Why Train Breathing for Altitude with Funny Face Myo?

Altitude has a way of exposing every shortcut in our breathing. A steady pace at sea level can feel clumsy on a mountain trail. Sleep can become lighter. The same climb can feel harder, not because fitness disappeared, but because the body is working with less available oxygen.

That is where breathing training becomes useful.

As an Oxygen Advantage certified instructor, I use breathing techniques to help people prepare for altitude in a practical, measurable way. The goal is not to “hack” the mountain or replace proper acclimatisation. The goal is to build better breathing habits, improve tolerance to air hunger, and help the body respond more calmly when oxygen availability drops.

This post explains why altitude breath training matters, what Funny Face Myo sessions may include, and a few facts that make this work so interesting.

Breathing practice can start long before the climb begins.

What changes when we go to altitude?

At altitude, the percentage of oxygen in the air stays about the same, around 21%. What changes is barometric pressure. As we go higher, the pressure drops, so each breath delivers less oxygen pressure into the lungs.

That means the body has to work harder to maintain oxygen supply.

Common responses include:

• Faster breathing

• Higher heart rate

• More noticeable breathlessness

• Lighter or interrupted sleep

• Reduced pace or power output

• A stronger urge to gasp or mouth breathe

  
  

These responses are normal. The body is trying to adapt. Over time, acclimatisation can support better oxygen transport, changes in breathing control, and improved tolerance to lower oxygen availability.

Breathing training does not create full acclimatisation on its own. It can help prepare the nervous system and breathing muscles for some of the feelings that come with altitude. That preparation can make a big difference in how someone manages effort, pacing, and recovery.

Why Funny Face Myo is used for altitude preparation

Oxygen Advantage is a breathing method developed around functional breathing, nasal breathing, breath-hold exercises, and tolerance to carbon dioxide. It is often used in sport, health, and performance settings because it gives people a structured way to assess and train breathing patterns.

One of the core ideas is simple: better breathing is not always more breathing.

At altitude, many people react to breathlessness by breathing harder and faster than needed. This can feel reassuring for a moment, but it may also increase tension, dry the airways, and make pacing harder. If breathing becomes chaotic early, the climb can feel more stressful than it needs to be.

Funny Face Myo sessions often focus on:

• Restoring calm, light nasal breathing

• Reducing unnecessary upper-chest breathing

• Improving tolerance to the sensation of air hunger

• Using breath holds in a safe, progressive way

• Building awareness of breathing during movement

• Practising recovery strategies between efforts

  
  

This work is useful for a summit, hiking, altitude sports, BOLT assessment practice, and anyone who wants to feel more prepared before heading above their usual elevation.

The aim is control. Not forced control, but the kind that helps breathing stay quiet, efficient, and responsive when conditions change.

The role of carbon dioxide is more interesting than most people think

Oxygen gets the attention, but carbon dioxide plays a key role in breathing and oxygen delivery.

Carbon dioxide is not just waste gas. It helps regulate blood pH and influences how readily oxygen is released from haemoglobin into working tissues. This is commonly linked to the Bohr effect, a basic physiology principle that explains how oxygen unloading changes depending on carbon dioxide and acidity in the body.

When someone overbreathes, carbon dioxide can drop. That can affect the balance of breathing chemistry and may increase sensations such as light-headedness, tingling, or tightness. At altitude, where breathing already tends to increase, learning to stay calm with air hunger can be helpful.

This is one reason Oxygen Advantage uses reduced breathing and breath-hold work. The exercises are designed to create a controlled, manageable sensation of air hunger. Over time, the person learns that the feeling is not automatically a threat. They can remain relaxed, breathe through the nose, and recover with more skill.

The goal is not to hold the breath as long as possible. The goal is to improve the quality of breathing before, during, and after effort.

Nasal breathing helps make training specific and measurable.

What the BOLT score can tell us

We often uses the BOLT score, short for Body Oxygen Level Test. It is a simple breath-hold assessment done after a normal exhale, not after a big inhale.

The BOLT score is not a contest and it is not the same as maximum breath-hold time. It gives a general indication of how sensitive someone may be to the build-up of carbon dioxide and the first clear urge to breathe.

A lower BOLT score often suggests a stronger sensitivity to air hunger. A higher score may suggest better tolerance and calmer breathing control. In practice, it gives us a starting point.

A session may include a BOLT check at the beginning, then repeat it later over weeks of training. The number is useful, but the real value comes from pairing it with lived experience:

• Does nasal breathing feel easier during warm-ups?

• Does the person recover faster after a climb or interval?

• Can they stay calmer when the trail gets steep?

• Is sleep or resting breathing improving?

• Does breathlessness feel less alarming?

  
  

Progress is not only a score. It is also the ability to breathe well when things get harder.

What an Funny Face altitude session may look like

A good session should feel structured, safe, and specific. It should not feel like random breath holds or a race to see who can tolerate the most discomfort.

Here is what a typical session may include.

We start with breathing awareness

The first step is observation. We look at how the person breathes at rest and sometimes during light movement.

This may include:

• Nose or mouth breathing

• Upper chest movement

• Breathing rate

• Posture and tension

• Recovery after mild effort

• Comfort during nasal breathing

  
  

Many people are surprised by how much tension shows up in the jaw, shoulders, neck, and upper chest. Releasing that tension can change the whole breathing pattern.

We measure a baseline

A BOLT score may be used as a baseline. This gives both the coach and client a reference point.

