My wife has asthma. I've searched this forum for training ideas but about all I can find are threads discussing which medications are most effective. She's looking to take her training to the next level but is being hampered by the asthma. For example, if she tries some form of interval training the limiting factor isn't heart rate, it's keeping her breathing controlled enough so it doesn't trigger an asthma attack. The level that would trigger an attack seems to be below her lactate threshold as she can trigger an attack without feeling the lactate burn in her legs.
I'm thinking that her best bet is to do intervals pushing to the "attack threshold" and gradually try to increase the level of exertion required to trigger an attack. Anyone out there training with asthma that can tell me if this is a good plan??

maybe it would help if she lowered her cadence to place more of the burden on the muscular system instead of the respiratory system. I, unfortunately, have asthma also and medications are must for racing.

Maybe it's best to seek advice from her doctor so that he can prescribe a preventer to her for use before her rides or something as well as advice her on how she could go about riding and training.

I think that's the best option if you haven't already done so. But, maybe she can cross train as well and swim and ride the trainer as well so that you're there if she gets an attack.
Sorry I can't be of more help as I don't have it.

Oh yeah I remember, a friend of mine has her sister in track who has asthma and she got an attack once after a race (400m or something. can't really recall since it happened a few yrs back). I guess this girl also has asthma that's active but somehow she still can manage to train with it. Perhaps it's due to her slowly conditioning herself?


Hope it helps somehow.

is she anti-medication? there is often a refractory period after the airways react--meaning they won't react again as much--so she could do a pre-workout workout if that makes sense.

generally i'd think an inhaler 20 minutes before the ride would help alot. i've seen this work with competitive runners. especially those labeled as exercise induced asthma. I knew a guy who ran pretty well--he had an albuterol inhaler, and a steroid inhaler.

good luck
jim

Has she considered medication? My asthma is exercise-induced and I've been taking Albuterol for over 20 years with no side effects.

In theory, the problem with interval training is that there will always be a threshold. She may be able to raise her threshold, but as she gets stronger ,she'll need to elevate her output to achieve the same burn. The best way to avoid attacks- assuming no medication- is by long, slow lond-distance rides. To intensify the workout, she can incorporate some short accelerations/climbs/sprints, but she'll need to be very cognizant of her attack threshold.

It sounds like her asthma is not adequately controlled, with is a very dangerous situation to be in. I have fairly severe asthma which was diagnosed with I was in my early 30s. With an adequate treatment regimen (I'm on Advair 500/50 bid plus carry an albuterol inhaler, which I almost never need), even a severe asthmatic should not have trouble with workouts. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Amy Van Dyken, lots of great athletes with serious asthma. It is a treatable and controllable condition, and if her primary care doc isn't getting it under control then she should see a pulmonologist.

The only thing that I'm careful of is pushing hard before warming up, esp. if the air is cold or has contaminants in it (smoke, etc.). So, as someone else noted, easing into a workout and warming up adequately should be all she needs.

My wife has asthma. I've searched this forum for training ideas but about all I can find are threads discussing which medications are most effective. She's looking to take her training to the next level but is being hampered by the asthma. For example, if she tries some form of interval training the limiting factor isn't heart rate, it's keeping her breathing controlled enough so it doesn't trigger an asthma attack. The level that would trigger an attack seems to be below her lactate threshold as she can trigger an attack without feeling the lactate burn in her legs.
I'm thinking that her best bet is to do intervals pushing to the "attack threshold" and gradually try to increase the level of exertion required to trigger an attack. Anyone out there training with asthma that can tell me if this is a good plan??

Maybe there are the discussions on meds - because that's what works for people.

Has she been to a doctor?

