Weightlifting Breathing Masks

Weightlifting breathing masks are designed with the idea that if you have to work harder to breathe, your respiratory system muscles will be stronger, making your workout more effective. The problem with this is that your muscles need a steady flow of as much oxygen as possible when you’re working out, especially during intense workouts. A better solution to improve your performance is the AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece. Our mouthpiece helps your muscles get more of what they need—oxygen—instead of less.

The AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece was perfected over a period of 15 years by its designer, Dr. Dena Garner of The Citadel in South Carolina. It was tested on elite athletes and cadets at The Citadel while researchers focused on its effects on lactate, cortisol, and reaction times, as well as the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange during steady state exercise by healthy individuals. 

Continue reading to see the theory behind weightlifting breathing masks, why they don’t do what they’re supposed to, whether workout oxygen masks are worth the hype, and to learn more about how the AIRWAAV works.

The theory behind so-called weightlifting breathing masks is based on high-altitude training beliefs that came into popularity during studies about 50 years ago after the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, a high-altitude location. During these high-altitude Olympics games, many records were broken in both endurance sports and sprints. When the effect of training in high altitudes was studied, it was discovered that the thinner atmosphere provided the same amount of air per breath, but there were fewer oxygen molecules in each breath. This led the body to use oxygen more efficiently and perform better in full-oxygen locations at lower levels. 

The weightlifting breathing masks also provide less oxygen per breath, but the difference is that it also provides less air per breath. It forces your body to work harder and you lose your breath more quickly than without the mask on. That’s because your muscles need oxygen to perform, and the more oxygen they get, the better they perform. The additional strength your respiratory system may achieve because of the difficulty of breathing through a weightlifting breathing mask does not make up for the lack of oxygen and the low O2/CO2 exchange rate. In short, it causes weaker muscles, lower performance, and less endurance.

The AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece, on the other hand, was created to expand your airway so you get more oxygen to your muscles when you’re lifting. There are two specific features of the mouthpiece that work together to open your airway wider than normal. 

The first feature is the bite plate, which is custom-fit by you to fit your lower molars. Our patented VistaMaxx material can be molded to fit your teeth, which helps keep the mouthpiece in place when you are lifting. As you clench down on the bite plate, your jaw is placed in such a way as to maximize the opening in your airway, which supports the O2/CO2 exchange. 

The second feature is the intake bar, which is placed behind your lower front teeth. You move your tongue forward and down to tuck under the bar, and this placement of the tongue, along with the jaw placement that the bite plate encourages, work together to open your airway by nearly 10 percent. 

There are a number of benefits to this increased airway. First, it reduces your respiratory rate by about 20 percent, which results in less lactic acid production. This is helpful because a buildup of lactic acid can happen when the body is low on the oxygen needed to convert glucose into energy. A buildup of lactic acid can cause cramps, muscle pain, and muscle fatigue — not exactly what you want out of your workout.

Another advantage of your increased airway when using the AIRWAAV is that it reduces cortisol by up to 50 percent after an intense workout. This gives your muscles faster recovery times, helping you build muscle. At the same time as it improves recovery times, your expanded airway improves muscular endurance and increases strength. And that is exactly what you’re looking for as you lift weights.

AIRWAAV champions high-intensity and endurance athletes like you in your quest for personal achievements. We believe that high-intensity weightlifters work harder and make sacrifices for their sport. That’s why we’ve developed the best performance mouthpiece on the market. Whether you’re working your whole body by performing squats or bench pressing the highest weight in your gym, the AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece can help your muscles work at their peak efficiency and effectiveness. To see the difference AIRWAAV can make, order the best performance mouthpiece on the market online today!