Skip to main content

The influence of inspiratory and expiratory muscle training upon rowing performance

European Journal of Applied Physiology volume 99, pages 457–466 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

We investigated the effect of 4 week of inspiratory (IMT) or expiratory muscle training (EMT), as well as the effect of a subsequent 6 week period of combined IMT/EMT on rowing performance in club-level oarsmen. Seventeen male rowers were allocated to either an IMT (n = 10) or EMT (n = 7) group. The groups underwent a 4 week IMT or EMT program; after interim testing, both groups subsequently performed a 6 week program of combined IMT/EMT. Exercise performance and physiological responses to exercise were measured at 4 and 10 week during an incremental rowing ergometer ‘step-test’ and a 6 min all-out (6MAO) effort. Pressure threshold respiratory muscle training was undertaken at the 30 repetition maximum load (∼50% of the peak inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressure, P Imax or P Emax, respectively). P Imax increased during the IMT phase of the training in the IMT group (26%, P < 0.001) and was accompanied by an improvement in mean power during the 6MAO (2.7%, P = 0.015). Despite an increase in P Emax by the end of the intervention (31%, P = 0.03), the EMT group showed no significant changes in any performance parameters during either the ‘step-test’ or 6MAO. There were no significant changes in breathing pattern or the metabolic response to the 6MAO test in either group, but the IMT group showed a small decrease in HR (2–5%, P = 0.001). We conclude that there were no significant additional changes following combined IMT/EMT. IMT improved rowing performance, but EMT and subsequent combined IMT/EMT did not.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Black LF, Hyatt RE (1969) Maximal respiratory pressures: normal values and relationship to age and sex. Am Rev Respir Dis 99:696–702

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bland JM, Altman DG (1986) Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet 1:307–310

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borg G (1998) Borg’s perceived exertion and pain scales. Human Kinetics, Champaign

    Google Scholar 

  • Boutellier U, Piwko P (1992) The respiratory system as an exercise limiting factor in normal sedentary subjects. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 64:145–152

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boutellier U, Buchel R, Kundert A, Spengler C (1992) The respiratory system as an exercise limiting factor in normal trained subjects. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 65:347–353

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derchak PA, Sheel AW, Morgan BJ, Dempsey JA (2002) Effects of expiratory muscle work on muscle sympathetic nerve activity. J Appl Physiol 92:1539–1552

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards AM, Cooke CB (2004) Oxygen uptake kinetics and maximal aerobic power are unaffected by inspiratory muscle training in healthy subjects where time to exhaustion is extended. Eur J Appl Physiol 93:139–144

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gething AD, Passfield L, Davies B (2004a) The effects of different inspiratory muscle training intensities on exercising heart rate and perceived exertion. Eur J Appl Physiol 92:50–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gething AD, Williams M, Davies B (2004b) Inspiratory resistive loading improves cycling capacity: a placebo controlled trial. Br J Sports Med 38:730–736

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haas F, Haas A (1981) Effect of inspiratory muscle training in healthy subjects. FASEB 40:540

    Google Scholar 

  • Harms CA, Wetter TJ, St Croix CM, Pegelow DF, Dempsey JA (2000) Effects of respiratory muscle work on exercise performance. J Appl Physiol 89:131–138

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hart N, Sylvester K, Ward S, Cramer D, Moxham J, Polkey MI (2001) Evaluation of an inspiratory muscle trainer in healthy humans. Respir Med 95:526–531

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lotters F, van Tol B, Kwakkel G, Gosselink R (2002) Effects of controlled inspiratory muscle training in patients with COPD: a meta-analysis. Eur Res J 20:570–577

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McConnell AK, Lomax M (2006) The influence of inspiratory muscle work history and specific inspiratory muscle training upon human limb muscle fatigue. J Physiol

  • McConnell AK, Romer LM (2004) Respiratory muscle training in healthy humans: resolving the controversy. Int J Sports Med 25:284–293

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McConnell AK, Sharpe GR (2005) The effect of inspiratory muscle training upon maximum lactate steady-state and blood lactate concentration. Eur J Appl Physiol 94:277–284

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMahon ME, Boutellier U, Smith RM, Spengler CM (2002) Hyperpnea training attenuates peripheral chemosensitivity and improves cycling endurance. J Exp Biol 205:3937–3943

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quanjer PH, Tammeling GJ, Cotes JE, Pederson OF, Peslin R, Yernault JC (1993) Lung volumes and forced ventilatory flows. Eur Res J 6:5–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Romer LM, McConnell AK (2003) Specificity and reversibility of inspiratory muscle training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 35:237–244

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romer LM, McConnell AK, Jones DA (2002a) Effects of inspiratory muscle training on time-trial performance in trained cyclists. J Sports Sci 20:547–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romer LM, McConnell AK, Jones DA (2002b) Effects of inspiratory muscle training upon recovery time during high intensity, repetitive sprint activity. Int J Sports Med 23:353–360

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romer LM, McConnell AK, Jones DA (2002c) Inspiratory muscle fatigue in trained cyclists: effects of inspiratory muscle training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:785–792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheel AW, Derchak PA, Pegelow DF, Dempsey JA (2002) Threshold effects of respiratory muscle work on limb vascular resistance. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 282:H1732–H1738

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spengler CM, Roos M, Laube SM, Boutellier U (1999) Decreased exercise blood lactate concentrations after respiratory endurance training in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 79:299–305

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson GD. (1998) Pulmonary training may alter exertional dyspnea and fatigue via an exercise-like training effect of a lowered heart rate. In: Hughson RL, Cunningham DA, Duffin J (eds) Advances in modelling and control of ventilation. Plenum Press, New York, pp 231–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Volianitis S, McConnell AK, Jones DA (2001a) Assessment of maximum inspiratory pressure. Prior submaximal respiratory muscle activity (‘warm-up’) enhances maximum inspiratory activity and attenuates the learning effect of repeated measurement. Respiration 68:22–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Volianitis S, McConnell AK, Koutedakis Y, McNaughton L, Backx K, Jones DA (2001b) Inspiratory muscle training improves rowing performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33:803–809

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner P, Magadle R, Beckerman M, Weiner M, Berar-Yanay N (2003a) Comparison of specific expiratory, inspiratory, and combined muscle training programs in COPD. Chest 124:1357–1364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner P, Magadle R, Beckerman M, Weiner M, Berar-Yanay N (2003b) Specific expiratory muscle training in COPD. Chest 124:468–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wells GD, Plyley M, Thomas S, Goodman L, Duffin J (2005) Effects of concurrent inspiratory and expiratory muscle training on respiratory and exercise performance in competitive swimmers. Eur J Appl Physiol 94:527–540

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1998) Biostatistical analysis. Prentice Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the oarsmen of the Thames Tradesmen rowing club for their participation in this study. Conflicts of Interest: Alison McConnell has a beneficial interest in the POWERbreathe® Inspiratory Muscle Trainer in the form of a royalty share on license income to the University of Birmingham, UK. She also acts as a consultant to Gaiam Ltd. The authors are grateful to Gaiam Ltd. and MicroMedical Ltd. for donation of equipment for use in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sport, Leisure and Travel, Wellesbourne Campus, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, Kingshill Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 5BB, UK

    Lisa A. Griffiths

  2. Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK

    Alison K. McConnell

Authors
  1. Lisa A. Griffiths
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alison K. McConnell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa A. Griffiths.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Griffiths, L.A., McConnell, A.K. The influence of inspiratory and expiratory muscle training upon rowing performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 99, 457–466 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0367-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0367-6

Keywords

  • Respiratory muscle training
  • Performance enhancement