Get high naturally: Use your breath

Every high-performance athlete knows the story of Lance Armstrong. This cyclist, who survived cancer, won seven consecutive Tours de France and broke numerous records. I remember when I saw his seventh victory; at 15 years old, I was impressed. I wondered what made this athlete so exceptional. How did he train? What was his secret?

Years after winning everything, a sad truth was revealed: Lance was stripped of his titles and fined over 100 million dollars after it was discovered that he was doping with erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone used artificially to enhance physical capacity.

What is EPO?

Like Lance, many other athletes have been fined for using EPO, including: Maradona (though not confirmed, it is believed he used EPO), Alex Schwazer, Alberto Contador, Marion Jones, and Rashid Ramzi. But something interesting is that EPO is a natural hormone produced mainly by the kidneys in response to hypoxic conditions (low oxygen concentration in the blood) and, to a lesser extent, by the liver. This hormone stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, which transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body.1

The artificial use of EPO by athletes increases the oxygen transport capacity to the muscles, improving endurance and accelerating recovery in high-performance competitions. However, this method is prohibited in professional sports.

Naturally Producing EPO Through Breathing

A study showed that performing breath-hold exercises can naturally increase EPO production. Participants completed three sets of five breath-holds after exhaling, holding their breath until their comfortable limit. They rested for 10 minutes between sets. The results showed a 24% increase in EPO concentration, peaking three hours after exercise and returning to normal levels five hours later.2

This type of training has been implemented in different sports with surprising results:

1. Swimmers: An 8-week program with breath-hold sessions of 30-45 minutes, three times a week, improved hemoglobin by 5.35% and VO2 max by 10.79%.3

2. Runners: Incorporating breath-hold exercises once a week improved their performance by 1.27%; twice a week increased the improvement to 1.33% (Fortier and Nadeau).4

3. Average Speed: 85% of runners who trained with hypoventilation increased their final speed by +0.5 km/h and their overall performance by 2.4%. 5

4. Competitive Swimming: Triathletes who included hypoventilation in their training improved their times in 100m (-3.7s), 200m (-6.9s), and 400m (-13.6s). 6

These results, though they may not seem dramatic, are significant in a competitive context where every second counts.

My Favorite Routine

One of my favorite exercises is combining breath-holds with sprints. Here's how I do it:

1. I perform 10-15 slow, subtle, diaphragmatic breaths through my nose to relax while standing at the starting point.

2. I take two more breaths; after the second exhalation, I pinch my nose and sprint 40-50 meters at maximum speed while holding my breath (do not breathe through your mouth or nose).

3. After finishing the sprint, I walk while regulating my nasal breathing in 2-3 cycles and rest with 10-15 breaths before repeating.

I do 4 to 5 sets per session and usually vary it with any type of sport (sprints on a bike, sprints in swimming, etc). You can find more exercises like this on my Instagram profile @TheBreathManu.

Precautions

Although breath-holding is a powerful technique, it must be practiced with caution. Avoid it if you have uncontrolled hypertension, heart problems, epilepsy, panic attacks, if you are pregnant, or recovering from an illness. It is only recommended for people with a healthy physical state and functional breathing. Consult your doctor or physical trainer before trying this type of training and use a pulse oximeter to ensure your oxygen levels do not drop below 70%.

Sources

1Balestra, C., Germonpré, P., Poortmans, J. R., & Marroni, A. (2006). Serum erythropoietin levels in healthy humans after a short period of normobaric hyperoxia. Journal of Applied Physiology, 100(2), 512-518.

2Bruijn, R., Richardson, M., Schagatay, E. (2008). Increase in EPO concentration following repeated breath-hold apneas in humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 102, 609-613.

3Baković, D., et al. (2003). Spleen volume and blood flow response to repeated breath-hold apneas. Journal of Applied Physiology, 95(4), 1460-1466.

4Fortier, E., Nadeau. Effects of hypoventilation training on running performance. Peterborough, Canada.

5Woorons, X., et al. (2016). Supramaximal intensity hypoventilation training improves swimming performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(6), 1119-1128.

6Woorons, X., et al. (2016). Supramaximal intensity hypoventilation training improves swimming performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(6), 1119-1128.