# Why can't I breath as deep as I want to?



## 151

This has been happening for a while now, I think I never noticed it before cycling because I never needed really deep breaths.

Every so often when riding or rowing I have the sensation of needing a deeper breath than I can take. I want to keep sucking air, and my mind tells me I should be able to, but my lungs, not so much.

Just sitting here I can beath as deep as "feels" right at the time but I still have the "feeling that the last 10% of my lungs just isnt working. Like last night when rowing I had the feeling I needed to breath deeper pretty bad and the lungs just will not allow it. When I am going really hard the thought of breathing deeper doesn't cross my mind. Maybe because I am taking more, shorter breaths.

Also as a ride or row or whatever progresses I stop thinking about it. it is usually in, or just after the warm up stage that I really want to get more air than is possible.

Basically it's like I need more air and my brain tells me I should be able to get more air, but I cannot.

Any idea what might be going on here?


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## Hank Stamper

Really? Is this something new? It sound like you are describing being 'out of breath' which is something people generally discover experience for the first time at age 12 or so.
No offence intended but have you not really exercized hard up until now?


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## 151

I must not have described it well.

This happens before I reach an "out of breath" state. It is more like the feeling of not being able to expand my lungs as much as my brain tells me they can be expanded.

Even sitting here typing (I do not have the desire or need to take a deep breath so the feeling isn't as strong) when I try to take as deep a breath as possible, I get less air than I "think" I should.

It is kind of like if you went to pick up something over your head that you know you are strong enough to pick up, but you can only get it to your chest before your muscles give out. Your brain tells you you are strong enough to pick this thing up but your arms will not do it.


but yes as a child and teenager I was very active and have been "out of breath" as much as anyone else. This is a different experience entirely.


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## Hank Stamper

ah, I got it now.

Sounds like you might have a touch of asthma (probably cold weather and/or exercise induced), mild lung infection or allergies.

This happens to me in the spring when there's a ton of pollen in the air. Yet it never did when I was younger.

Also could happen to me for a few days following when I over did it playing hockey in really cold rinks.

Basically you have some inflamation in your lungs (I'm guessing) that's preventing them from absorbing the oxygen they are used to absorbing. I'm not medical expert even by a long shot but would definitely imagine it's from one of the above three potential causes.


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## Retro Grouch

As a kid, I suffered from many bouts of bronchitus. As a result, I have a lot of lung tissue scarring, which in turn, has compromised my lung capacity. Add seasonal allergies to the mix, and I find it difficult to breath deep in certain situation where steep climbing or high tempo riding is involved. 

Have you ever had you lung capacity checked or taken a chest x-ray that was evaluated by a doctor?


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## Guest

In agreement with Hank, it sounds exactly like what I experience as part of exercise-induced asthma. The sensation of my lungs not fully opening up is usually the first and mildest symptom I experience. If I can't completely turn down my intensity, it will progress to wheezing, coughing, and a general restriction of any intense efforts. When my lungs are functioning fine, there's a point at which you feel them open up and take in a deep breath; when they are starting to close up, they stop right at that point at which they would open up fully, and no amount of conscious effort will make them open. My attacks happen pretty much any time of year, although colder air is certainly supposed to be a trigger. Although I am followed by an allergist, take medication, and follow certain warmup routines, when my HR gets real high in a racing situation, it's pretty much a given that I'll have an attack.


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## bike_guy

I've noticed the same thing for the past week while running, but it goes away after the first 15 - 20 minutes. Our temps have dropped about 20 degrees this week and it seems like my lungs are just not acclimated to the colder air yet. This happens to me every year when the temps change although this year seems to be a little worse.


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## Creakyknees

quit smoking.


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## 151

Creakyknees said:


> quit smoking.



There was a period in my life when I was pro prop 19. I hope that hasnt caused long term damage.


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## itc41

I had something like this at an early spring MTB race this year.
also my HR did not go as high as I thought it would, really slowed
me down. I thought it was one or a combo of three things:
It had rained for a few days, so high humidity and fog
I did not get a very good warm up be for the race
and I was still in my base miles and had not really did many intervals


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## Bill2

I also experience this on long hard climbs. I've tried concentrating on belly breathing while simultaneously "pulling up" my intercostals to get more air in. Seems to help but when standing climbing it feels quite awkward. I need to practice more frequently.


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## going for broke

Well since this happens during exercises that put your body in a bind (bent over) I would say it's more a body position thing then it is an actual issue with asthma or similar. It's a little tougher for me to breathe when I'm in the drops as opposed to being on the hoods or even straight up riding no handed.


