I am 56 years old and have done bike racing for four years. A couple of months ago I began to breathe through my nose while exercising. When I breathe with my mouth the air ends up in my chest and my energy decreases. Lately, I have been putting in 200, 300 and even 425 km (125, 185, 265 miles) in a day. I would not have been able to do that if I hadn't begun breathing through my nose. Now, I'm training to bike a 1230 km-race (765-mile) in France next year.

Nose breathing gives me several important advantages:

• I experience much more power in my legs
• I have more energy throughout my body
• I don't have to inhale cold air deep into my lungs because the air is warmed in my nose
• I oxygenate my body in a whole new way
• My body is much calmer
• I have a much more pleasant time biking
• I don't strain my body as much
• My recovery is much faster

Harder to wind down after working out with an open mouth

Another thing that has become clear to me is how important it is to start calmly. If I start a stretch too hard and fast, I struggle to achieve decent nasal breathing. It's hard to find a rhythm which affects the whole workout.

I also notice how I have a much harder time winding down after high-intensity exercise where my mouth is open. The recovery takes much longer.