Power of Oxygen 4

Rhythmic Breathing Patterns to Peak Performance and Business Excellence ​

In the competitive world of endurance sports, just as in the fast-paced arena of business, strategy and rhythm are essential keys to success. Enter Locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC), a technique that harmonizes the rhythm of your movement with your breathing pattern. This is like optimizing supply chain and production with the market’s demand and just-in-time manufacturing.
​
While swimmers have long harnessed this with a bilateral breathing pattern of “one in – two out” to balance their body development and strain, runners and cyclists stand to gain from adopting similar strategies to enhance their performance, prevent injuries and achieve an optimized state of flow.

You Can’t Manage What You Can’t Measure

Oxygen is needed to create your aerobic endurance energy; hence you can manage your output by managing your input. You can do so by syncing your breath with your running rhythm, using one of the following breathing patterns: “two in – one out”, “three in – two out” or “four in – three out”. If you assume a consistent running rhythm between 170-180 bpm, you can increase the breaths per cycle, lowering the number of breaths per minute and vice versa. For instance, in a 4-3 cycle at 180bpm you breathe 25 times per minute, whereas with a 3-2 cycle you breathe 36 times (44% more). So, what are the benefits?

Injury Management

When you are running, you are generating a force 2-to-3x your body weight when your foot lands. At the deepest point of any exhale, your muscle tension drops and that means you absorb more of that weight with your joints. If you breathe in an even pattern (try it) you will always exhale on the same side, meaning the joints on that side are always absorbing the load. However, an uneven breathing pattern allows you to alternate that impact, which basically means a 50% reduction in absorption on one side. Similar on how the Moebius belt doubles its lifespan by flipping the belt over.

Interestingly, you can also use this technique the other way around. If, while running, you are feeling some strain in your muscles on one side of the body, you can temporarily switch to even breathing to offload the strained side and focus the load on the other side. Usually, this allows the muscle to relax, after which you can resume your uneven breathing. It’s like a business team temporarily taking on a higher workload to alleviate another team struggling with resources.

Performance Optimization

Just like increased market demand requires more production resources, elevated athletic performance requires more oxygen. You can select different breathing rhythms as gears to align with the required effort.

• For example: Typically, zone 2 running is a leisurely pace at which you should still be able to talk. But that is very arbitrary. Using a “4 in – 3 out” rhythm does exactly the same but it is more manageable. If you want to go faster, needing more oxygen, you can shift to a 3-2 breathing cycle in zone 3, or a 2-1 breathing cycle in zone 4 or above. Consciously managing your breathing gives you more control over your effort, like manipulating gears on your bike. You can use it to your advantage during races to put the pressure on a competitor, or adapt to the needs of the terrain, by shifting to faster rhythms as it becomes hillier.

Alternatively, you can use this system for the opposite mindset. As you become more familiar with the relationship between your zones and your breathing patterns you can use them to stay in a specific zone.

• For instance, if you’re in zone 2, using a 4-3 breathing cycle and you can’t catch your breath, needing to shift to a 3-2 pattern, it means you are going too fast. This allows you to really enjoy the run without needing to monitor your speed or even wearing a sports watch (”naked” running).

Optimal Flow, Creativity and Problem Solving

We discussed in part 2 of our blog series, how breathing patterns and focus on your heartbeat can facilitate meditation. Often mantras are used to assist internal reflection and fend off external thoughts. When running with specific breathing patterns, the counting of your steps and breathing can have the same meditating effect.

Additionally, the repetitive nature of step counting enables a runner to find optimal flow. Finding the zone in which your mind turns into subconscious execution of the physical task.

• Have you ever been in a car and suddenly realized you are a lot further than you expected, like awakening from a trance. That is the same state you can achieve while running or cycling.

Finally, as mentioned by Dr. Greg Wells, this optimal flow state, combined with the increased intake of oxygen is often the ideal mix for the highest forms of creativity and problem solving. For executives, finding the right zone to let go of the day-to-day issues and crises, can generate the right amount of relaxation to empower theta brainwaves and achieve a Eureka moment.

Don't forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIP from @Coach Glenn: Capturing great ideas on the go.

“On numerous occasions during a run or bike ride, I come up with the best ideas. It might result in a writing frenzy upon my return home, but it has happened that I forgot by the time I got home. I’ve learned and recommend to quickly capture those ideas by either leaving yourself a voicemail, or writing yourself a quick text/email with the gist of the idea, to check it when back home. Never waste a great idea!”

Oxygen Series:

• The Power of Oxygen(24/1/2024)
• Optimal Breathing (31/1/2024)
• Stress Relief and Focus (9/2/2024)
• Rhythmic Breathing Patterns (14/2/2024)
• Hypoxic training, benefits and techniques  (21/2/2024)
• Conclusion: Executive wellbeing  (28/2/2024)