Tips on improving lung capacity / efficiency

Cameron_1969

Hi. .so the story is that I do crossfit and have been for about a year. I haven't been 100% consistent and have taken a few month-long "breaks", etc. . But when I go I usually make it at least 3 days a week.

The problem I have is that about half way through a WOD I'm totally out of breath. I have to stop and catch my breath, then I can keep going. . My muscles aren't that fatigued, just my wind. .

My question is, are there techniques for improving lung capacity / lung efficiency, beyond just doing cardio etc?. .Also. .does a cardio workout (like jogging or elliptical) even help with this?

Thanks.

aerochic42

in for replies

Vune

As a singer, I found running to improve my lungs tremendously. It was the best thing aside from actually singing or playing woodwind instruments. How you breathe also matters. you get the most out of your breath when you breathe in downward toward your tailbone than you do breathing upward or outward. Yoga may help with how you breathe, cardio will help strength the systems you use to breathe.

Cameron_1969

As a singer, I found running to improve my lungs tremendously. It was the best thing aside from actually singing or playing woodwind instruments. How you breathe also matters. you get the most out of your breath when you breathe in downward toward your tailbone than you do breathing upward or outward. Yoga may help with how you breathe, cardio will help strength the systems you use to breathe.

I should bust out my old trumpet and crank my 12 major scales twice a day

brandiuntz

Yes, some steady state cardio would help. It builds endurance. It gave me an endurance base far above what HIIT sessions were doing.

That said...you might just have to stay more consistent with your crossfit and not take breaks that go on for too long. A week off from intense exercise can be a very good thing, but a month off causes losses you feel when you get back into it.

legendary781

bump

neandermagnon

It's not the lack of air - you build up an oxygen debt (i.e. acetic acid) when you do strenuous exercise and when you get to a point where you can't get enough oxygen to get rid of the oxygen debt, you become exhausted, feeling exhausted, and unable to get enough oxygen. You slow down, you keep breathing really hard, your body manages to remove some of the acetic acid, so after a while you can continue again.

You can improve your endurance by doing 2 things.

1. more steady state cardio

2, sprints (e.g. HIIT) or heavy compound lifts (e.g. barbell squats)

1 is obvious. People underestimate the benefit of 2. These things you build up a huge oxygen debt in a short time, and in the recovery phase you are completely out of breath as your cardiovascular system is trying to get as much oxygen to the muscles as possible to break down all the acetic acid. But the whole process of building up an oxygen debt and removing it increases your body's endurance. It works, my stamina for cardio improved as a result of heavy lifting alone.

For better endurance in crossfit - probably doing more crossfit will be the best thing - yes you will improve over time just by carrying on with the same workouts..... if you want to do something else in between, then heavy barbell squats and going for runs (or whatever steady state cardio you like to do) would be good. (Avoid doing heavy lifting on 2 consecutive days - your muscles need time to recover, so a schedule like mon wed fri would be good for that.)

wpayers

One of the best, if not THE best activity for lung capacity is swimming. Assuming you have access to a pool, incorporate a few hours of swimming per week to your routine. Once you are comfortable, establish a simple workout of kicking and freestyle with varied breathing patterns. Swimming can be as challenging as you want it to be. It is also very forgiving on your joints/muscles and may serve as an ideal recovery complement to Crossfit.

The_GingerBeard_Man

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Lung-Capacity

Swimming and cycling are certainly tops on my list of way to get it done.

Cameron_1969

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Lung-Capacity

Swimming and cycling are certainly tops on my list of way to get it done.

I actually did read through that wikihow earlier. . It was interesting . . I've started breathing deep and holding my breath alot. .lol.

baba_helly

this is relevant to my interests

Cameron_1969

It's not the lack of air - you build up an oxygen debt (i.e. acetic acid) when you do strenuous exercise and when you get to a point where you can't get enough oxygen to get rid of the oxygen debt, you become exhausted, feeling exhausted, and unable to get enough oxygen. You slow down, you keep breathing really hard, your body manages to remove some of the acetic acid, so after a while you can continue again.

You can improve your endurance by doing 2 things.

1. more steady state cardio

2, sprints (e.g. HIIT) or heavy compound lifts (e.g. barbell squats)

1 is obvious. People underestimate the benefit of 2. These things you build up a huge oxygen debt in a short time, and in the recovery phase you are completely out of breath as your cardiovascular system is trying to get as much oxygen to the muscles as possible to break down all the acetic acid. But the whole process of building up an oxygen debt and removing it increases your body's endurance. It works, my stamina for cardio improved as a result of heavy lifting alone.

