Lung Capacity... how to improve it.

[Loisaida]

My job requires that i be fit to wear a respirator. In order to be declared fit, i need to pass a lung capacity test (i think that's what it's called). The one where you blow like a maniac into a little tube. Anyway, i've never done very well on it, despite the fact i'm in pretty decent shape (i run, surf, bike, lift weights etc). But on the most recent test i'm bombed, completely and i tried it 8 times. I need to take the test again in 2 months.

Is there anything i can do to improve capacity? And why is this such a factor? I am clearly more aerobically fit than most of my bloated, desk jockey coworkers who easily pass.

thanks for any tips.

oh, i'm 39 male 6' 172lbs. don't smoke.

 

[HBNative]

I'm no expert, but I remember reading something (for training I was doing at the time) that said you can do deep breathing exercises where you inhale and exhale to the greatest extreme possible. You do sets of 5 slow repetitions. The idea is that it will allow you to use a greater percentage of your lung capacity more effectively. Try exhaling as far as you can right now - you'll probably find that you start coughing or something when your lungs begin to feel very empty. With some exercise, you'll expand that limit. It seemed to work a little for me, although I wasn't too disciplined about it. Good luck!

 

[ES]

No smoke em pipe of peace any more my child.

 

[SurfDoc]

A common question posed in an unusual way. Often I'm asked about holding the breath longer for surfing in bigger waves, but in the old days I did a lot of work comp. and studied respirator qualifications.

Unfortunately, there is only one answer here. You have the lungs that mother nature gave you. There won't be much improving on that. Lungs don't grow like muscles. Sorry.

 

[Landloct]

There was a device reviewed in a lot of biking mags about a year ago that claimed to improve lung capacity by having you blow or suck through a tube which obstructed your breathing in some way.
It was some stupid price like $80, but maybe you could try packing a plastic tube with sponge or something and blowing through it to get the same (claimed) effect for cheap.
Like Surfdoc said though, you're pretty much stuck with what you've got.

Quick google search found it:
http://www.ultrabreathe.com/ubintro.htm

 

[HBNative]

I wonder if doing exercises with that gizzmo helps inprove diaphram strength or something that less directly affects (what feels like) lung capacity?

 

[highline rider]

I dont think lung capacity can be increased. I think you can maybe make your body more efficient with its use of oxygen. When in swim season we do laps underwater, and hypoxic swimming. TO prepare your body for breath holding or something like it, do not hyper ventilate, instead take deep breaths, making sure to exhale as much as you can, and right before you go under, take a medium sized breath, this will prevent you from wanting to exhale right way.

 

[GWS]

An old fighters trick for increasing lung capacity was running wind sprints. High intensity, short bursts of speed. Maximum effort. Try running wind sprints in the soft sand for 50 yards, walk the next 50 yards, sprint the next 50, and so on. I was told that this would “break up and clear out” some of the crap collecting in your lungs thus increasing lung capacity by giving you more “usable space.” I don’t know if this is true or not. Like I said, this is just something I was told. Try it. Just don’t give yourself a heart attack doing it.