Can you breathe better for improved cycling performance?

Breathing Techniques and Breath Training Devices for Cyclists. In Episode 179, CTS Coach Adam Pulford and Ryan Kohler from Fast Talk Labs dissect the art and science of breathing techniques for cyclists. They discuss ways athletes should be aware of their breathing patterns, how and when to manipulate them, and the pros and cons of breath training techniques and devices for cyclists.
// Topics Covered In This Episode:
00:00 - Intro
1:32 - What does 'breath work' really mean?
3:51 - Breathing: Can we train it and will breath training improve performance?
5:13 - Is the purpose of breath work to improve performance metrics, change lung physiology, or optimize mind-body awareness?
6:10 - Identifying the need to train breathing
9:20 - How modifying breath patterns can change response to exercise intensity
15:25 - When to encourage vs discourage hyperventilation
20:43 - Techniques Coach Ryan and Coach Adam actually use with athletes
31:37 - Will nasal breathing or restricted breathing devices improve endurance performance?
// LINKS
- Ryan Kohler's Website: www.rockymountaindevo.com/about
- Impact of Breathing Intervention... www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
- Red Bull Breathing Techniques: www.redbull.com/ie-en/breathi...
// GUEST
Ryan is a career endurance coach with over 20 years experience working with student-athletes and adults in the fields of health/fitness and sports performance. He specializes in science-based approaches to exercise, with a focus on finding the improvements that can make the biggest impact on your lifestyle.
Education:
M.S. in Sports Nutrition from Marywood University
B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Scranton
// HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 14 years and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.
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[@Markhypnosis1]

Look into the work of Patrick Mckeown of The Oxygen Advantage. He promotes nose breathing at all times, and as much as you can during exercise. He also promotes hypoxic/hypercapnic breath hold exercises both at rest and during exercise. Breath holding after an exhale makes you less sensitive to carbon dioxide, which slows breathing down and makes it more efficient, which allows your body to release more oxygen from haemoglobin. Overbreathing has the opposite effect, it makes you more sensitive to co2 and less able to release oxygen. The more sensitive to co2 you are, the more you breathe, the less oxygen you can use.
The hypoxic aspect of the breath holds forces the spleen to release more red blood cells.
I have compared previous two hour indoor zone 2 rides to my current ones where I practice breath holds during the ride at the beginning. Previously before I started doing this, my HR drift was around 7%. Now when I do breath holds and forced nose breathing the drift is around minus 2 - zero %.
I know it's anecdotal, but this shows me that when I do these breath exercises i have more oxygen in my system and I'm able to use it more efficiently. Thus improving my performance.