For better endurance in crossfit - probably doing more crossfit will be the best thing - yes you will improve over time just by carrying on with the same workouts..... if you want to do something else in between, then heavy barbell squats and going for runs (or whatever steady state cardio you like to do) would be good. (Avoid doing heavy lifting on 2 consecutive days - your muscles need time to recover, so a schedule like mon wed fri would be good for that.)

Excellent info! Thanks for the long reply. . I will def try to find the time for some steady state cardio (maybe jump-roping) and some sprints. We do a lot of heavy lifts in Crossfit, but i def can supplement this with some home barbell work. .

Cameron_1969

One of the best, if not THE best activity for lung capacity is swimming. Assuming you have access to a pool, incorporate a few hours of swimming per week to your routine. Once you are comfortable, establish a simple workout of kicking and freestyle with varied breathing patterns. Swimming can be as challenging as you want it to be. It is also very forgiving on your joints/muscles and may serve as an ideal recovery complement to Crossfit.

I used to have a pool. . (sigh). .

richardheath

It's not the lack of air - you build up an oxygen debt (i.e. acetic acid) when you do strenuous exercise and when you get to a point where you can't get enough oxygen to get rid of the oxygen debt, you become exhausted, feeling exhausted, and unable to get enough oxygen. You slow down, you keep breathing really hard, your body manages to remove some of the acetic acid, so after a while you can continue again.

You can improve your endurance by doing 2 things.

1. more steady state cardio

2, sprints (e.g. HIIT) or heavy compound lifts (e.g. barbell squats)

1 is obvious. People underestimate the benefit of 2. These things you build up a huge oxygen debt in a short time, and in the recovery phase you are completely out of breath as your cardiovascular system is trying to get as much oxygen to the muscles as possible to break down all the acetic acid. But the whole process of building up an oxygen debt and removing it increases your body's endurance. It works, my stamina for cardio improved as a result of heavy lifting alone.

For better endurance in crossfit - probably doing more crossfit will be the best thing - yes you will improve over time just by carrying on with the same workouts..... if you want to do something else in between, then heavy barbell squats and going for runs (or whatever steady state cardio you like to do) would be good. (Avoid doing heavy lifting on 2 consecutive days - your muscles need time to recover, so a schedule like mon wed fri would be good for that.)

pssst : lactic acid, not acetic... [/pedant]

Graelwyn75

I work with 68% lung function (COPD) and what has helped me is a mixture of boxing, running and cycling.

dbmata

My question is, are there techniques for improving lung capacity / lung efficiency, beyond just doing cardio etc?. .Also. .does a cardio workout (like jogging or elliptical) even help with this?

Gotta tax the system if you're going to grow the system.

You can push harder in the WODs, which will slowly up your wind.

Or you can train some cardio. I can tell you, best bang for my buck for working my cardio endurance has been swimming. I can ride my bike for a few hours, run a 5k without challenge, and keeping my stamina in check... get me in the pool? Cardio gets taxed hard. You also don't get hot, which is awesome.

neandermagnon

It's not the lack of air - you build up an oxygen debt (i.e. acetic acid) when you do strenuous exercise and when you get to a point where you can't get enough oxygen to get rid of the oxygen debt, you become exhausted, feeling exhausted, and unable to get enough oxygen. You slow down, you keep breathing really hard, your body manages to remove some of the acetic acid, so after a while you can continue again.

You can improve your endurance by doing 2 things.

1. more steady state cardio

2, sprints (e.g. HIIT) or heavy compound lifts (e.g. barbell squats)

1 is obvious. People underestimate the benefit of 2. These things you build up a huge oxygen debt in a short time, and in the recovery phase you are completely out of breath as your cardiovascular system is trying to get as much oxygen to the muscles as possible to break down all the acetic acid. But the whole process of building up an oxygen debt and removing it increases your body's endurance. It works, my stamina for cardio improved as a result of heavy lifting alone.

For better endurance in crossfit - probably doing more crossfit will be the best thing - yes you will improve over time just by carrying on with the same workouts..... if you want to do something else in between, then heavy barbell squats and going for runs (or whatever steady state cardio you like to do) would be good. (Avoid doing heavy lifting on 2 consecutive days - your muscles need time to recover, so a schedule like mon wed fri would be good for that.)

pssst : lactic acid, not acetic... [/pedant]

you know why.... it was that freaking apple cider vinegar thread.. I had acetic acid in my mind. I did think lactic acid when I typed it though....

thanks for pointing it out!

