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In running, many runners rely primarily on heart rate, pace, or perceived exertion to manage their training intensity. However, these indicators are often inaccurate: heat, fatigue, stress, or cardiac drift can completely distort training. Breathing, on the other hand, reflects in real time how your body produces energy. This is why ventilatory thresholds (VT1 & VT2) are extremely reliable benchmarks for structuring a runner's training. 1. Why breathing is a powerful tool for

Why track progress other than through power? Most athletes assess their progress using: the FTP , the average speed , power on the climb , heart rate , or simply their feelings. These indicators are useful…But they measure performance , not physiology . But what truly makes an athlete progress is how they: its metabolism uses fats, its mitochondria adapt, Its ventilation becomes more efficient. Its thresholds are shifting. 👉 Ventilatory thresholds (VT1 & VT2) are the m

For a long time, female physiology was largely studied using male models. However, when analyzing respiration, energy systems, and ventilatory thresholds, significant differences emerge between women and men — and these have a direct impact on training. Understanding these specificities allows for smarter training, better load management and improved performance while reducing the risk of chronic fatigue. 1. Respiratory differences between women and men: what science says 🔹

Breathing as the most reliable guide Why is there so much talk about Zone 2? Zone 2 has become one of the most popular intensities in endurance training. And for good reason: it's the zone that most develops the capacity to burn fat , improves basic endurance, strengthens mitochondria, stabilizes the nervous system, and prepares you for all other types of exertion. But there is a major problem: 👉 Many athletes think they are in Zone 2… when they are already too high. Power

Why monitor your breathing to avoid overtraining? Overtraining never happens "all at once." It develops gradually from an imbalance between: training load, recovery, daily stress nutrition, sleep. The problem? Most classic indicators — heart rate, sensations, power — react late . Breathing, however, changes from the first metabolic disturbances , well before fatigue becomes visible. 👉 This is one of the earliest and most reliable signals to anticipate overtraining. 1. Why

Why talk about respiratory individualization? Two cyclists can have: the same FTP , the same maximum heart rate , the same speed uphill , …and yet have completely different physiological profiles . The reason? 👉 We each have our own unique physiology. And this difference directly influences: the use of energy sectors, the placement of thresholds, effort management, the ability to sustain an intensity, overall performance. Respiratory analysis helps to understand how you

The real impact of breathing on your metabolism Why talk about fat burning? “Burning fat” is one of the most misunderstood topics in sports and health. Many people think that: It depends solely on the heart rate. or solely the intensity of the effort, or that the combustion zone is the same for everyone. In reality, breathing is the best indicator of the fuel used by your body . Your breath reveals precisely whether you are burning fat, carbohydrates… or a mixture of both .

Why is breathing key to a good strategy in cyclosportive events? On a hilly cyclosportive event, the difficulty isn't just physical: it comes from managing the intensity . Too hard on the first climbs, and you'll burn out. Too cautious, and you'll lose precious time. Most cyclists rely on power or heart rate. But these two indicators don't tell you how your metabolism is actually reacting . Breathing, on the other hand, reveals in real time: whether you primarily burn fat o

Why study respiration to understand its energy pathways? When you cycle, run or swim, your body can produce energy in several different ways: by burning lipids , carbohydrates , or via anaerobic mechanisms when the effort becomes intense. Most athletes are familiar with these energy systems…But few know that your breathing reflects exactly which one is being used at any given moment . Breathing is a direct window into your metabolism. By analyzing it correctly, we can det

Why compare field testing and laboratory testing? For a long time, measuring one's respiration and physiological thresholds (VT1, VT2) required a laboratory test , with a bulky mask, gas analyzers, a calibrated ergocycle and specialized personnel. Today, lighter devices allow these measurements to be carried out directly in the field , indoors as well as outdoors. But the two approaches do not give exactly the same result — and each has its advantages. This post helps you u

Why measure your true physiological zones? To progress effectively on a bike, everything depends on your training zones . They determine: your endurance outings, your tempo sessions, your work at the threshold, your high intensity, Your pacing strategy in cyclosportive events. The problem? The majority of cyclists still use estimated zones: heart rate (often inaccurate), FTP (performance, not physiology), or generic formulas. 👉 To precisely target the right intensities, yo

🎯 Why talk about respiratory analysis? Defining your training zones correctly is essential for progress, avoiding overtraining, and optimizing your workload. But most athletes still use: formulas based on maximum heart rate (often inaccurate), FTP percentages , or field tests that measure performance… but not physiology. Respiratory analysis, on the other hand, directly measures how your body produces its energy . It is the most reliable method for identifying your true

Long endurance runs are often touted as the “fat-burning zone.” But in reality, it’s not the power zone, nor the heart rate, nor even the duration that determines whether you’re burning fat… 👉 That's your breathing. During a long workout, your breathing reveals exactly where your energy is coming from—fats, carbohydrates, or a mix of both—and how your body is managing the effort. Here's what your breathing really says about your metabolism. 1. Breathing reveals the fat/ca

In team sports — football, rugby, basketball, handball, hockey — performance does not depend solely on speed or power. It depends above all on your ability to string together intermittent efforts : accelerations, sprints, jumps, duels, changes of direction… and then quickly return to a stable breathing state to repeat these efforts again and again. Breathing is at the heart of this ability. Better yet: it is an immediate indicator of your internal state, often much more re

Breathing plays a central role in athletic performance — and in women, certain physiological parameters directly influence how effort is perceived, sustained, and recovered. These differences are neither limitations nor systematic advantages: they are physiological characteristics that must be understood in order to better structure training. Here's what science shows... and how to use it in the field. 1. Women breathe differently… because their respiratory mechanics differ

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Ventilatory thresholds VT1 and VT2 are the most reliable physiological benchmarks for structuring a precise and truly personalized training plan. Unlike zones based solely on heart rate or power, ventilatory thresholds reflect the body's internal response : acidosis, CO₂ tolerance, metabolic stress, and respiratory stability. Building a plan from VT1/VT2 means aligning what you do with what your body is actually experiencing . Here's how to structure an effective, reproduc

In performance analysis, two main approaches exist to determine physiological zones: 1️⃣ blood lactate measurement, 2️⃣ ventilatory analysis, via the VT1 and VT2 thresholds. Both can be useful. But when we talk about reproducibility — that is, the ability of a test to produce the same result under the same conditions — scientific research is unequivocal: 👉 Breath tests are significantly more reliable than lactate tests . Here's why. 1. Lactate is extremely sensitive to ex

For decades, lactate tests have been used to assess endurance performance. However, recent research shows that ventilatory thresholds , VT1 and VT2, are often more reliable , more reproducible, and more predictive of actual performance—especially in the field. This is why breathing has become a central indicator for understanding — and improving — athletic performance. 1. Ventilatory thresholds are directly linked to energy pathways VT1 and VT2 correspond to specific metabo

For a long time, the lactate test was considered the reference for determining training zones for endurance athletes. But in recent years, respiratory analysis – particularly via the ventilatory thresholds VT1 and VT2 – has established itself as a simpler, more reproducible and better-suited alternative to the field. So, can we really replace the lactate test with a ventilatory test? Here is a clear, scientific and practical analysis. 1. Lactate vs. respiration: two measureme