I just don't buy this. Supposedly, according to the article linked below from the New York Times, a specialized (specialized, not Specialized) performance mouthpiece is going to make a difference in your training by making your breathing more efficient. I'd love to hear from some people that have tried out this method.
A Mouthpiece to Improve Your Cycling1 comment to A Mouthpiece to Improve Your Cycling |
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I learned about those mouthpieces a while ago from a friend who uses the Under Armour. I was pretty skeptical myself so I did quite a bit of research. The technology behind the Under Armour mouthpiece has been developed by a company called Bite Tech and they've been around for a long time. Apparently they also have 30-something patents related to this technology.
I have to say that the mouthpiece itself is a pretty cool product. It's very hi-tech and super light and so far I'm pretty happy with my training results. There are two main benefits that I have noticed for myself, increase in strength (more weight/reps at the gym) and faster recovery after hard efforts (both on and off the bike). UA claims that the product reduces cortisol and lactic acid which would explain improved recovery.
The price was lower than mentioned in the article too. I found an "authorized dentist" through underarmour.com and paid $425 total. Not too bad considering that I just spent $1000 for a set of wheels.