My wife has asthma. I've searched this forum for training ideas but about all I can find are threads discussing which medications are most effective. She's looking to take her training to the next level but is being hampered by the asthma. For example, if she tries some form of interval training the limiting factor isn't heart rate, it's keeping her breathing controlled enough so it doesn't trigger an asthma attack. The level that would trigger an attack seems to be below her lactate threshold as she can trigger an attack without feeling the lactate burn in her legs.
I'm thinking that her best bet is to do intervals pushing to the "attack threshold" and gradually try to increase the level of exertion required to trigger an attack. Anyone out there training with asthma that can tell me if this is a good plan??

Along with the other good advice here, one trick I've heard is to do some "near trigger" efforts as part of the warm up, and then cool down, and go at it again. Sort of a special asthma warmup.

Along with the other good advice here, one trick I've heard is to do some "near trigger" efforts as part of the warm up, and then cool down, and go at it again. Sort of a special asthma warmup.


Good idea.

http://www.google.com/search?q=special+asthma+warmup&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Best advice...get on a maintenance program of Advair.

Some asthmatic episodes are allergy-induced. Avoiding allergens (especially foods) that you are especially sensitized to can be a big help.

After losing a friend to asthma (she was jogging and for some reason, could not administer the asthma medication/inhaler in time), I would advise consulting a doctor and having more than one inhaler with her during rides. Maybe one in her jersey pocket and one in the saddle bag. As for controlling/delaying the onset of the asthma attack, I don't know anything about that.

She's looking to take her training to the next level but is being hampered by the asthma.

She needs to see her Dr or a respiratory physician; asthma, and exercise induced asthma, can be very limiting, even career ending, in aerobic sports - vigorous aerobic exercise in cold air can precpitate wheeze, even in non-asthmatics, Anticipating asthma and using a short acting beta agonist inhaler 30-60mins before exercise can be helpful, Long acting beta agonists (LABA) taken on the morning of a ride also have supporting evidence as a next step if short acting don't work.
Don't rely on this thread - she needs medical advice tailored to her condition, it may be the difference between continuing or giving up this sport..
Here's an evidence based guideline from the UK for some background
http://www.prodigy.nhs.uk/asthma/scenario/exercise_induced_asthma?hierarchy=Id219544%2CId219 544

It sounds like her asthma is not adequately controlled, with is a very dangerous situation to be in. I have fairly severe asthma which was diagnosed with I was in my early 30s. With an adequate treatment regimen (I'm on Advair 500/50 bid plus carry an albuterol inhaler, which I almost never need), even a severe asthmatic should not have trouble with workouts. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Amy Van Dyken, lots of great athletes with serious asthma. It is a treatable and controllable condition, and if her primary care doc isn't getting it under control then she should see a pulmonologist.

The only thing that I'm careful of is pushing hard before warming up, esp. if the air is cold or has contaminants in it (smoke, etc.). So, as someone else noted, easing into a workout and warming up adequately should be all she needs.


JayTee, I have asthma and my albeuterol which i have used for about 6 years started to become less effective. i noticed over the winter months it was becoming hard to train.I stopped swimming all together .my trainer rides become really tough after 60 minutes where last year i could ride the trainer 1hr45 minutes no problem.

My doctor started me on advair. while I think it is starting to work I have also noticed a huge increase in my appetite. Is that something you noticed on advair ?

I have been going on and off the advair for about 2 months while trying to figure out if i want to use it. I am also taking singular at night.

I got really down and lost motivation when the albeterol stopped working as well as it had. So, for someone like me who has trained for years with no motivation problems it is hard to deal with.

CR

I am very puzzled that some consider asthma as a problem for bike riding ....Just look at the professional cycling teams and the fact that half of their racers use Salbutamol because of asthma, poor guys !

I am very puzzled that some consider asthma as a problem for bike riding ....Just look at the professional cycling teams and the fact that half of their racers use Salbutamol because of asthma, poor guys !

It's not puzzling at all if someone hasss asthma and is having problems with it dude. :rolleyes:

Nobody wants it but they have it and it affects some of them.

I'm just glad I don't have it.

I was naturally not talking about people with REAL asthma !!!!