Never lost the muscles in my leg but having a lyngectomy in 82, the Drs told me that I would wind up being extremely shortwinded dut to me now breathing through my nect instead of my nose. With the large opening in my neck, I do not expend as much energy (read this exercise) with the lungs sucking in air and over the past 30 years have in effect became a lazy breather and am very shortwinded. They tell me that deep breathing exercises will improve the lung capacity but that would take more self disipline than I have.