Your a cat of a different stripe Kerry, no creds needed.......but hey impressive nontheless. I didn't know you could get a phd in "consciousness studies". You understand of course there are those here that can have a field day with that info .

I hadn't intended to create such a stir. All I know is that it works for me and is common practice amongst world class mountaineers. No comments on the equally valuable step-breath-step-breath method. When I get to the top of the hill I'm not out of breath or sweaty or tired in the least............. (of course you've already had lunch and taken a nap waiting for me at the top of the hill while I ascend.  ).

All kidding aside, I take pride in its employment as it does take some discipline. You can practice the move on some steps. If your tired and hit a big hill this will get you to the top quite comfortably thank you very much.

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If you are in good shape you can really roll with this breathing method. Straight up the hill and never change speeds.

If you are less than in really good shape I highly suggest the step breath method. That's the "real" trick. It is how you get to the top of Everest.

I also employ this method when it is wet out. I tend to be very sure footed off trail but yet I slow right down when it's wet, especially uphill.

Just TRY it! Try it for 5 minutes going up a steep hill. You will make more progress faster than you think and you will never even be slightly out of breath. Better control=safety......another consideration. Plus, as I have said before I don't burn out. Up the hill slow and I can run all day and late into the evening, no problem.

In response to Kingfisher's skepticism.  It's important to keep in mind what the goal or goals are in breathing because they would be somewhat different for someone doing yoga or a meditator as opposed to someone engaged in intense aerobic exercise.  I also do a regimen of intense aerobic exercise (not to the puking stage mind you) and would agree that nose breathing is probably not going to happen when you get at or near the wall.  But with regards to intense aerobics the main issue is oxygen exchange.  So the key there is to be doing deep diaphram breathing (which means breathing like a baby where one's belly is working like a bellows.)  Contrast that to how most of us, especially men have been taught to breathe.  Like in the army we suck in our gut and stick out our chest.  That guarentees a shallow breath (just the upper part of the lungs) and minimum oxygen exchange.  When it gets to the short strokes I don't think it much matters whether you're breathing through your mouth, nose or ears.  What matters is breathe control and the extent of oxygen exchange.  At that point the critical issue is the depth of the breath which means maintaining deep diaphram breathing especially as we become more and more fatigued.  Since deep diaphram breathing is how we're born to breathe it is not something we have to learn but rather re-learn.  Once we get the rhythm of it and practice it a bit it becomes second nature not only in intense activities but in every thing we do.
Now just so I'm clear - I am right and I'll definitely put a hurt on anyone who says otherwise!  Now hit the floor and give me 20!

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I talked with a good friend of mine from CA last week and about this very subject. He's now a Chinese Acupuncturist/Herbalist having completed a 4 year program and now state licensed in CA which is no easy task.
He also holds a Masters in Exercise science and before his career change, he presented and fitness workshops thru ACE and other credited fitness providers. He has workshop certificates out the whazoo for everything from weight training to running gait analysis as well as for body work techniques. He also was one hell of a aerobic teacher/fitness trainer.

I knew he would be interested about our breathing discussion.  He told me that at a certain level of intensity, you will need to mouth breath as well as continue to nose breath to get as much oxygen as you can into you lungs to starve off the build-up of lactic acid as long as possible. It's a involuntary response that you can't control as your body is " gasping" for oxygen as your pushing to and beyond your aerobic thresh hold. The longer you can breath thru your nose and exercise intensely the better off you'll be and the longer it will take to for your body to demand you start the intense mouth breathing  that will come eventually.

Excessing in intense bursts or at a high level for as long as you can is one of those examples.  KF must be very fit, as mainly elite athletes can do it and recover and go again. Once your at a certain aerobic fitness level, you need to push beyond what would be prudent for the "average" person to see any real gains. My friend has worked with some high level athletes and what they do to be the best the average person could do or would any gym allow it's personal trainers do for their customers for fear of liability lawsuits in event of injury or death.

It's not really a either/or proposition. You should breath thru you nose and the links that talk about why in regards to running, do tell you that you might " backslide" at first, bu that eventually you'll rebound and be better for it. All out intense workouts till " total exhaustion/puking" are special cases.