Elite professional cyclists already train at the edge of human capacity. Their lungs are huge, their hearts powerful, and their muscles efficient. Pushing their performance even a few percent higher is notoriously difficult. Yet a new study shows that adding Isocapnic respiratory training moved the needle for these world-class riders. If athletes at this level can squeeze out more power and endurance by improving how they breathe, the gains for recreational riders and everyday athletes could be even greater.
The Breathe Way Better (BWB) system is becoming a secret weapon for athletes across many sports. We have already seen world-class CrossFit athletes using it. A new study shows that some of the best professional cyclists are now training their breathing too.
On July 9, 2025, the Journal of Sports Science published an article by researcher Cyril Ricci. He shared nearly a year of data from elite cyclists who added Respiratory Muscle Training (RMT) and special breathing strategies to their training. Their gains in lung function and cycling power are impressive and worth highlighting.
Why this study matters
Ricci starts by pointing out a common oversight. Many athletes and coaches ignore the breathing system when building fitness. Most focus only on the heart, blood vessels, and muscles. Yet research shows the diaphragm—our main breathing muscle—can fatigue at very high effort. This happens when breathing muscles need more oxygen than the body can supply. Scientists have even seen diaphragm deoxygenation using a tool called near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Ricci wanted to see if focused breathing training could reduce this problem.
If you do not want to read the full 29-page paper, we attached a short video by our colleague Sean Seal. He does an excellent job summarizing Ricci’s findings.
Who took part
Ricci studied ten professional cyclists. He tested them monthly for almost a year. Their body stats alone show elite status: average height 177 cm, weight 64.5 kg—long and lean. Lung volumes were already huge:
- Forced expiratory volume in 6 seconds (FEV6) averaged 6.12 liters.
- Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) averaged 5.09 liters.
- Peak inspiratory flow reached 8 liters per minute.
These numbers far exceed what untrained people achieve.
Their maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max)—a measure of aerobic power—was also extreme. Average VO₂ max was 89.87 milliliters per kilogram per minute (ml/kg/min).
- First ventilatory threshold (VT1) averaged 52.65 ml/kg/min.
- Second ventilatory threshold (VT2) averaged 78.82 ml/kg/min.
For cyclists who track power:
- Power at VT1 = 297 watts (W).
- Power at VT2 = 387 W.
- Power at VO₂ max = 425 W (about 6.5 W/kg).
These riders were already at the top of the sport, making any further improvement notable.
How they trained
Ricci’s plan started with awareness and control of breathing patterns. Riders then built strength and endurance in the breathing muscles and improved carbon dioxide (CO₂) tolerance. All of this was done off the bike first. Only later did they add breathing drills into rides and races.
A key step was creating individual breathing strategies for each athlete:
- During testing, coaches mapped each rider’s tidal volume (Tv)—how much air per breath—and respiratory frequency (Rf)—breaths per minute.
- Using FEV₁ and sport-specific factors, they calculated an ideal tidal volume (iTv) and an ideal respiratory frequency (iRf).
- The goal was to keep the same overall air flow (minute ventilation, VE) but breathe slower and deeper, lowering the energy cost of breathing.
The BWB was used five days each week. Riders used it in warm-ups and after training to wake up the diaphragm and improve breathing awareness. They also followed a structured inspiratory resistance program over the 48 weeks.
Most of the biggest performance gains happened in the last three months, after breathing loads were personalized and integrated into real training.
Key results after 48 weeks
Lung function and breathing pattern
- FEV6 rose 8% from 6.12 L to 6.63 L.
- FEV1 rose from 5.09 L to 5.5 L.
- Breathing rate dropped at every effort level:
- VO₂ max: 58 → 51 breaths/min.
- VT2: 47 → 38 breaths/min.
- VT1: 24 → 15 breaths/min.
- Minute ventilation (VE) stayed about the same. The athletes didn’t breathe more; they breathed better—deeper, slower, and more efficient.
Cycling power (absolute watts)
- VO₂ max: 425 W → 449 W (+5%).
- VT1: 297 W → 327 W (+10%).
- VT2: 387 W → 425 W (+9.7%).
Cycling power (relative watts per kilogram)
- VO₂ max: 6.50 → 6.95 W/kg (+6.9%).
- VT1: 4.54 → 5.07 W/kg (+11.7%).
- VT2: 5.92 → 6.57 W/kg (+11%).
Relative power is crucial in cycling, especially on climbs and long sustained efforts. These gains show riders produced more power without gaining weight.
Why this matters for athletes
The study shows several big ideas:
- Breathing can be trained like any other system. Stronger, smarter breathing reduces the energy cost of ventilation.
- Minute ventilation efficiency matters. The riders moved the same amount of air but with fewer, deeper breaths—freeing energy for the legs.
- CO₂ tolerance and awareness help under pressure. Athletes learned to keep calm, breathe efficiently, and avoid respiratory fatigue during hard efforts.
- Progress builds over time. The best results came after many months of structured, individualized work.
The paper used isocapnic and inspiratory training plus personalized breathing strategies. It didn’t test a single brand, but the BWB is built for exactly this kind of work—developing breathing awareness, training respiratory muscles safely, and applying strategies in real exercise.
A note on study limits
The study followed only 10 elite male cyclists, had no control group, and did not perform formal statistical tests. Still, many changes were larger than what is usually considered meaningful in sports science. For non-elite athletes, results may vary, but the approach is promising.
Performance improved at all levels
Even in riders who were already near the ceiling of endurance sport. Better breathing mechanics, stronger respiratory muscles, and smarter CO₂ control saved energy and boosted both absolute and relative power.
If you’ve been unsure about breathing training, this study is a strong reason to start. With tools like BWB, athletes at any level can improve how they breathe and, in turn, how they perform.