The test is simple, but it must be done correctly. It stops at the first definite desire to breathe, not at the point of strain. That distinction matters.

The body should recover calmly after the test. If someone needs to gasp, they held too long.

We practise light nasal breathing

Efficient nasal breathing is the core focus at Funny Face . The nose warms, filters, and humidifies incoming air. It also contributes to nitric oxide production in the nasal passages, which plays a role in airway and blood vessel function.

During altitude preparation, nasal breathing can help create a calmer rhythm. It encourages a slower, more controlled breath and can reduce the tendency to overbreathe during easy to moderate effort.

That does not mean the mouth is never used. At very high intensities, many athletes will breathe through the mouth. The training goal is to expand the range where nasal breathing remains comfortable.

We add reduced breathing

Reduced breathing exercises create mild to moderate air hunger while staying relaxed. This may be done sitting, standing, walking, or during gentle movement.

The key word is mild.

If the exercise becomes panicked, tense, or competitive, it misses the point. The body should learn calm control, not threat.

We use breath holds carefully

Funny Face includes breath-hold exercises that may simulate some of the sensations associated with reduced oxygen availability. These can be done during walking or simple movement, depending on the person’s experience and health status.

For altitude preparation, breath holds may help train:

• Air hunger tolerance

• Recovery breathing

• Mental calm under discomfort

• Awareness of pacing

• Breathing control after effort

  
  

Breath holds should always be approached with care. They should not be practised in water, while driving, or in any unsafe setting. Anyone with medical conditions should speak with a qualified health professional before starting.

Sessions are practical, progressive, and based on control.

Why this matters before a climb or trip

Altitude can be humbling because it changes the rules. Strong legs help, but they do not guarantee comfort. A high aerobic base helps, but breathing behaviour still matters.

Training the breath before travelling can support three useful skills.

Better pacing

When breathing becomes frantic, pace often follows. People surge, stop, gasp, then repeat the same pattern. Breath training can help create a steadier rhythm.

That rhythm is valuable on long climbs, ski tours, trekking days, and high-altitude races.

Better recovery

Recovery is not just about stopping. It is about how fast the body can return to a manageable state.

If a person can bring breathing under control sooner after a steep section, they may feel more confident continuing. This can reduce the mental stress that builds when every effort feels unpredictable.

Better confidence with discomfort

Air hunger can trigger anxiety, especially for people who have never felt it before. Controlled breathing exercises introduce that sensation in a safe way.

This does not make altitude easy. It makes the sensations more familiar.

Familiar sensations are easier to manage.

A few interesting facts about breathing and altitude

Altitude training often gets simplified into “less oxygen.” The real picture is more layered.

The air still contains about 21% oxygen

This surprises many people. The oxygen percentage is not the main change. The lower pressure at altitude means the oxygen is less available with each breath.

The urge to breathe is strongly linked to carbon dioxide

Most of the time, the drive to breathe is influenced more by carbon dioxide levels than oxygen levels. At altitude, oxygen matters more than usual, but carbon dioxide still plays a major role in the breathing response.

The nose is more than an air pipe

Nasal breathing helps condition the air before it reaches the lungs. This matters in cold, dry mountain environments where mouth breathing can dry the throat and airways quickly.

Acclimatisation takes time

No breathing method can skip the need for smart ascent planning. Gradual exposure, sleep, hydration, nutrition, and appropriate pacing all matter. Breath training supports preparation, but it does not replace mountain judgment.

Breathlessness is not always a sign of poor fitness

Fit people can struggle at altitude. Breathing pattern, acclimatisation history, sleep, iron status, pace, stress, and individual response all play a role. Two people with similar fitness can feel very different on the same route.

Who may benefit from this kind of training?

Oxygen Advantage altitude preparation may be useful for people who are planning or participating in:

• Mountain hiking and trekking

• Ski touring or snowshoeing

• Trail running at elevation

• Cycling trips in mountain regions

• Climbing or mountaineering objectives

• Travel to high-elevation destinations

• Field work or guiding in mountain terrain

  
  

It can also help people who notice that they breathe heavily during moderate exercise, rely on mouth breathing early, or feel anxious when breathlessness rises.

The best time to start is before the trip. A few rushed sessions right before departure may teach useful tools, but breathing patterns change best with regular practice.

Safety comes first

Breathing training should be adjusted to the person. Breath holds and reduced breathing are not suitable for every situation.

Extra care is needed for people who are pregnant, have unmanaged high blood pressure, heart conditions, fainting history, panic disorder, epilepsy, significant respiratory conditions, or any medical concern that could make breath-hold work unsafe.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. For personal guidance, especially with health conditions or high-altitude travel plans, speak with a qualified health professional.

Breathing work supports preparation, but the mountain still deserves respect.

The real goal of training the breath

Training the breath for altitude is not about chasing extreme breath holds or pretending the body does not need oxygen. It is about building a calmer relationship with breathing under stress.

With Ashley at Funny Face Myo, the work is measurable, progressive, and practical. We assess breathing, practise nasal and reduced breathing, build air hunger tolerance, and apply it to movement. Over time, the goal is to arrive at altitude with more awareness, more control, and better tools for managing effort.

The mountain still decides the conditions. Good breathing helps us meet those conditions with a steadier body and a clearer mind.

Want to Feel Prepared??? Contact Ashley to set up your myofunctional & airway evaluation - virtual or in person. funnyfacemyotherapy@gmail.com