question on running and breathing

Johnny,

If you just started running again this is normal. If you have difficulty breathing even after training for 6 weeks or more then it is not. The reason for heavy breathing after not exercising for a period of time is simple. I posted this information in another thread but I will do it again for you. Our bodies are extremely efficient. Oxygen is removed from your lungs and delivered to the tissues of the body via red blood cells. Couch potatoes or people who have not exercised in some time have a lower red blood cell count. As stated the body is extremely efficient, it only produces the amount of blood cells that the body needs. If you are not taxing your body in a cardiovascular manner there is no need for a high red blood cell count.

It is a misnomer that the heart and lungs get stronger with cardiovascular exercise. One the lungs are not muscle tissue and two the heart is cardiac muscle not skeletal muscle tissue. Cardiac muscle does not increase in size due to exercise. They in fact become more efficient. Over time with cardiovascular exercise the body produces more red blood cells. The more red blood cells the body has the more efficiently it can deliver more oxygen to muscle tissue which results in increased endurance.

Blood doping was outlawed because athletes were training in high altitude areas where the oxygen supply was less than at sea level. The body's response was to produce more red blood cells than it would have at sea level. These athletes would then have some of their blood removed and put back in prior to competition giving them an unfair advantage.

Now to your original question; I would have an ENT look at your nose problem. It could be a deviated septum, allergies, etc. If that is resolved it will definitely assist your breathing while running. Like in all exercise you should be breathing slowly and deeply while running. There is a theory called "steady state" google it and read more about it. As you run/jog more you should find breathing easier.

TIP: If you experience abdominal cramping while running try breathing out a little harder than normal when the foot that is opposite of the cramp hits the ground. This can decrease the pain with abdominal running cramps.

Hope that answers your question.

Dan

 

Dan,

That is EXCELLENT information!! If you don't mind, I'd like to quote that info. Not to sound weird, but are you absolutely certain it's accurate? It makes perfect sense and it has a familar ring to it. Any letters after your name, like "M.D."?

I'd like to ask/confirm....my understanding is that our "metabolism" is essentially based on the amount of mitochondria we have in our cells/body. By placing an increased cardio-load on our bodies we create the need/demand for more mitochondria (the 'powerhouses' that generate the energy our muscles use). From what you explained, it rather sounds like the more athletic we are (in a cardio fashion) the more red blood cells we have. I know the blood carries oxygen and energy to and from the muscles, but in some related manner is the amount of red blood cells in conjunction with the amount of mitochondria in our blood cells related directly to our metabolism? Which further explains why Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day to sustain??

 

Steve,

Sorry I did not respond sooner. I just got back ( last night ) from a 3 day golf outing at Pebble Beach. To answer your question I practiced physical therapy for approximately 12 years and recently switched careers to the business side of health care. I was getting burnt out seeing the same thing every day and it was not as intellectually stimulating as it once was. The other reason for my switch was that I was topped out in regards to salary. No matter how much more I worked or how much longer I worked I was not going to see a dramatic increase in pay. I wanted to find a position that would be intellectually stimulating and my salary would increase based on my performance.

With that said, you are correct. When we participate in cardiovascular training not only are we increasing the amount of red blood cells but we are also increasing mitochondrial density/numbers. As you may know the mitochondria is the organelle in the cell that produces ATP ( usable energy ) from stored energy in the foods we eat. The more mitochondria we have the more usable energy we can produce. The purpose of each is different ( oxygen uptake and delivery vs. production of usable energy ) but they do go hand in hand. Not enough energy you cannot workout for very long. Not enough oxygen uptake / delivery equals the same outcome.

Michael Phelps trains extremely hard and long which requires a lot of food intake to replenish the energy expended. As I stated above our bodies are extremely efficient and they only react to the stresses placed upon it.

Metabolism is increased with an increase in mitochondrial numbers. That is why you seem to eat more when exercising on a regular basis. We are able to burn more energy at rest with an increase in the number of mitochondria. That explains why sedentary people gain weight with lower amounts of calorie consumption. This is not rocket science and everyone is looking for an easy fix to their weight problem. The solution is eating in "moderation" and exercising, not a magical pill. It is true that genetic composition can lead people to burn more or less calories but this is not the norm. Laziness is the norm.