. Going on previous experience it is not just down to the training although without it powerbreathe will not get the results. Having said all of that 50 quid is stll too much money for a bit of plastic, rubber and a spring.
  • where do you get one of these things?
  • Haven't used mine for long enough to really say whether it works or not BUT when I use it in the morning I feel great for the rest of the day... like I've had an early morning work out.

    Agree, though... not nice to use!!

    Also, I play a brass instrument and I'm convinced it helps that.
  • try starfitness sell the power lung sport - you could have mine but I keep promising myself that one day I shall use it again.

    It's harder building up to use it than it is preparing for any training session
  • jen

    Try a search in Kelkoo (http://www.kelkoo.co.uk/) they can be found for about £40.00 - just about to buy one myself.
  • got one at £38 from bodykind.com
  • I've used a powerbreathe for about 4-6 months.

    It must be helping my inspiratory muscles as I could hardly manage a full set of breaths on the lowest setting and now I'm half way up the scale.

    Whether having stronger inspiratory muscles helps you run better I don't know but the answer seems obvious! ;-)

    As for the Powerbreathe not conditioning the err.. expiratory(?) muscles, if you actually read the (quite in depth)info on their web it states that they aren't in need of extra conditioning.

    i reckon the people who say the PB did nothing for them are the ones who felt a bit silly using it and put it in the cupboard after a week ;-) And who could blame them? I use mine in the toilet of the commuter train. Guess what sort of funny looks I get when I emerge?!

    Great PB side effect - That bit of chest between my ribcage and my belly is nice and taut... =)
  • I bought one as it all seemed to make sense but unfortunately every time I tried to use it I developed a sore throat and it made me feel dizzy. Gave up eventually.
  • That sounds severe! Ouch. I understand the dizzy bit but the sore throat? Hmm. No wonder you gave it up!

    I just wanted to add that I've been using the PB in a different way. I do 30 breaths at some point in the day, then 30 on the same setting before I warm up to run. Seems to work for me, although you're supposed to turn it down for a warm up...
  • Hey, I have a powerbreathe, got it primarily to help build up my peak flow because I have asthma and it has worked for me. I use it before I take my inhalers and open up my lungs to get the most absorption from my inhalers, then I go run. It seems to work for me. I get dizzy sometimes but i guess that is to some extent inevitable and just sitting down and taking 5 afterwards is all that I do to sort the dizziness out. Never had a sore throat though?
  • Worked for me. I didnt really like doing it though, took me around 6 minutes to do the sets of 30 breaths. Was happy when at 4 weeks they say you dont have to do it as often. Definately improved my interval running though, i found after 1 week i could suddendly keep with people that i used to be just behind and after the 4 weeks i was passed them and have never looked back.

  • Evaluation of an inspiratory muscle trainer in healthy humans.
    Hart N1, Sylvester K, Ward S, Cramer D, Moxham J, Polkey MI.
    Author information

    Abstract
    The Powerbreathe is an inspiratory muscle trainer promoted as improving inspiratory muscle strength (and consequently exercise performance) in athletes and patients with respiratory disease. No published evidence supports its efficacy. We performed a prospective randomized controlled study in which 12 normal subjects received either Powerbreathe training or sham training for a 6-week period. The primary outcome measure was diaphragm strength evaluated as twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (Tw Pdi) but secondary outcome measures were provided by full respiratory muscle assessment and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. An advantage to training was observed when outcome was assessed by maximal static inspiratory mouth pressure (mean advantage 14.5 cm H2O, 95% CI 2.2-26.9 cm H2O, P=0.025). However. no significant difference was observed between the groups in any other parameter. In particular the deltaTw Pdi was not different between groups (mean 'advantage' 0.7 cmH2O, 95% CI- 7.0+/-5.5 cmH2O, P=0.8). The continued sale and use of the Powerbreathe device is not justified by our data. A sample size calculation showed that 234 subjects would need to be randomized to definitively refute the hypothesis that Powerbreathe improves Tw Pdi and we argue that such a study is required.
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