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Originally Posted by chipw
. Hey Sam,
--- but I will put it out there that maybe the athlete feels, mistakenly, that the use of an inhaler will give him an edge. Very similar to why the powerlung is so enticing. It only takes a doctors prescription to be able to use an inhaler in pro cycling. We all look for that extra edge, even as amateurs, throw some money in there and we all know what happens.
That being said, if someone believes that an inhaler or a powerlung helps their performance, then it probably does. Even if the physiological benefits are non existent, the psychological benefits are important too.
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Reminds me of a pre-SCUBA student (years ago) who thought an inhaler would help him through the morning PT session. We didn't discover it until I had to dig through his personal effects to find his ID card so I could take it to the hospital. Fortunately he self eliminated with a broken back and I didn't have to process paperwork for the inhaler (I'm a lazy b*****d by preference). (His actions were sort of like the Ranger students in Florida looking to get bitten by a rattlesnake because they can't hang any more but they have to have an "honorable" out.) Thanks to the broken back we also didn't have to worry about ever seeing him in pre-SCUBA again. (This was his 4th/5th attempt and he had never made it past the 3rd? day.) His problems were entirely between his ears. The inhaler was just a symptom. My advise is to concentrate on doing it right, without looking for a "leg up" or a gimmick that will give you that elusive "edge". The majority of performance is in the mind anyway and most gimmicks eventually become psychological crutches. My .02 - Peregrino