I often used to hear people complain: “When climbing hills, my legs aren’t tired, but I just can’t catch my breath…” In fact, most cyclists aren't truly out of breath, but rather the oxygen intake from their breathing isn’t enough to promptly replenish the oxygen consumed by their muscles, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, dry mouth, and cold sweats when pedaling uphill. I can’t change your physical strength, but I can offer some tips on breathing techniques that might help everyone.
1. The Theory of Healthy Breathing
There’s a lot to breathing — truly discussing and researching it isn’t easy. Different sports have different breathing characteristics. And good breathing methods also need to be cultivated. (My respiratory system was in poor shape a while back, and now I pay special attention to recovery in this area.) Why focus on breathing? This is where the connection between humans and the vital energy of nature lies. I don’t know much about qigong, but without air, nothing else matters. Take two people eating the same meals — why does one get exhausted after just 10 kilometers, while another can keep going for over a hundred? The reason lies here: the efficiency of energy conversion is inseparable from breathing.
Simply put, only with sufficient oxygen supply can the most thorough oxidation of substances release energy. The energy for muscle movement comes from ATP stored in the muscles, but the amount of ATP is quite limited — only enough for about 8 seconds of consumption. Once it runs out, blood sugar is converted into ATP to supply the muscles again, but here’s the issue: whether there’s enough oxygen. With insufficient oxygen, a large amount of blood sugar will only produce a very small amount of ATP (there are other pathways to convert into ATP too). Therefore, a proper breathing method that brings in a lot of oxygen is especially important for us when cycling uphill.
In addition, the things you breathe in can irritate the alveoli. Air pollution, dust, bacteria, etc., can all harm the lungs. A runny nose is also a typical symptom of respiratory infection. When you cycle against the wind, the cold air goes straight into your respiratory tract and lungs, which can cause some reaction. Consider using your nose to assist with breathing. No need to open your mouth wide — just a small opening is fine. Nose hairs and nasal passages can filter the air and also warm it up. This way, your respiratory tract won’t be irritated.
2. Cycling Breathing Experience
Breathing is equally important when it comes to cycling. In the past, I used to love cycling fast right from the start. After going at it for a certain distance, I would easily get stomach pain, and later I realized it was caused by breathing — some external air got mixed with my stomach. So for a while, I paid special attention to breathing with my belly instead of my chest, and it worked much better. It’s correct to breathe through your mouth while cycling, especially when climbing hills — you really can’t avoid it. But I’m not telling everyone to take huge breaths of cold air right after a meal. I’m just saying that if you’re cycling on flat ground and your normal nasal breathing is sufficient, then you don’t need to gasp heavily. Also, the mouth breathing I’m referring to on flat terrain is done under the conditions of having your mouth and nose facing downward, avoiding the wind head-on, and naturally contracting your abdomen.
When going uphill, you need to take in as much oxygen as possible, making full use of both your mouth and nose (not using them is just wasting potential). If it’s cold, it’s recommended to warm up your body a bit before heading out. Just naturally open your mouth — you can slightly curl your tongue upwards, which helps warm the air.
Breathing Tip: No matter what the situation (even if you're chanting scriptures), the worst thing you can do is breathe without rhythm.
3. In some “extreme cycling” mountain scenarios, symptoms can disrupt your normal breathing rhythm.
When climbing at altitudes of 4,000 meters, it’s quite normal to experience sore throats, swollen tonsils, dizziness, and a heavy head. The reason is simple: the air is thin, so you need to increase your breathing to supply oxygen. At such times, with necessary medication adjustments at night, applying some petroleum jelly inside your nasal passages during the day is a highly effective method. Winter is approaching — be sure to stay extra warm when cycling.