Abstract
We investigated the effects of a functional breathing program on the aerobic performance of recreational runners. Runners participated in an aerobic endurance training program with functional breathing (FBP; n = 8, 34.8 ± 5.1 yrs, 25.3 ± 2.5 kg·m(2)) or without functional breathing (CON; n = 8, 29 ± 5 yrs, 23 ± 2 kg·m(2)). The treatment group underwent daily breathing exercises, and nasal-only breathing during low-intensity sessions of the training program. The primary outcome variables measured before and after the program included the following: the breath-hold time at rest, the duration and VO(2max) with nasal-only breathing, and the VO(2max) with normal breathing during a graded running test. The data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). We found a significant group x time interaction for breath-hold time (∆ from PRE: +1.9 s [CON], +11.7 s [FBP]; p = 0.04; d = 1.13). However, the changes in the time and VO(2max) with nasal-only breathing, and in the VO(2max) with normal breathing, did not differ between the FBP and CON groups. A small but significant time (main) effect for the increase in VO(2max) (~3.0%, p < 0.05) suggested that both groups had adequate stimuli for physiological adaptations. The four-week supplementary functional breathing protocol increased the breath-hold time, but not the maximum nasal-only breathing time, nasal-only breathing VO(2max), or VO(2max), in recreational runners.