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## PlatyPius

I have the same problem. I'm not a serious athlete in any way though, so I just attribute it to any/all of the following: Bronchitis every year for many years, 23 years of smoking (quit last March), being fat, or years of breathing in plaster/wood dust from renovating my house.

I know I should be able to breathe deeper than I am, but I just can't do it. My brain tells me my lungs have been shortchanged, and I start to freak out a bit. I just can't take that deep enough breath to get "over the hump".


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## heathb

Go to the doctor and get checked out for exercise induced asthma. Perhaps he'll prescribe an albuterol inhaler and let you see if that relaxes your airways so you can breath without feeling tight.


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## R3 Sloth

Yeah, I've had similar experiences. Maybe a good way to describe it for me would be trying to deep breathe while having a belt strapped around my chest - just can't get that last bit of oxygen. For me it's allergies that cause it. 

It can create real problems sometimes. You can try an OTC called Walfinate that is sold at Walgreen's. It has the same constitution as the prescription I used to get from my MD.


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## bas

R3 Sloth said:


> Yeah, I've had similar experiences. Maybe a good way to describe it for me would be trying to deep breathe while having a belt strapped around my chest - just can't get that last bit of oxygen. For me it's allergies that cause it.
> 
> It can create real problems sometimes. You can try an OTC called Walfinate that is sold at Walgreen's. It has the same constitution as the prescription I used to get from my MD.



Tried Claritin-D?

That keeps my lungs open enough for 100 mile rides, and post ride lung problems.


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## mymilkexpired

heathb said:


> Go to the doctor and get checked out for exercise induced asthma. Perhaps he'll prescribe an albuterol inhaler and let you see if that relaxes your airways so you can breath without feeling tight.



Doper :Yawn:


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## R3 Sloth

bas said:


> Tried Claritin-D?
> 
> That keeps my lungs open enough for 100 mile rides, and post ride lung problems.



For me the active ingredient that works is pseudoephedrine, unfortunately it's the same stuff that druggies like to make crank out of. Here in Australia I suspect they're on track to outlaw the drug entirely. What I will do then I have no idea.


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## makeitso

exhale more


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## jaysc

I experience the same thing. The odd thing is that it's only happened in the last year or so and only when I'm on a bike. I've been in world-class competitive Taekwondo, rec hockey, and years of competitive marching band playing a brass instrument. You'd think if I were to going to have asthma, it would have happened by now. However, for whatever reason it is just now surfacing. I'm interested to know what it's caused by, seems like maybe I should see a doc to really get it pinned down.

Good luck to you. It seems for me it's caused by cold air, and it's on its way with winter coming. Let us know what you find.


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## heathb

Cold dry air is one of the main triggers for people with asthma. Try wearing a mask for the first 20 minutes outside during your warmup and then rotate the mask on and off while your going hard and see if your airways stay opened up or not. This works for me. 

If I go hard without a warmup even with albuterol my wheezing kicks in during the winter and kills my hard efforts.


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## JCavilia

> feeling of not being able to expand my lungs as much as my brain tells me they can be expanded.
> 
> I get less air than I "think" I should.


I think you're thinking too much. Seriously. Tell your brain to shut the hell up and stop telling you how much air you "should" be able to take in. It may be completely misleading you. If you don't feel out of breath when exercising hard, there may be nothing at all wrong. I think you're psyching yourself out. Just breath naturally when you're excercising and don't try to analyze it so much, and this possibly bogus feeling may go away.


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## MisterMike

Stress? I know I was stressed out a bunch at work earlier this summer and had the same feeling. Sometimes I had it off the bike as well. If I "zenned" out on a ride I'd be fine but as soon as work thoughts popped into my head during a ride then, bang, tough to get a full breath. That just pissed me off even more and made it worse.


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## Bill2

For me, just breathing naturally works fine on the flats or short or moderately steep climbs. But for very steep long climbs in the mountains, just breathing naturally has me gasping uncontrollably after a few minutes. For me, serious climbing requires concentration on breathing technique- belly breathing while "pulling up" with my intercostals. Once I get into that rhythm, I can climb a long time. 

Disclaimer though, I'm not a trained athlete. Things I must concentrate on would probably come naturally to a real athlete.


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## 151

This hasnt happened again since the day of my OP. But sitting here reading it came to me that what I think it feels like is not having the strength to get that last gulp of air.

Does that seem asthma'ish?

I need to read up on how the lungs and airways all work and see if I can get a better pitcure of what is going on.


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## malanb

that is normal, you were not making that big of an effort before. your body will get used to it and then it will not happen at the same kind of effort


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