ETA: omg I can't even edit it... oh well!!

GiddyupTim

Runs hills, until your lungs are bursting, then keep going a bit further.
Run 200m or 400m sprints. Over and over.

Cameron_1969

Runs hills, until your lungs are bursting, then keep going a bit further.
Run 200m or 400m sprints. Over and over.

Ok. .I have been thinking that sprints is more effective than steady state . . true?

Cameron_1969

My question is, are there techniques for improving lung capacity / lung efficiency, beyond just doing cardio etc?. .Also. .does a cardio workout (like jogging or elliptical) even help with this?

Gotta tax the system if you're going to grow the system.

You can push harder in the WODs, which will slowly up your wind.

Or you can train some cardio. I can tell you, best bang for my buck for working my cardio endurance has been swimming. I can ride my bike for a few hours, run a 5k without challenge, and keeping my stamina in check... get me in the pool? Cardio gets taxed hard. You also don't get hot, which is awesome.

My subdivision has a pool that we use quite often, but I'm too busy throwing my kid to actually do laps. . That might have to change, though. . .Maybe five minutes of throwing and 4 minutes of laps. . Or. . I'll task my kid to try to hit me with the ball while I do laps and give him points for a good head shot.

FatFreeFrolicking

My lung efficiency is 61% due to my asthma so I'd like to see the responses as well!

Cameron_1969

My question is, are there techniques for improving lung capacity / lung efficiency, beyond just doing cardio etc?. .Also. .does a cardio workout (like jogging or elliptical) even help with this?

Gotta tax the system if you're going to grow the system.

You can push harder in the WODs, which will slowly up your wind.

Or you can train some cardio. I can tell you, best bang for my buck for working my cardio endurance has been swimming. I can ride my bike for a few hours, run a 5k without challenge, and keeping my stamina in check... get me in the pool? Cardio gets taxed hard. You also don't get hot, which is awesome.

If I push harder in the WODs, I'll die. BUT, that's really why I'm here asking this question, because i WANT to push harder in the WODs. . I have been disappointed that this aspect of my fitness has not improved more than it has.

Cameron_1969

I work with 68% lung function (COPD) and what has helped me is a mixture of boxing, running and cycling.

I did a boxing workout for awhile. . and yeah. . that's a VERY taxing workout. . Maybe I'll hang a heavy bag in my garage. .

chmtastic

As a singer, I found running to improve my lungs tremendously. It was the best thing aside from actually singing or playing woodwind instruments. How you breathe also matters. you get the most out of your breath when you breathe in downward toward your tailbone than you do breathing upward or outward. Yoga may help with how you breathe, cardio will help strength the systems you use to breathe.

crap. I played percussion. :grumble:

In for more responses though!

Azdak

Unless you have a medical issue, the problem is not lung capacity, it's aerobic capacity. You have plenty of "air" --you just can't deliver it and process into your working muscles.

Essentially, you are working at a higher intensity than you have the ability to sustain. Sometimes adding some endurance cardio can help (yes, the dreaded endurance cardio), but we're talking 45-60 minutes of 50%-55% effort) which can be a drudge. Still, a stronger aerobic base can help to recover more quickly from high-intensity intervals.

You can also try pacing yourself a little better during your workouts.

dbmata

My question is, are there techniques for improving lung capacity / lung efficiency, beyond just doing cardio etc?. .Also. .does a cardio workout (like jogging or elliptical) even help with this?

Gotta tax the system if you're going to grow the system.

You can push harder in the WODs, which will slowly up your wind.

Or you can train some cardio. I can tell you, best bang for my buck for working my cardio endurance has been swimming. I can ride my bike for a few hours, run a 5k without challenge, and keeping my stamina in check... get me in the pool? Cardio gets taxed hard. You also don't get hot, which is awesome.

My subdivision has a pool that we use quite often, but I'm too busy throwing my kid to actually do laps. . That might have to change, though. . .Maybe five minutes of throwing and 4 minutes of laps. . Or. . I'll task my kid to try to hit me with the ball while I do laps and give him points for a good head shot.

In my training for a triathlon, I found having someone try to jump on me as I swim buy to be a pretty good analogue for what happens during the swim's first half.

PennyVonDread

Honestly, Bikram yoga was the best thing I ever did to improve my lung capacity. It was very difficult the first session to breathe the hot air, but it got easier even the 2nd time in.