Breathing Technique

[[old] Annabassand]

Hi <br /><br />I started rowing recently but have some problems getting into a good breathing rhythm. I know how important breathing technique is from other sports, but I can't seem to get into a rhythm at all on the rower. Some of it probably is because I am new on the rower and still relatively unfit at rowing. My heart rate and breathing is substantially lower / slower while running or biking and hopefully I can get there with rowing soon. <br /><br />I would really appreciate good advice from you: How and when do you breathe in and out in the 4 rowing cycles? (Catch, drive, finish recovery)? <br /><br />I need to work on this when my shoulder gets better (see my other post!) <br /><br />/Anna

[[old] Citroen]

<!--QuoteBegin-Annabassand+Sep 4 2005, 06:46 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Annabassand @ Sep 4 2005, 06:46 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I would really appreciate good advice from you: How and when do you breathe in and out in the 4 rowing cycles? (Catch, drive, finish recovery)? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><a href='http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/breathing.php' target='_blank'>http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/breathing.php</a><br /><br />Breathe out on the drive, breathe in on the recovery. You may find taking two breaths on each half of the stroke works when you're very pulling hard.

[[old] Annabassand]

Thanks very much for the link That's great advice. I will try and keep it in mind and hopefully I can get used to doing that <br /><br />/anna

[[old] Byron Drachman]

Here's another interesting quote:<br /><br /><!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Rowing is unusual in the demands it places on competitors. The standard race distance of 2,000 m is long enough to have a large endurance element, but short enough (typically 5.5 to 7.5 minutes) to feel like a sprint. This means that rowers have some of the highest power outputs of athletes in any sport. At the same time the motion involved in the sport compresses the rowers' lungs, limiting the amount of oxygen available to them. This requires rowers to tailor their breathing to the stroke, typically inhaling and exhaling twice per stroke, unlike most other sports such as cycling where competitors can breathe freely. </td></tr></table> <br /><br />The quote is from<br /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.aardvarkarticles.net/health_ ... g_554.html' target='_blank'>http://www.aardvarkarticles.net/health_ ... tml</a><br /><br />In his training DVD's, Xeno Muller says to exhale while going into the catch so that you have more room to be forward at the catch. I hope I quoted him right. <br /><br />Byron

[[old] FrankJ]

Here is my 2 cents on breathing technique. When I first started rowing I worried a lot about how to breath. It just didn't seem comfortable especially when pushing the pace. I checked the forums and tried to force myself to use different techniques. Then something happened. I joined some online races and was so busy worrying about my competition and what pace to hold that I didn't think about breathing. I realized after the races that breathing had taken care of itself.<br /><br />Now I cannot tell you how I breath. It just happens and as often as is necessary to keep me from falling off the erg although in some shorter races that is a pretty fine line. Just let it happen.<br /><br />Frank

[[old] Annabassand]

[quote=Byron Drachman,Sep 4 2005, 10:05 PM]<br /><br />"In his training DVD's, Xeno Muller says to exhale while going into the catch so that you have more room to be forward at the catch. I hope I quoted him right". <br /><br />It's funny because that's exactly what i have been getting to intuitively ... but it just doesn't always work for me yet. I guess it takes practice and practice and practice to make it feel "just right"<br /><br />/Anna

[[old] Annabassand]

<!--QuoteBegin-FrankJ+Sep 5 2005, 11:32 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(FrankJ @ Sep 5 2005, 11:32 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Here is my 2 cents on breathing technique. When I first started rowing I worried a lot about how to breath. It just didn't seem comfortable especially when pushing the pace. I checked the forums and tried to force myself to use different techniques. Then something happened. I joined some online races and was so busy worrying about my competition and what pace to hold that I didn't think about breathing. I realized after the races that breathing had taken care of itself.<br /><br />Now I cannot tell you how I breath. It just happens and as often as is necessary to keep me from falling off the erg although in some shorter races that is a pretty fine line. Just let it happen.<br /><br />Frank <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Point taken Maybe I shouldn't really worry about this too much at the level I am at right now <br /><br />/Anna

[[old] Xeno]

Hello there,<br />I hope you all had a great weekend.<br />The most important about breathing is that you do not hold your breath while rolling into the catch. Let the flow of air steady so that you can relax the upper body for a full extention of the upper body when the lex are completely compressed. My breathing method is to exhale on the recovery and inhale during the drive. When the racing gets hard I double up on the recovery but still inhale during the drive. The issue is to stay relaxed even during the effort.<br />I hope this helps and gives you an additional idea on how to be all the rower you can be.<br />All the best,<br />XENO

[[old] Annabassand]

<!--QuoteBegin-Xeno+Sep 6 2005, 02:53 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Xeno @ Sep 6 2005, 02:53 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hello there,<br />I hope you all had a great weekend.<br />The most important about breathing is that you do not hold your breath while rolling into the catch.  Let the flow of air steady so that you can relax the upper body for a full extention of the upper body when the lex are completely compressed.  My breathing method is to exhale on the recovery and inhale during the drive.  When the racing gets hard I double up on the recovery but still exhale during the drive.  The issue is to stay relaxed even during the effort.<br />I hope this helps and gives you an additional idea on how to be all the rower you can be.<br />All the best,<br />XENO <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Thanks for explaining that to me/us. Exhaling on recovery and inhaling on drive seems to work for me. I wasn't really aware of it, but I do think that I have a tendency to hold my breath during the catch. That probably helps explain why I can't seem to find a steady rhythm. <br /><br />Is there anywhere I can buy your DVD in Europe? (In Denmark they tax everything that comes from the US to death)<br /><br />/Anna<br />

