Should You Breathe Through Your Nose During Training

Breathing through your nose during heavy training sounds impossible. For most people, at first, it is. But progressively increasing the intensity at which you can maintain nasal breathing is one of the most powerful training tools available.

Why Nasal Breathing Absorbs More Oxygen

When you breathe through your nose, air passes over the nasal turbinates, which produce nitric oxide, a vasodilator that increases oxygen absorption in the lungs by 10 to 15 percent. You absorb more oxygen per breath through your nose than through your mouth. Nasal breathing also forces a slower, deeper pattern that maintains your Zone of Apposition longer.

How To Implement Nasal Breathing Progressively

The application is not to nasal breathe during heavy singles. It is to progressively increase the intensity threshold. Start with your warm up. Then accessory work. Then lighter working sets. Over weeks, the threshold at which you need to switch to mouth breathing climbs higher.

What CO2 Tolerance Training Does

Nasal breathing during exertion creates mild air hunger because you cannot ventilate CO2 as quickly. This is the training stimulus. Your chemoreceptors adapt to higher CO2 levels. Your BOLT score improves. Your ability to maintain composure under physical stress increases. Patrick McKeown's research has documented these adaptations extensively.

The Training Benefits Athletes Report

Faster recovery between sets. Decreased perceived exertion at submaximal loads. Increased training capacity. Improved sleep quality. These improvements compound because they affect the nervous system's overall efficiency.

How MOVECHECK Tracks Your Progress

MOVECHECK uses the BOLT score to track CO2 tolerance over time. Most athletes see meaningful improvements within three to four weeks of consistent practice.

See This In Your Own Body

Every concept in this article is tested in the MOVECHECK assessment. Find out which patterns apply to you.

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