I first saw Airofit online and immediately thought how interesting – basically lung training from the inside out.

So many of us do the aerobic training, the weight training, the stretching – but how often do we directly train our lungs? What a novel, yet simple concept.

AirofitDesertClimbing+FlyingRMA

Like many climbers I train however I can, wherever I am living at the time. If there are rocks, great, mountains even better. Bicycling always good and a swim in the sea is never to be missed. But it is all external training.

It isn’t something that directly impacts and trains our lungs to take in more air quickly, have greater capacity, and then expel it rapidly and get some more. Breathing is so simple, and so often overlooked.

Yet for climbers, and particularly for those hiking or climbing into the heights, it only makes sense. And it isn’t something you have to add another activity, take much time for or even get hot and sweaty doing.

So I got an Airofit and started using it. Easy, a session or two, 15 minutes a day. And just while sitting around in the mornings or evenings, not while being active.

First, it was a moment in time, where you can focus only on your breathing. A break in the day and a moment where you do something for yourself.

The app was easy and intuitive, provided lots of options: breathing in circles, in diamonds, and even ‘elevation.’ There was plenty to train with. And ways to make it more challenging.

Then I was three weeks into using Airofit and took a lung test, breathing in deeply, and out deeply.

My lung capacity had gone from 5.5 liters up to 8.1 liters in just under a month.

That was a lot more air to put it simply.

More importantly, I could feel it. Stronger inhalations, faster exhalations and more powerful breathing. I went from one underwater length of our pool to two, just to test it. Something was certainly working.

Logic says that training our lungs like this can only be a good thing. And as a high-altitude climber, more relevant than ever.

Airofit Desert Robert Mads Anderson

More recently, I’ve found the breathing exercises go very well in the desert. A lone ridge provides both great climbing and great lift as the winds come across the desert. Few things in life can match a mornings flying over the sands of the Arabian dunes. In between, it is very good to build up the lung capacity with Airofit while transitioning between activities and waiting for the winds to increase.

I’m looking forward to an Antarctic season soon, to see how I fare. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the ability to take in more air and go up a grade or two at the climbing wall.

If you want the back story on how Airofit went from helping professional singers to helping professional athletes, a short video from the founder is here.

And if you are into the science, you can find that here.

And if like me, you just want to try it out, you can buy one here.

You will get 10% off with the link and if you get up Everest without oxygen after using it, I can buy you a beverage with the small commission I earn.