Science – CHASKi

The Science of Breathing: How RMT Enhances Aerobic Power and Delays Fatigue

by Consuelo SotoEnglish, Science May 23, 2025May 23, 2025No Comments

When endurance athletes hit a plateau, they often look to tweak training intensity, diet, or recovery. But one critical and often overlooked component might be holding them back: respiratory muscle function. The muscles that power our breathing—like the diaphragm and intercostals—are trainable, and targeted respiratory muscle training (RMT) can deliver measurable performance gains, even for already well-trained …

Why VO₂max Is the Health Metric Everyone Should Track—Not Just Athletes

by Consuelo SotoEnglish, Science May 7, 2025May 9, 2025No Comments

In the world of endurance sports, VO₂max—the maximal rate of oxygen consumption during intense exercise—has long been used to gauge aerobic performance. But what if we told you this number isn’t just about who wins the race? It’s also one of the strongest predictors of how long and how well you’ll live. For coaches, athletes and anyone …

CHASKi: A Wearable Game-Changer for Endurance Athletes

by Consuelo SotoEnglish, Science February 19, 2025February 20, 2025No Comments

Revolutionizing Performance Monitoring with CHASKi For endurance athletes, understanding ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2) is crucial for optimizing training and maximizing performance. Traditionally, these thresholds are measured using ergospirometry—an accurate but cumbersome lab-based method. Now, with CHASKi, you can access the same gold-standard data in the field. But how well does it stack up against …

Why Heart Rate Alone Isn’t Enough: Rethinking Performance Metrics

by Renee LeathermanEnglish, Science January 30, 2025No Comments

For decades, heart rate has been the go-to metric for athletes and coaches aiming to optimize performance. It’s convenient, widely accessible, and often seen as a universal marker of effort. However, heart rate is far from perfect. Recent research, including findings from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (Tocco, 2015), highlights significant limitations of …

Ventilatory Thresholds vs. Lactate Thresholds: Are They Competitors or Complementary Metrics?

by Renee LeathermanEnglish, Science January 30, 2025No Comments

Ventilatory Threshold and Lactate: Complementary Metrics for Smarter Training In the world of endurance training, metrics reign supreme. From heart rate to power output, athletes rely on data to refine their training strategies and achieve peak performance. Among these metrics, ventilatory threshold (VT) and blood lactate levels stand out as two of the most insightful …

HIIT vs. Sprint Intervals: How to Optimize VO₂max for Endurance Athletes

by Consuelo SotoEnglish, Science November 19, 2024November 26, 2024No Comments

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) is the cornerstone of endurance performance, and two recent studies confirm that aerobic high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is superior to sprint interval training (SIT) in improving VO₂max for both men and women. For endurance coaches and self-educated athletes, these findings offer critical insights into structuring training programs for peak performance. Key Findings From …

Unlocking Performance Gains: The Power of Personalized Training Zones with CHASKi

by Consuelo SotoEnglish, Science October 28, 2024October 28, 2024No Comments

Understanding the science behind exercise testing and training intensity zones is key to optimizing performance for endurance athletes. At CHASKi, we emphasize the value of data-driven training based on ventilatory thresholds, and today we’ll explore why testing and threshold-based training are so impactful. We’ll also dive into a cyclist’s case study, showcasing how CHASKi helped …

Introduction to Breathwork for Endurance Athletes

by Renee LeathermanEnglish, Science October 26, 2024October 26, 2024No Comments

Research suggests that controlled, deliberate breathing patterns can dramatically affect sports outcomes. For instance, specific breathing techniques have been shown to enhance endurance performance by improving oxygen utilization and delaying the onset of fatigue[1]. Other studies have documented how different breathing techniques can either enhance or impair athletic performance, depending on their application, underscoring the …

Could Respiratory Rate Serve as a Superior Indicator of Physical Effort?

by Renee LeathermanEnglish, Science September 4, 2024September 27, 2024No Comments

Metrics like heart rate, speed, and power have long been the gold standard for monitoring physical effort during exercise. However, emerging research suggests that respiratory rate (RR) could be a more reliable and insightful marker of exercise intensity. As coaches and athletes seek the most effective ways to optimize training, understanding the role of respiratory …

Knowing When to Rest: How to Avoid Overtraining by Monitoring Recovery and Respiratory Rate

by Consuelo SotoEnglish, Science August 23, 2024August 23, 2024No Comments

Proper rest and recovery are essential components of any successful training program. At CHASKi, we believe that understanding when to take a break can help athletes avoid the pitfalls of overtraining. This post explores the principles of recovery, the differences between overreaching and overtraining, and how respiratory rate (RR) can serve as an indicator of …

Category: Science