Chewing Gum or Hard Candy While Riding?

[nvpacchi]

One thing that I've always sucked at is consistently breathing while I ride.

Then the other day I was commuting home from work, and was chomping down on a jolly rancher. The constant chewing and moving the candy around in my mouth seemed to help me bring additional airflow into my body, without me even realizing what I was doing.

Has anyone ever tried or had any success using gum or candy to assist in a steady breathing pattern? Aside from the potential of choking on it, I can't think of any negative impacts...

 

[ElChingon]

Even though I don't ride with you I think you are consistently breathing while you ride.

Why?

Because you're still alive. If anything that hard candy or gum only forces you to notice your breathing because its preventing you from breathing properly or consistently with your own breathing pattern. I find it hard to believe you are not breathing consistently while you ride, yes you may end up breathing hard and sense or feel like you're not but that's because you're breathing hard or under a higher level of effort that you notice your breathing. If anything keep riding hard, whether it be intervals or just riding faster than normal and eventually you won't notice your breathing as much and think its consistent.

 

[broken chain]

Maybe your subconciously trying to match your breathing to your cadence.
I sometimes catch myself doing it on a trainer.
When I'm outside nice normal breath cadence.
Theres traffic and other distractions to keep my attention on.

 

[Boeing]

now and then I suck a hals mentho to start a ride it forces me to breathe through my nose which is a habit I fall out of. mouth breathing limits my performance and for what ever reason I do it riding

 

[fujisst]

neither of them.