Most of us understand the idea of resistance training. We use weights to challenge our arms, resistance bands for our legs, and various exercises to strengthen the muscles throughout the body. Until recently, though, I hadn’t given much thought to applying that same basic idea to the muscles involved in breathing.
That’s what made the Expand-A-Lung Breathing Exerciser interesting to me.
Expand-A-Lung is a small respiratory muscle training device that creates resistance as you breathe through it. The resistance is adjustable, and unlike some breathing devices, it works during both inhalation and exhalation.
It’s also surprisingly uncomplicated. There are no batteries, electronics, apps, memberships, or charging cables. The entire device is about four inches long.
For anyone interested in fitness, walking, hiking, breathwork, singing, or maintaining physical conditioning as they get older, it’s an unusual little product that’s worth understanding.
[CHECK THE CURRENT EXPAND-A-LUNG PRICE ON AMAZON
What Exactly Is Expand-A-Lung?
Expand-A-Lung is a portable respiratory muscle trainer made in the USA by a small family-run business. The original device has been produced since 2004.
You use it by placing the soft silicone mouthpiece in your mouth and breathing through the device. A single knob controls how much resistance you encounter as you inhale and exhale.
The idea behind it is fairly easy to understand. Your respiratory system relies on muscles, including the diaphragm, to move air in and out of your lungs. When you breathe against controlled resistance, those muscles have to work harder than they do during ordinary breathing.
It’s resistance training, just in a place we don’t usually think about exercising.
What Makes Expand-A-Lung Different?
The feature that caught my attention is the dual-way resistance. Expand-A-Lung provides resistance while you inhale and while you exhale, so both portions of the breathing cycle are incorporated into the exercise.
The resistance level is controlled with one knob and can range from relatively light to considerably more challenging. That makes the same device usable by someone beginning respiratory muscle exercises as well as someone with more training experience.
The simplicity is another advantage.
We’ve reached the point where almost everything seems to require downloading an app, creating an account, remembering a password, and charging something. Expand-A-Lung doesn’t need any of it. Adjust the resistance and use it.
I appreciate that.
How Do You Use an Expand-A-Lung Breathing Trainer?
According to the manufacturer’s suggested routine, users can perform approximately 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per day.
For a beginner, the sensible approach is to start with light resistance and learn how breathing through the device feels. Resistance can then be adjusted according to your comfort and ability.
This isn’t an exercise where making it as difficult as possible means you’re doing a better job. Controlled breathing matters more than proving how much resistance you can tolerate.
The manufacturer states that noticeable results may occur within approximately two to four weeks of consistent use. Individual experiences will naturally vary, and there is no guaranteed timetable for results.
If you’re new to breathing resistance exercises, give yourself time to become familiar with the process.
Who Uses Respiratory Muscle Trainers?
Respiratory muscle training isn’t limited to one type of person.
Runners, cyclists and swimmers may incorporate breathing exercises into their fitness routines because breathing plays such an obvious role in endurance activities. Hikers may also be interested, particularly when preparing for longer or more demanding walks.
Then there are people whose interest has little to do with traditional exercise.
Singers and wind instrument players rely heavily on breath control. Breathwork practitioners already spend considerable time thinking about how they breathe and may be interested in adding resistance exercises to their routines.
And then there are people like me who are simply paying more attention to staying strong and active as the years pass.
You don’t have to be training for a marathon to care about maintaining your physical conditioning.
Why It May Appeal to Adults Focused on Healthy Aging
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less interested in fitness for appearance alone and much more interested in what my body allows me to do.
Can I travel comfortably? Can I enjoy a long day out? Can I walk through an airport, explore somewhere new, or keep doing the everyday things that make life interesting?
Those questions change the way you look at exercise.
We hear constantly about maintaining muscle mass and staying physically active as we age. We hear considerably less about the muscles responsible for breathing, even though they are working every minute of every day.
That doesn’t mean everyone over a certain age needs a respiratory trainer. It simply makes respiratory muscle training another area of fitness worth learning about.
Small Enough to Actually Use
Expand-A-Lung measures approximately four inches, which gives it an advantage over a lot of exercise equipment: finding somewhere to put it shouldn’t become a household problem.
It can live in a drawer, gym bag, purse, desk, or travel bag.
That matters more than it sounds. I’ve become convinced that one of the biggest factors in maintaining any wellness habit is removing as many obstacles as possible. If something takes fifteen minutes to set up, there’s a decent chance we’re eventually going to stop setting it up.
With a device this small, the equipment itself isn’t much of an obstacle.
No Charging and No Subscription
This may be one of my favorite features simply because so many wellness products have become unnecessarily complicated.
There is nothing to charge and no electronic component to maintain. You don’t have to connect it to your phone or pay a monthly fee to continue using something you’ve already purchased.
It’s a physical training device with an adjustable knob.
Sometimes that’s enough technology.
Cleaning the Expand-A-Lung
Because the device goes into your mouth, regular cleaning obviously matters. Expand-A-Lung uses a soft, food-grade silicone mouthpiece designed to be rinsed and cleaned.
Follow the manufacturer’s current cleaning directions and allow the device to dry properly before storing it.
I’d also treat this as personal exercise equipment rather than something the household passes around.
What Expand-A-Lung Does Not Do
This is a respiratory muscle exercise device, not a medical treatment.
It should not be viewed as something that cures, treats, or prevents asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or another respiratory condition. It also shouldn’t be used as a substitute for medication, pulmonary rehabilitation, respiratory therapy, or medical care prescribed by a healthcare professional.
Anyone with an existing respiratory or cardiovascular condition, unexplained shortness of breath, or concerns about exercising against breathing resistance should speak with a healthcare professional before trying it.
That distinction is particularly important when wellness products involve breathing.
Is Expand-A-Lung Worth $19.99?
At the time of writing, Expand-A-Lung was listed on Amazon for approximately $19.99, although Amazon prices can change.
For that price, you’re getting a reusable breathing exercise device with adjustable resistance for both inhalation and exhalation.
Whether it’s worth twenty dollars really comes down to whether respiratory muscle training is something you’re interested in incorporating into your routine. Like resistance bands, hand weights, or any other fitness equipment, the device can’t do much sitting in a drawer.
If the idea interests you and you’re likely to use it consistently, it’s an inexpensive way to experiment with a different form of resistance exercise.
My Take on Expand-A-Lung
What appeals to me most isn’t a dramatic promise. It’s actually the opposite.
Expand-A-Lung is a very simple device designed to do one thing: create adjustable resistance while you breathe.
For runners, walkers, cyclists, swimmers, hikers, singers, musicians, breathwork enthusiasts, and adults becoming more deliberate about maintaining their physical conditioning, that makes it worth a look.
I’m increasingly drawn to wellness tools that fit into real life instead of requiring real life to revolve around them. A four-inch device that can be used for a short exercise session and then put back in a drawer certainly qualifies.
If you’ve never considered respiratory muscle training before, Expand-A-Lung may at least give you something new to think about.
Affiliate Disclosure and Health Disclaimer
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This article contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you.
This content is provided for general informational and educational purposes and is not medical advice. Expand-A-Lung is a respiratory muscle exercise device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. If you have a respiratory condition, cardiovascular condition, unexplained breathing difficulties, or concerns about whether respiratory resistance training is appropriate for you, consult a qualified healthcare professional before using a breathing exercise device.