July 31, 2007
I have poor lung capacity and want to ride the 100-mile El Tour de Tucson. I lose major speed on even the slightest incline or hill and lose my breath. I've had asthma for 18 years. How can I develop better lung capacity ?
— Brynne
Winfield, IL
 Brynne,
Developing lung capacity as an asthmatic can be a challenge. There are a few exercises you can do that may increase lung volume, but it's important to realize that simply increasing lung volume does not correlate directly with increased aerobic performance. The volume of air you can suck in is only part of the equation. While you would be able to store more air in your lungs, unless you increase the rate of oxygen transport within the lung tissue, you would not actually increase performance, as you would not deliver more oxygen to the working muscle faster.
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Many exercises—including using blowing up balloons, inspirometers, or even the trusty straw-and-ping pong ball—that target increasing lung volume work by exercising the intercostals muscles that raise and spread your ribcage, and your diaphragm. They don't necessarily do anything for the number or size of the alveoli (air sacs) within your lungs. To my knowledge, they also won't do anything to alleviate asthma.
Honestly, the asthmatic athletes I've worked with have been better off focusing on finding a good physician who specializes in the treatment of asthma in active populations. Exercise often exacerbates asthma and some physicians are more experienced in treating patients for whom "slowing down" or "finding another activity" isn't an option.
Chris Carmichael
Founder, CEO, and president of Carmichael Training Systems, Chris Carmichael is the personal coach to seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. In 2004 he was awareded the USA Cycling Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in May 2003. He's been honored as the United States Olympic Committee's Coach of the Year and athletes under his tutelage have won 33 Olympic, World Championships, and Pan American Games. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller "Chris Carmichael's Food For Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right" and "The Ultimate Ride," and co-author of "The Lance Armstrong Performance Program," with Lance Armstrong. Carmichael coaches a host of elite athletes including Discovery Channel rider and four-time Olympian George Hincapie and World Record Swimmer Ed Moses.
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