Respiratory control, respiratory sensations and cycling endurance after respiratory muscle endurance training

Respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) was shown to increase endurance performance in healthy subjects. Reduced adverse respiratory sensations might contribute to this improvement. In the present study, we aimed to assess the relationship between changes in respiratory sensations and changes in ventilation and endurance performance after RMET. Fourteen healthy subjects completed either forty 15-min RMETs (n = 8) or did no training (control, n = 6). Respiratory endurance increased significantly after RMET while breathlessness and respiratory exertion were significantly reduced. Cycling endurance did not change while average ventilation was increased and perception of respiratory exertion was reduced. We conclude that (1) RMET reduces adverse respiratory sensations during isolated and exercise-induced hyperpnea even in the face of increased respiratory drive, and (2) the reduction in adverse respiratory sensations after RMET does not per se cause an increase in endurance performance. Whether the reduced perception of adverse respiratory sensations during exercise after RMET might be the cause of the increased respiratory drive remains to be clarified.