Summary
Performance breath coach Sean Coakley explains inspiratory muscle training and why most people massively underuse their diaphragm -- getting only about 1 cm of movement versus the 10 cm possible with conscious effort. He discusses his work with Chelsea FC using the Aerofit device, how respiratory muscle training improves athletic performance and everyday fitness, and practical ways to strengthen the breathing muscles.
Key Points
- The diaphragm moves only about 1 cm during unconscious breathing but can achieve 10 cm of excursion with conscious respiratory training.
- Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) uses resistive breathing devices like Aerofit to progressively overload the diaphragm and intercostals.
- Chelsea FC integrated respiratory muscle training into their performance program, showing applicability at elite athletic levels.
- Hot yoga can open restricted fascia through heat, allowing blood flow into damaged tissue and accelerating recovery from injuries.
- Respiratory muscular training differs from standard breathwork by focusing on strengthening the muscles themselves rather than controlling breathing patterns.
- Even a few minutes of daily IMT can improve VO2 max, reduce perceived exertion during exercise, and enhance recovery between efforts.
Key Moments
The diaphragm moves 1 cm passively versus 10 cm with conscious effort
Host Mike introduces the concept that most people only get about 1 centimeter of diaphragm movement during passive breathing, but conscious breathing exercises can achieve up to 10 centimeters, highlighting a massive untapped potential in respiratory function.
"sadly so many of us are not using it properly did you know for example that when your diaphragm you're not really thinking about it it moves about one centimeter and if you consciously think about your diaphragm i.e doing some breathing exercises you can get 10 centimeters of movement out of there which is bonkers"
How respiratory muscle training isolates and wakes up dormant breathing muscles
Sean Coakley explains that respiratory muscular training forces the muscles of inspiration and expiration to work in an isolatory way, revealing weaknesses or areas that have been unconsciously protected after injury.
"I personally believe that as human beings, we compartmentalize and psychosomatically isolate injury in a unique way."
Hot yoga as a gateway to breathwork and injury recovery
Sean Coakley describes how hot yoga became his recovery pathway after severe cycling injuries, with the heat allowing fascia to open up and blood to flow back into damaged areas, ultimately leading him to a lifelong pursuit of breathwork and respiratory science.
"Hot yoga worked because the heat allowed that fascia to open up. It allowed the movement to happen again and blood to start to flow into those areas, which expedited the healing process."
