Anthony Lorubbio shares his journey from aspiring professional athlete to breathwork coach. He discusses how he got into breathwork and the power it has to change our state of mind and body. He emphasizes the importance of breathing through the nose, breathing slowly, and breathing low into the diaphragm for optimal breath efficiency. Anthony also introduces his high altitude breathwork training program, which helps mountain athletes acclimate and perform better at high altitudes. In this conversation, Anthony Lorubbio discusses the high altitude simulation breathwork training program and its benefits for improving performance at high altitudes. The program focuses on two key areas: training carbon dioxide tolerance and increasing hemoglobin concentration. By manually changing chemoreceptor sensitivity to carbon dioxide, individuals can feel less breathless and breathe more optimally through the nose. Increasing hemoglobin concentration leads to a higher VO2 max and improved oxygen uptake. The five-week training program includes exercises for proper breathing mechanics, high altitude simulation breathwork protocols, and respiratory muscle training. Maintenance recommendations include regular breath assessments and the practice of breathe light exercises.

Takeaways

• Breathing through the nose, breathing slowly, and breathing low into the diaphragm are key for optimal breath efficiency.
• There is a mismatch between our bodies' adaptation to natural environments and the modern world we live in.
• Anthony's high altitude breathwork training program is a pre-acclimatization addition to mountain athletes' training, helping them improve their breath efficiency and respiratory muscle strength.
• Proper breathing mechanics, acclimatization time, and training are all important for mountain athletes to perform better at high altitudes. High altitude simulation breathwork training can improve performance at high altitudes by training carbon dioxide tolerance and increasing hemoglobin concentration.
• Feeling breathless at high altitudes is often due to increased carbon dioxide levels, not lack of oxygen.
• The five-week training program includes exercises for proper breathing mechanics, high altitude simulation breathwork protocols, and respiratory muscle training.
• Maintenance recommendations include regular breath assessments and the practice of breathe light exercises.
• Breathing through the nose, breathing slow, and breathing low are key principles for optimal breathing.

Engagement Link

• The Story of the Human Body by Daniel E. Lieberman
• Oxygen Advantage
• Buckle Up with Simon and Brian: An Ultrarunning Conversation (Ep. #20 with Anthony Lorubbio from Recal)
• Learn How to Train for Altitude with Breathwork
• Instagram: Recal Travel 
• Instagram: Anthony Lorubbio