Lung capacity
I am a 40-year-old non-smoker and consider myself extremely fit. I do four hours of demanding exercise a week and am very muscular. My problem is with circuit training. Although I am the fittest woman in the group, I also have the most trouble keeping up. I feel as if I do not get enough oxygen to my lungs. Recent x-rays showed the heart and lungs were healthy and clear so what kind of alternative therapy do you think might help?
You know from your recent tests that everything works structurally so what you need to look at is why you feel you are not using your lungs to their full capacity. As you are so keen on fitness, I would recommend you try a dynamic form of yoga which puts the emphasis on a special kind of breathing which, once you have learned to do it, is both calming and invigorating and which retrains the body to use the full capacity of the lungs.
It is called ujjayi breathing and when you practise it, it sounds like the sea lapping the shore. It is an integral part of astanga yoga, which is the fashionable form now practised by the likes of Madonna, Jodie Foster, and Sting - but which does not deserve the bad press it gets. People who have never tried it think it is macho and contrary to the ethos of yoga practice. It is all these things and worse, if you get the wrong teacher.
Astanga is every bit as demanding as your circuit training but in a completely different way. You do sweat, which is a sign of releasing toxins, and to my mind, this type of whole body exercise makes a lot more sense than haring around the gym competing with others in your class.
The breathing is so important that the teachers say you could practise the postures for two hours and get no benefits or you could simply sit and do ujjayi breathing for two hours and would walk away feeling fantastic.
I recently investigated another excellent but little-known therapy that showed me I was not using the top part of my lungs when I breathe. Devised by an American doctor, Zero Balancing is a hands-on technique that works with energy and body structure. It is usually practised by osteopaths and other bodyworkers, and works on a physical, mental and spiritual level. For me, it has completely changed my awareness of how I breathe and might just do the same for you.
*Oxford is the UK home of astanga yoga which was only introduced to Britain in the last 10 years. There are still only a small number of recommended teachers. For a list of their classes and workshops, visit www.yoga.co.uk or send an SAE to Ian Macdonald, 14 Chalfont Road, Oxford OX2 6TH. You can also contact Ian by phoning 01865-42134 or emailing macdonaldreynell@ntlworld.com.
*For more details of Zero Balancing and to find a practitioner near you, contact the Zero Balancing Association (UK) on 01308-420325. Sessions last 40 minutes and cost from £25.