Posted by Rick Denney on October 07, 2002 at 15:36:20:
In Reply to: Long Distance Running and Tuba Playing posted by Mark on October 07, 2002 at 09:05:39:
As a currently dormant ultra-distance triathlete, this is something I've thought about quite a lot, and I think I have to agree with you.
Being able to run long distances is based on being very efficient. If Arnold Jacobs is correct (and he is) that the lungs only hold a small percentage of their capacity at full relaxation, then to hold a large percentage of their capacity requires the expenditure of additional energy. Thus, the runner, seeking complete efficiency, will take frequent breaths that use a small percentage of total capacity, to avoid the work of holding in too much air. Runners get to increase their breathing rate as much as they want. For example, when I'm at marathon pace, I breathe in for two steps, and breath out for two steps. At race pace for a 5K, I breathe in for one step and out for one step (in addition to multiple other sufferings). But the amount of air I brought into my lungs was about the same in either case.
Breathing for the tuba is different. Instead of using the capacity of the lungs from the 15% at full relaxation to perhaps 75% at full intake, tuba players will want to use the range of 25% to 95%, because then the natural relaxation of the chest cavity will move the air through the instrument without additional effort with its bad effects on sound.
Rather than running, swimming for me is the more effective exercise, even though I don't like doing it as well as running. Like tuba player, swimmers can only inhale at specific times, and they have to bring in enough air to last until the next time they can inhale. In between, they have to exhale continuously to keep positive air pressure in their nose and mouth--which keeps the water out. Because of that requirement to keep the water out, swimmers tend to inhale much more deeply than runners.
It has been said that having a high degree of fitness is good for tuba playing. I suppose I agree, but really only to the extent that having good fitness is good for everything, tuba playing included. But there is a difference in this context between "good" fitness and "having a high degree of" fitness. Joe's regular three-mile runs are all that are required for having good fitness. My 20-milers (when I was running them) had no relative advantage, it seems to me. And they took a lot of time and energy away from my limited store of liesure time--time I could have spent playing the tuba. One of the reasons I backed off on ultra-endurance sports is that I wanted to shift to other activities more important to me at the time, including music and photography, and also to have more time with my new wife. Despite the fact that Joe and I are quickly approaching each other, weight-wise, I've enjoyed that time away from compulsive exercise. Now, I'm trying to think of ways to bring back in just enough to maintain some fitness without it upsetting the new balance. I plan to start tomorrow, or maybe the next day, heh, heh.
Rick "who thinks swimming may be the perfect regular exercise for tuba players" Denney