Power Breathing

I'm not sure who coined the phrase "power breathing" but I first learned about it on Trailsides (a PBS program) while watching an episode on climbing Mount Rainer. The purpose of power breathing is to improve the transfer of blood gases in your lungs during high altitude hiking. Power breathing is to hold your lips together as you breath out to compress the air in your lungs. This air compression in your lungs improves the gas transfer with your blood.

The only gauge I know of, to determine if it's working, is to ask the question; do you have more energy when you power breath or not? Therefore, how hard and how often you power breathe is leaned by experience and do not expect to learn it on your first outing.

On hikes where I drive from sea level to 9000 feet, in about 3 hours, and then start hiking right out of the car, I usually need to light power breathe from the first step. When I'm hiking and gradually gain altitude, I start power breathing at about 11,000 feet.

Over the past few years, I have developed a problem with an upset stomach on all of my altitude hikes. It has become a serious problem making the trips much less enjoyable. Recently I discovered that my excessive power breathing was the cause of my stomach and intestinal upset.

I'm now learning to power breathe calmly and with much less force. Light power breathing is working by giving me enough oxygen and no stomach upset.

I am convinced that compressing the air in your lungs at high altitude seems to be greatly beneficial and with every hike I lean more about it.

Clouds Rest

Cathedral Lake