Last week I mentioned that I helped develop a very useful new breathing tool called an Inspiratory Flow Trainer. It measures and trains how fast you can take air in. This is very useful for musicians, of course, because we are often faced with taking a breath where there’s no place for a breath.
One study at Chicago Medical School by Dr. George Tzelepis had subjects train inspiratory flow by performing 30 sets of three maximal inspiratory breaths with no resistance. After training five days a week for six weeks, the subjects increased their maximal inspiratory flow by an average of 17 percent.
This affordable, highly portable trainer allows us me to try this training myself. The parameters will be similar: 30 breaths a day, 5 days a week, for six weeks. I’ll check in periodically and post about the experience. If I can improve even 10 percent it will be well worth it!
Check out the video below for more information about the trainer—