The Best Cyclist in the World with COPD

Darcy has a Garmon watch where he tracks his health data closely. In his cycling, he aims to be the “best cyclist in the world with COPD.” 

I am not sure which competition he will enter to receive this award, but it is an admirable and lofty goal!

It does bring to the fore the concept of what you can do to improve your breathing if you have COPD which can sit alongside pharmaceuticals.

You may think this is holistic whackery quackery.

Absolutely not!

In a recent study “Modern approaches of rehabilitation in COPD patients,” (Published in the Special Journal of the Medical Academy and other Life Sciences, 2023) the authors acknowledge that the primary approach in the past has been “pharmacological interventions and symptom management,” but there has been a shift towards more “comprehensive rehabilitation programmes.”

Exercising improves COPD symptoms in a number of ways.

1. The more you exercise, the greater your exercise capacity. More simply, you get fitter.
2. Reduce breathlessness and increase lung capacity (VO2 Max - which I talk more about in a previous blog).
3. Improve muscle strength.
4. Improved mental health.

The type of exercise you do will depend on your general fitness and levels of COPD.  A combination of cardio and muscle building is good.

In one study with COPD patients, scientists showed that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was even more effective than continuous exercise training for respiratory improvements.

There are many ways you can incorporate HIIT training into your daily life, (which will also build muscle).

Here are some to try:

• Power walking for a minute, followed by more relaxed walking for 2 minutes, or you could do alternating lamp posts which is fun.
• Body weight exercises for 1-minute followed by a 1-minute rest – you could set yourself up with a circuit:
  • Body weight squats – with a chair for support if needed.
  • Star jumps or skipping.
  • Burpees (remember you can do these slowly getting up from the ground, I am no speedster doing these 😊).
  • Push-ups (these can be modified on your knees) or incline push-ups, where you push up off a table or bench.
  • Sit ups (full or partial).
• Dancing, find your favourite music, dance a song and rest a song!

Start off slowly, if you can only do one or two cycles at the start (5 minutes), that’s five minutes more than someone sitting on the couch!

Good luck and I would love to hear what you want to become best in the world at with COPD (like Darcy).

All the best, Anna and Darcy.

If you would like to discuss any of this further, please contact Darcy or Anna (who you can contact at +64 27 599 2255 or +64 27 4861418 respectively) or via info@zesttwellness.com.