How Does Peat Reconcile With Buteyko Breathing?

[Johnson Bagfoot]

Both Peat and Buteyko stress the importance of CO2, with both recommending a few techniques to increase it in the blood.

Quickly put, buteyko breathing aims to increase the criteria of the control pause. The goal of which is to reduce automatic respiratory volume per minute, achieving higher blood CO2% and higher cellular O2% via the bohr effect. Peat understands the importance of CO2 but is more metabolism focused, aiming to raise temps and pulse and basically do whatever it takes to get warm and relaxed.

There are some links, for instance, higher blood CO2% = more cellular oxygenation, and probably faster or more efficient metabolism as a result.

However, all buteyko breathing coaches I've spoken to state that as control pause goes up, the pulse goes down. So much so that low pulse is seen as a predictable indicator of success. And CP = 60, which is Buteykos criteria for great health, should be reflected in a pulse of 60 or lower. E.g. here is a table of pulse as control pause rises:

http://www.doctorbuteykodiscoverytrilogy.com/images/pulmonary-ventilation-criteria.jpg

So within the buteyko world, higher CO2 through training = better health parameters and lower pulse. Presumably because the heart needs to pump less forcefully to deliver the same cellular oxygenation via the bohr effect.

In Peats world, generally a high pulse, up to 85-90~ = better metabolism and better health parameters.

What is the deal here? Can these differences be reconciled?

Are ideal pulse figures of 75-85 upon waking too narrow of a range, not reflecting individual genetic differences, CO2 saturation, athletic status, etc? I see a lot of people here try to get them at any cost.

 

[Kartoffel]

Your pulse rate can be influenced by many factors, and Peat doesn't say that a high pulse rate is always good. Fat and sick people generally have a high pulse >80. Stress hormones usually elevate your pulse rate, and in this situation increasing CO2 is likely to bring your pulse down. But under the right circumstances, slowing down your breathing rate and increasing your CO2 will bring up your pulse rate. Before I started Buteyko I was always cold (especially hands and feet) and had a pulse rate <60. Simply hypoventilating for a few minutes would warm up my hands and feet, and after 2-3 weeks my pulse rate had gone up to about 70.