| Author | Message | ||
     Art_k82 Senior Member Username: Art_k82 Post Number: 141 Registered: 10-2009 |
I just had my first 5 min session on the Spirotiger and it went well, except I have a few questions. Any experienced people want to help? 1) I was using the Finger Oximeter to measure my SpO2 and whenever it went down below 93-94%, I definitely was feeling "suffocated" and needed to stop. That's normal, right? 2) However, there were some times when the Spirotiger wanted me to "breathe deeper", even though my SpO2 was 98% and I felt fine. Should I just ignore the Spirotiger warning message and keep training at that RF and TV? 3) Lastly, I'm a bit confused. So you can use the Spiro for Endurance, Strength, or Coordination/Speed purposes. Are you suppoed to build endurance before strength and speed? Or does it matter? I think this will be an amazing device for me. Definitely will help me in the running and swimming. | ||
| Herb Board Administrator Username: Herb Post Number: 73 Registered: 04-2006 |
Art, your points 1 and 2 makes me suspect you're not using it properly. Your saturation should not drop unless you are purposely doing hypoxy training. If you are breathing correctly you should not get the breathe deeper message. There is some techique involved in using this equipment correctly and the best way to proceed is to coach you over the telephone while you have the equipment in your hands. This is part of our service when you buy a Spirotiger from us. We'll email to arrange a time to call. Herb | ||
| Juerg Senior Member Username: Juerg Post Number: 2502 Registered: 04-2006 |
To no one. Yes if the SpO2 will drop under 93 - 94 % you stop for now and give yourself a break. Resp. You have to take a smaller bag and or a slower respiration rate. Best to start out is to let the respiration rate be free. Meaning : You put the respiration rate to start out the first few weeks to 0 ( Zero ). This will allow you to concentrate on the actual breathing properly with the diaphragm. Belly out if you inspire and belly in ( abdominal ) when you expire. As you have no respiration rate you can foccus on the bar in the middle. Remember : If the arrows show up above the bar you have to reduce a little bit the depth ( not the speed of breathing . Now as you have no pressure from a fixed frequency you can easy learn to control the depth. The key is really to learn to breath the same amount in and out. You actually like to see an increase in SpO2 if you use the Spiro fro endurance work . If you do "strength and or co-ordination you will see a drop in SpO2 when ever you get close to a intensity , where you "overload " the respiratory system. In teh basic endurance workout you like to keep good " form " technique and proper depth and saturation. You should be able to use a Bag size close to 50 +- % of the VC for endurance. 2.Never ignore the Spiro warnings as they keep pCO2 in a proper range. Exception is , if you later may plan to do a hypercapnia workout or a hypoxia workout. 3. not confused. just take the diaphram as a muscle like your leg muscles or what ever muscle. So the same question would be asked there. Well if you have a shot put athlete , would you do endurance workout for your legs or strength ? The problem as you can see with the "cook book " I sent you is exactly that , it is a cook book. We use the VO2 test info to see , what the " current " weakness is and than what the goal of the client is and than put a program together for the goals the client has. This way you work on the one side on the goal but perhaps before you can achieve the goal you may have to get rid of some weakness. Example. Your goal is more respiratory strength as a rower. The stroke rate is 38 - 42 at the end sprint and you simple only can reach 35 RR at the test. So the goal is big TV by 42 stroke rate. Before you can go big TV you have first to be able to get a better coordination . So plan would be first RR up to 60 with a small bag size . once the coordination is great you add the strength to it to reach an optimal TV in a stroke rate of 42 +. | ||
| Art_k82 Senior Member Username: Art_k82 Post Number: 142 Registered: 10-2009 |
Thank you to Herb & Juerg for all the help. I just managed a full session with "belly breathing" with the following: Bag size = 2.5L SpO2% = 97-98% RF = 25 With no alarms or dizziness. I felt challenged towards the end, I could feel the diaphragm get tired (and I reverted to the chest breathing, but forced myself to continue belly breathing consciousy). It went well!!! Thanks again. | ||
| Art_k82 Senior Member Username: Art_k82 Post Number: 144 Registered: 10-2009 |
Update, 1 week later: Spirotiger is absolutely amazing. I've used it 5x this week. Since my goal half marathon race is coming up in 6 weeks, I've decided to use the Spirotiger in a more functional manner. I'm using it for intervals of longer duration at my half marathon intensity, with the TV and RF from my recent FaCT-style VO2 intensity. As a result, I'm starting off addressing the coordination issue with my RF at that intensity. In the summer, I plan on focusing on building the endurance at a much slower respiratory cadence, in preparation for a late season half Ironman, which obviously is done at a lower RF than a half marathon is. So far, even after only 5 sessions, I've managed to go from 3 mins at the race pace RF & TV (25 rpm and 2.5L) up to 15 minutes straight until fatiguing. I think I'll try to get up to 2 x 30 mins before the half marathon and I'll be confident that breathing won't be an issue for that race. More updates later. The SpO2% finger oximeter that I got from you guys is extremely handy. |