Originally Posted by
Rdmonster69
No worries ..... I would be utterly shocked if a pro cyclist couldn't breathe deeper, harder and faster for a longer duration than normal humans. There real overwhelming advantage is the strength and efficiency of their circulatory system.. You have to breathe far less when your heart is able to deliver mass quantities of oxygenated blood. That's why I said it was really interesting and would be very curious as to the actual physiological make up of a pro cyclist.
Specifically I would love to see a full pulmonary study including
A. Lung volumes via Plethysmography.
B. Airway Resistance
C. Diffusing Capacity using the single breath carbon monoxide test
D. Slow Vital Capacity and Forced Vital Capacity
E. Maximum Inspiratory and Expiratory Pressure
F. Maximum Voluntary Ventilation
This set of tests would basically be a full battery of respiratory muscle strength as well as standard lung functions .I would think the RMS tests would be above normal and the standard functions would not be hugely different. This info may even be out there somewhere. As a clinician I would be most interested to seeing the RMS of an elite athlete is that much different than a regular human.
It's been quite a few years since I've read it, but seems like Phil Gaimon's book "Draft Animals" had some brief sentences through out describing some of the physiological (right word?) things they were tested for when looking at how well one pro compared to another. Most of the book was more an expose and some considered it a smear on certain cyclists. I found it quite interesting just for the info about the life of a average world pro as opposed to a pro that was high fame. He rode back in the days of Garmin Sharp and I think early Cannondale.
Getting back to breath rate, it just seems like HR. Once you have the volume maxed out then a faster rate gets you more. To how much it can contribute might be in the realm of marginal gains. But in racing marginal gains are a part of what makes a difference at the finish line.