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Fast Talk

363: Why Breathing Frequency May Become Our Best Measure of Training Stress

Mar 20, 2025
Dr. Stephen Seiler, a leading physiologist from the University of Agder renowned for his research on polarized training, discusses an innovative project focusing on breathing frequency as a training metric. He explores how this approach may better align with perceived exertion than heart rate, offering deeper insights into athletes' performance. The conversation also covers the complex mechanics of breathing, the potential of wearable technology in measuring exertion, and the importance of personalized respiratory training for optimizing athletic performance.
01:25:00

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Quick takeaways

  • Breathing frequency may serve as a more accurate measure of perceived exertion than traditional metrics like heart rate and power.
  • The relationship between perceived effort and increased breathing rates offers a potential solution to inconsistencies seen in training assessments.

Deep dives

Training Load Metrics

Measuring training load is crucial for understanding the stress placed on an athlete's body. Traditional metrics like power and heart rate serve as surrogates, but both have limitations. For instance, factors such as sleep quality or hydration levels can significantly affect heart rate readings. In contrast, power outputs can vary based on daily performance conditions, leading to inconsistencies in training assessments.

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