Andrew Barovick works as a partner at Alegria & Barovick LLP, a New York-based law firm focused on Social Security disability claims, medical malpractice, property damage, and personal injury. Outside the office, Andrew Barovick enjoys cycling.
One of the quickest ways to improve your performance and fight off fatigue on the bike is to focus on breathing from your diaphragm.
The diaphragm is a muscle below your lungs that aids them in sucking in and expelling breaths. When someone tells you to breathe low, or from your stomach, they mean to breathe from your diaphragm. To do so, push your abdomen out as you breathe in, and tighten your stomach as you exhale. Breathing from your stomach allows your diaphragm to act as a billow instead of your lungs, improving the quality of each breath.
The next time you ride, find a comfortable position that allows you to breathe from your diaphragm. You may have to sacrifice aerodynamics by sitting up straighter to allow your stomach and chest to expand. Any speed loss is made up for by having better breath control that allows you to persist longer without fatigue.
Once you master breathing from your diaphragm while biking, you can start to focus on rhythmic breathing, which also helps boost performance.