[[old] Annabassand]

<!--QuoteBegin-Xeno+Sep 6 2005, 02:53 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Xeno @ Sep 6 2005, 02:53 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My breathing method is to exhale on the recovery and inhale during the drive.  When the racing gets hard I double up on the recovery but still exhale during the drive.  The issue is to stay relaxed even during the effort. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hi again<br /><br />I just reread your comments and I got a bit confused. Do I understand it right: Exhale on recovery and not on the drive, even when you do "double ups?" <br /><br />Thanks <br /><br />/Anna

[[old] PaulS]

Since this has gone in every direction already, I'm going to offer a few thoughts to consider.<br /><br />Exhaling into the catch: If you choose this, you have better be very aware of your posture and maintaining good technique. Otherwise the risk of rib injury, and other strains is increased due to the tendency to allow the core to collapse onto the knees. When our lungs are filled with air they act to support the rib cage structurally and taking this support away makes them more easily harmed from external forces. I'll admit this is a very comfortable breathing method, but not one I would choose.<br /><br />Inhaling into the catch: While this might restrict forward reach (mostly perceived), it will also encourage better posture to enable good breathing, as well as add structural stability to the core as discussed above.<br /><br />One breath cycle may not be enough during hard rowing, so taking a short breath at the release can add to the normal longer one to make up the difference.<br /><br />All in all, if you don't overthink it, you will likely breath pretty much as much as you require.

[[old] Annabassand]

<!--QuoteBegin-PaulS+Sep 6 2005, 07:00 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(PaulS @ Sep 6 2005, 07:00 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Since this has gone in every direction already, I'm going to offer a few thoughts to consider.<br /><br />Exhaling into the catch: If you choose this, you have better be very aware of your posture and maintaining good technique.  Otherwise the risk of rib injury, and other strains is increased due to the tendency to allow the core to collapse onto the knees.  When our lungs are filled with air they act to support the rib cage structurally and taking this support away makes them more easily harmed from external forces.  I'll admit this is a very comfortable breathing method, but not one I would choose.<br /><br />Inhaling into the catch: While this might restrict forward reach (mostly perceived), it will also encourage better posture to enable good breathing, as well as add structural stability to the core as discussed above.<br /><br />One breath cycle may not be enough during hard rowing, so taking a short breath at the release can add to the normal longer one to make up the difference.<br /><br />All in all, if you don't overthink it, you will likely breath pretty much as much as you require.  <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hi <br /><br />Thanks for your inputs. We women have added cushing So I guess I can't really harm myself by exhaling into the catch. <br /><br />I am not sure what works best for me. I must have some trial runs. <br /><br />/anna

[[old] PaulS]

<!--QuoteBegin-Annabassand+Sep 6 2005, 12:13 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Annabassand @ Sep 6 2005, 12:13 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hi <br /><br />Thanks for your inputs. We women have added cushing So I guess I can't really harm myself by exhaling into the catch. <br /><br />I am not sure what works best for me. I must have some trial runs. <br /><br />/anna <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Already sounds like a posture problem, at least that is what I would say to my wife if the "added cushing" was preventing potential risk to the unsupported rib cage. In fact, your mention of an indicated shoulder pain prompted me to reply to this thread. Be careful.<br /><br />Breathing entrainment will happen in rowing, but it's only a factor in very high performance, meaning a very small pecentage of athletes will find a particular benefit from it. Xeno's point of "remaining comfortable", with whatever breathing you are doing is more important than it may seem. Many people will mistake high respiration (uncomfortable) with physical fatigue and it becomes a rapidly accumulating self-fulfilling spiral downward, so whatever you do, make it comfortable.<br /><br />That said, make sure that your technique is also biomechanically correct, which might be uncomfortable at first (like a good golf grip), because injuring ourselves "comfortably" makes for lousy setbacks that we could all do without. It's easy to pull lightly and not cause damage if technique is bad, but it is nearly impossible to pull hard and avoid injury if technique is not sound. Eventually everyone wants to pull hard, and many make an attempt before they should.

[[old] ancho]

I've just come home from a 14 km run, and I have had some time to think about his thread.<br />I have been running and rowing as far as I can remember (since I was 8), and it's curious:<br />When running (end even when thicling and of course swimming), I breath very concious and rithmically . Since I have read this thread, I haven't had the chance to row, but I must admit that I really dont't know how I breath while rowing! I suppose I do it, as my lungs and throat burn after a regatta, but don't ask me how!<br />Xeno and PaulS are the profs, but I would advice you to keep it very smooth, relaxed and nartural, your body should tell you! If you have any doubt, better listen to one of those two !<br />Tomorrow I'll be rowing on the water, and I will make some analysis about my breathing technique (if I have one!).<br /><br />Have fun,

[[old] Xeno]

I just figured out that did a mistake with my wording.<br /><br />Here is the edited version:<br /><br /><!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hello there,<br />I hope you all had a great weekend.<br />The most important about breathing is that you do not hold your breath while rolling into the catch.  Let the flow of air steady so that you can relax the upper body for a full extention of the upper body when the lex are completely compressed.  My breathing method is to exhale on the recovery and inhale during the drive.  <b>When the racing gets hard I double up on the recovery but still inhale during the drive.</b>  The issue is to stay relaxed even during the effort.<br />I hope this helps and gives you an additional idea on how to be all the rower you can be.<br />All the best,<br />XENO </td></tr></table><br /><br />Doubling up means inhale on the drive, then on the recovery: exhale, inhale and exhale. Which works out great since the recovery is longer than the drive phase.