I'm a speech language pathologist who has used expiratory muscle strength training with some of my patients with swallowing disorders. When I heard about the Breather Fit during a continuing education unit (the presenter wasn't affiliated with the company and discusssed a variety of products from various manufacturers), I was curious and decided to check it out since I am also a recreational runner.
The breather fit is both an IMST (inspiratory muscle strength) and an EMST (expiratory muscle strength) devuce. I found that the research on respiratory muscle strength training for athletes primarily focuses on inspiratory muscle strength and has generally found modest improvements in various areas including performance, although the research is far less compelling than the use of EMST in swallowing.
I was still curious, so I purchased a Breather Fit, and I've been following the protocol for 2 weeks, since March 10th.
Above, I have attached my Garmin watch's estimate of my VO2 max. Watches are not particularly good at calculating a precise VO2 max, so take the above with a grain of salt. You will see that coming off a long winter of dealing with snow, ice, and an injury, I had lost some fitness. Starting within days of when I began using the Breather Fit I regained it and then some. It should also be noted that I started training harder at that time as well, so it's impossible to say how much of the gains were due to the breather fit vs. training. I will say that my estimated VO2 max is higher than it was even at peak training a couple years ago, and I am noticing less perceived exertion at a given pace.
Now for the product itself. It does work as advertised for me, although as others have mentioned it feels a little bit cheap in the hand. My main concern is that the protocol specifies that you should be working at a seven or eight out of 10 exertion level. After 2 weeks, even with the Breather Fit on the settings to provide the most resistance, it's too easy unless I cup my hand around the intake and output ports to provide additional resistance. For reference, I'm a woman in my late 30s, living and training at 5,000 ft.
The app leaves a lot to be desired. It does a decent job of walking you through your daily exercises by telling you when to breathe in and breathe out and timing your 1 minute rest break between sets. However, for the first time in my life I have actually sort of wanted some notifications; it doesn't have the ability to remind you to do your exercises, although it can email you if you miss a few days. The protocol also specifies that you should not use the breather fit on days that you compete or have a hard work out, but there's no way to tell it that you're skipping a day for that reason, which is annoying if like me you enjoy seeing a perfect streak. As you can see in the screenshot above, the handy little infographic showing you how many tasks you've completed and how many breaths you've taken doesn't work, as I've done all of my sets for today but it's still saying zero. Contrary to some of the older reviews, however, there is an Android app.
All in all, I would say that this product is worth checking out if you're an athlete looking for that extra little edge or just easier-feeling workouts It's not a miracle device (don't look for me in the 2024 Summer Olympics), but it may be that boost you need if you want to eek out a PR this year.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 6.14 x 4.8 x 2.13 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 0.09 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 5.5 x 5.5 x 2 inches |
| Item Weight | 2.9 Ounces |
| Brand Name | Breather Fit |
| Model Name | Breather Fit |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Plastic |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | PN Medical |
| Part Number | 865202000148 |
| Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
