Runner\'s World UK - 09.2019

WORDS: RICK PEARSON. PHOTOGRAPHS: LUCKY

IF SHARP 1. INTERNATIONAL

JOURNAL OF SPORTS PHYSIOLOGY

AND PERFORMANCE

2. SCIENTIFIC RE

PORTS

SEPTEMBER 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 013

DEEP BREATH

The Powerbreathe K1,

(£299, powerbreathe.com)

is a handheld device

designed to strengthen

your breathing muscles by

making it harder to inhale.

It also provides feedback

on how you’re doing and

offers different levels of

intensity to test you as you

build your breathing power.

2

Spending at least two

hours a week in

nature may be the

crucial threshold for

promoting health and

wellbeing, according

to a new study.^2 IN THE

LUNG RUN

Put the wind in your

sails by training your

respiratory system

WE ALL KNOW that building a

stronger core is important,

but what about stronger

breathing muscles? A new

study^1 suggests ‘respiratory

muscle training’ (RMT)

can significantly improve

your aerobic capacity. The

study followed two groups

• one did six weeks of
  RMT, the other did none –
  who performed a 20km
  time trial at the start of
  the study and at the end.
  The RMT group showed a
  1.4 per cent improvement

in their 20km time –

that’s the equivalent of

75 seconds in a run lasting

90 minutes – while the

other group showed no

improvement. There

are several types of

respiratory-training

equipment (see Try this,

above left) that provide

training advice and

measurable results. If

you’re looking to blow

away the competition,

it could be worth the

investment.

CHILL GETS AXED

Some brrr-illiant news for

runners who don’t enjoy an

ice bath (that’s all of us,

isn’t it?). New research from

Maastricht University in the

Netherlands found these

sub-zero plunges may limit

your fitness gains. The

results showed ice baths

slowed the incorporation

of recovery protein into

new muscle.

Try this

WIND POWER

Want to be

a shoe-in for

a good time?

Don’t waste

your breath

WA R M - U P S FITNESS