Top athletes are now turning to Conscious Breathing and CO₂ therapy to gain a competitive edge. Tools like the CarboHaler, Relaxator, and Cardisuit CO₂ Bath are helping players calm their minds, sharpen focus, and accelerate recovery. By training the body to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide, these methods regulate the nervous system, improve performance under pressure, and support faster healing from injury.

Andy Clower is a Neural Performance Consultant, @the_fitness_evolved. One of his clients is Luke Weaver, @dreamweava7, a professional pitcher for the New York Yankees.

Another client is Clay Holmes, two-time MLB All-Star and pitcher for the New York Mets.

Andy About Luke:

He has been incorporating Conscious Breathing tools into his routine since we started working together a few years ago. These tools have played a key role in his physical and mental performance, both on and off the field.

He uses the Relaxator regularly for recovery and overall calm on off days. It's also become an essential tool for breathing training while pitching—teaching him how to stay regulated in every position his body moves through. This helps the brain feel "safe," which in turn allows the body to access those positions more easily and consistently.

The CarboHaler has been another game-changer. It helps calm the mind, sharpen focus, and dial in before games. It became something of a "secret weapon" during the Yankees' World Series run in 2024, where Luke had one of the highest usage rates of any pitcher in the playoffs.

The Cardisuit CO₂ Bath has also been essential for recovery and healing. It played a big role in speeding up Luke's recovery from a hamstring injury—helping him return to play in just 15 days instead of the projected 6 weeks.

Conscious Breathing and CO2 Tolerance Training have become a cornerstone of Luke Weaver's training and recovery program.

So What Did Luke Do?

The key to quick rehabilitation and recovery is targeting the brain— the controller of movement and the parasympathetic/sympathetic nervous systems. CO₂ therapy is a powerful tool to enhance this work and maximize results.

Luke had a hamstring strain. While we needed the tissue to heal, we also had to address the neural pathways that caused the increased hamstring tension in the first place. To do this, we focused on descending pathways from the brain via his visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems.

This work can be intense, tiring, and very energy-demanding! Before each session, Luke used the CarboHaler for 5 minutes at the highest CO₂ percentage he could comfortably tolerate (usually between 5-7%). CO₂ is a vasodilator, enhancing blood flow to the brain. This allowed us to push his system harder and longer to get the functional changes we needed to change the neural control of his movement patterns.

After that, he worked with the team's physios and trainers on tissue mobility, strengthening, and the required progression for return to play. From Day 1, Luke was already way ahead of schedule in their testing!

At the end of each long, intense day, tissue recovery consisted of a 1-hour session in the Cardisuit CO2 bath. This therapy also dilates blood vessels, increases circulation, and helps push oxygen into the cells for energy production and enhanced tissue repair.

Starting and ending the days with CO₂ therapies was, without a doubt, a huge contributor in Luke's return-to-play time—from a projected 6 weeks (based on MRI results) to just 15 days—feeling and performing better than before his injury!

— Andy Clower, performance coach