Taking the Breath Test
Summary
Although there is no exact definition of dysfunctional breathing it generally includes disturbances to breathing including hyperventilation or over-breathing, unexplained breathlessness, breathing pattern disorder, and/or irregularity of breathing.
Specific Traits of Dysfunctional Breathing:
Breathing through the mouth
Upper chest movement
Hearing breathing during rest
Frequent sighing
Frequent yawning
Paradoxical breathing
Easily observable breathing movement during rest
Dysfunctional breathing is not a reflection of cardiovascular fitness but it does mean that sub-optimal breathing is occurring during exercise. Research has linked dysfunctional breathing with lower back and neck pain, core dysfunction, and a higher risk of injury.
BOLT
EVALUATE AND IMPROVE YOUR BREATHING: TAKE THE BODY OXYGEN LEVEL TEST (BOLT)
Over 45 years ago, researchers discovered that they could determine relative breath volume at rest by measuring the length of time of a comfortable breath hold after exhale. Body Oxygen Level Test or BOLT score measures your breathlessness. It’s a subjective measurement that provides feedback on functional breathing and exercise tolerance, both of which are essential for athletes.
Below you will learn:
How to perform BOLT
Why a higher score reduces breathlessness
How to improve your performance and health by increasing your BOLT score
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Scientists have demonstrated that breath hold time can be used to measure sensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2). Holding your breath prevents oxygen from entering the lungs while preventing excess carbon dioxide from being expelled into the atmosphere. As you prolong your breath hold, carbon dioxide accumulates in your lungs and blood and oxygen levels slightly decrease.
The main stimulus to breathe in is CO2. As CO2 increases in your lungs and blood, your brain reacts, prompting your breathing muscles to begin breathing. The length of your comfortable breath hold is influenced by your CO2 tolerance — your “ventilatory response” to CO2.
When you have a strong ventilatory response to CO2, you’ll reach your threshold sooner, meaning a shorter breath hold time. When you have a higher tolerance and reduced ventilatory response to CO2, your breath hold will be longer. A low BOLT score indicates that your breathing receptors are sensitive to CO2. Your breathing volume will be larger, as your lungs work to remove carbon dioxide. It’s a vicious cycle in which you’re habitually breathing more air than your body needs, leaving you constantly breathless.
The good news is that breath training normalizes your tolerance to CO2 which increases your BOLT score. That’s good! You will be able to maintain calm breathing during rest, and lighter breathing during physical exercise!
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Many people begin with a low BOLT score. (I began with an 11 and improved my score to 21 in a matter of six weeks!) If you have asthma, anxiety, or panic disorder, your BOLT score may be 10 to 15 seconds. Don’t worry if you have a low score. Even elite athletes begin with a low BOLT score. That’s why breath training is so critical. It will help you improve your score quickly and you will feel the overall life-changing difference.
The BOLT score is influenced by several factors:
Chemosensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2)
Constriction in the airways of lungs (narrow airways impact breath-hold time)
How uncomfortable the diaphragm feels during the breath hold
Anxiety and other psycho-emotional influences like fear of suffocation
If you have a breathing pattern disorder, you won’t be able to hold your breath for long, but breath training will help normalize your breath so it’s light, slow, and deep.
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It’s best to rest for 5 minutes before measuring your BOLT score. Read the instructions below and have a timer handy. (You can also follow along with the video.) Give it a go now and send me your results!
Instructions:
Take a normal breath in through your nose and allow a normal breath out through your nose.
Hold your nose with your fingers to prevent air from entering your lungs.
Start your timer.
Time the number of seconds until you feel the first definite desire to breathe, or the first stresses of your body urging you to breathe. These sensations may include the need to swallow, or a constriction of the airways. You may also feel the first involuntary contractions of your breathing muscles in your abdomen or throat, as your body gives the message to resume breathing. The BOLT is not a measurement of how long you can hold your breath, but simply the time it takes for your body to react to a lack of air.
Release your nose, stop the timer, and breathe in through your nose. Your inhalation at the end of the breath hold should be calm.
Resume normal breathing.
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The ideal score for a healthy adult is 40 seconds which means you will take about 8 to 10 breaths per minute. A lower BOLT score likely indicates a greater breathing volume. The greater your breathing volume, the more breathlessness you will experience during exercise.
BOLT is below 10: Your everyday breathing is noisy, irregular, and labored. You sigh or yawn a lot and sleep is disrupted, leaving you fatigued. Breathing exercises for breathlessness will dramatically improve your health and performance.
