Influence of Resisted Breathing on Blood Pressure, VO2 Max and More! (Daniel Craighead, PhD)

What if the research indicated there was an inexpensive breathing exercise device that, if utilized about 5 minutes/day, could significantly reduce blood pressure and improve exercise performance? Resisted breathing – or what the science refers to as “inspiratory muscle strength training” – or IMST - isn’t new. I remember reading about it, but at the time it appeared to be all fluff as our intercostal breathing muscles were almost never utilized at capacity, so who cares if we strengthen them? Fast forward a decade or so and it turns out we might all care. Whether you or a loved one has high blood pressure and would like to access options beyond just medications, or you’re a runner, triathlete, swimmer or cyclist looking to optimize your performance – IMST may be worth a closer look. Today we’ll take that closer look with Dr. Daniel Craighead, who’s groundbreaking work in this area is both fascinating and eye-opening. Dr. Craighead is a leading exercise physiologist and cardiovascular health researcher at the University of Minnesota, where he focuses on innovative, time-efficient interventions to combat age-related declines in cardiovascular and metabolic health. His research on high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training has shown that just five minutes a day of targeted breathing exercise can significantly lower blood pressure, enhance vascular function, and improve exercise tolerance — all without traditional aerobic training. Today, he joins The Coaching Lab to unpack how this simple, science-backed technique is reshaping approaches to both peak performance and everyday health. The Powerbreathe unit Dr. Cooper has been using available here . You can stay up to date on Dr. Craighead's latest research via his lab website and if you'd like to tune into another interview he provided for NPR, it is available here . Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification , annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers Tap into the home of the (freely available) Not Done Yet! articles on unlocking life's 2nd half here . YouTube Coaching Channel Contact us: Results@CatalystCoaching360.com Twitter: @Catalyst2Thrive Website: CatalystCoaching360.com If you are a current or future health & wellness coach, please check out our Health & Wellness Coaching Community on Facebook: . This is a wonderful group if you are looking for encouragement, ideas, resources and more.

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Influence of Resisted Breathing on Blood Pressure, VO2 Max and More! (Daniel Craighead, PhD) is an episode from Catalyst Health & Wellness Coaching Podcast by Catalyst Coaching Institute.

This episode is 50:39 long.

This episode was published on Sep 1, 2025.

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