BOLT is between 10-20: Your breathing may be compromised by a blocked nose, wheezing, or coughing. Your sleep is disrupted. Your energy and concentration are poor. Breathing exercises to increase the BOLT score will improve sleep quality, reduce breathlessness, and enhance health and fitness.
BOLT is between 20-30: Your normal breathing is quiet, calm, and effortless. A BOLT score of around 20 seconds is good. But there are benefits for health and fitness if you can improve it even more.
Taking Your BOLT Score
Taking Your BOLT Score
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After resting 5 minutes, take a normal breath in and out through your nose. Pitch your nose with your fingers to prevent air from entering your lungs.
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Start your timer. Time the number of seconds until you feel the first definite desire to breathe, or the first stresses of your body urging you to breathe.***
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Release your nose, stop the timer, and breathe in through your nose. Your inhalation at the end of the breath hold should be calm. Resume normal breathing.
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Send your results to Coach Somodi and book a free call to discuss.
***These sensations may include the need to swallow, or a constriction of the airways. You may also feel the first involuntary contractions of your breathing muscles in your abdomen or throat, as your body gives the message to resume breathing. The BOLT is not a measurement of how long you can hold your breath, but simply the time it takes for your body to react to a lack of air.
Quick BOLT Score Evaluation
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Your everyday breathing is noisy, irregular, and labored. You sigh or yawn a lot and sleep is disrupted, leaving you fatigued. Breathing exercises for breathlessness will dramatically improve your health and performance.
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Your breathing may be compromised by a blocked nose, wheezing, or coughing. Your sleep is disrupted. Your energy and concentration are poor. Breathing exercises to increase the BOLT score will improve sleep quality, reduce breathlessness, and enhance health and fitness.
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Your normal breathing is quiet, calm, and effortless. A BOLT score of around 20 seconds is good. But there are benefits for health and fitness if you can improve it even more.
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The ideal score for a healthy adult is 40 seconds which means you will take about 8 to 10 breaths per minute. A lower BOLT score likely indicates a greater breathing volume. The greater your breathing volume, the more breathlessness you will experience during exercise.
Send Coach Somodi Your Results Now
Book a Free Call to Discuss Your BOLT Score.
Final Thoughts
If you exercise regularly at a moderate intensity, it’s normal for your starting BOLT score to be around 20 seconds. Every time your BOLT score increases by five seconds, you will feel better. You’ll have more energy and your breathlessness during physical exercise will be reduced. Breath training will help to reduce your sensitivity to CO2 which is a key aspect of improving your BOLT score. You will also “reset” the breathing center in your brain, meaning reduced breathlessness during rest and exercise. Improving your BOLT score leads to greater physical endurance. When your tolerance to carbon dioxide improves, you can achieve a higher VO2 max and enhance performance, and maximize your potential.
This is just the beginning. More about your breath can be evaluated in person. Reach out to Coach Somodi to begin your breath training program today!
Or you can continue on to the Maximum Breathless Test (MBT), ideal for athletes.
MBT
GO THE EXTRA DISTANCE: MAXIMUM BREATHLESSNESS TEST
The MBT (Maximum Breathlessness Test) measures the uppermost limit of your tolerance to breathlessness. It provides valuable feedback about the maximum level of breathlessness you can withstand while playing your sport. If you use sprinting or high-intensity workouts as part of your training, MBT will help you evaluate your anaerobic capacity. This is also important if you play team sports and need to improve your repeated sprint ability.
For optimum performance in team sports, it’s essential to develop a high BOLT score and a high MBT score. In the MBT, athletes should aim for a score of 80 to 100.
HOW TO TAKE THE MBT:
Exhale normally through your nose
Pinch your nose to hold your breath
Walk at a normal pace while holding your breath
Count the maximum number of paces that you can walk with your breath held
The number of steps is your MBT score
YOUR MBT RESULTS:
Poor Breathing — 20 to 40 paces
Suboptimal Breathing — 40 to 60 paces
Good Breathing — 60 to 80
Excellent Breathing — 80+
EVALUATING YOUR MBT RESULTS
The ability to hold your breath after exhalation relies on several factors, but the main influence is your body’s chemosensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2) and the quality of your everyday breathing. Your goal is to reach 80 to 100 paces. If your score is less than 60, there is significant room for improvement and you should reach out to Coach Somodi to begin your breath training program.
