Would you like to discover techniques to breathe while running that can reduce fatigue? Without a doubt, considering certain factors prior to engaging in physical activity can enable you to go further without experiencing breathlessness. The truth is that maintaining a steady breathing pattern can be challenging when running.
This post aims to provide answers to queries including the cause of breathlessness during running and the proper breathing technique to employ while running. Are you prepared to transition to a seasoned runner?
Why do I struggle to breathe when running?
When running, it’s common to experience difficulty in breathing due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in your body. The process of exercising expends more energy, causing your lungs to work extra hard in supplying oxygen and removing carbon dioxide waste produced by your body. During intense activities like running, your body requires additional oxygen, resulting in a concurrent production of more carbon dioxide. To compensate for this, your breathing and circulation hasten to facilitate increased oxygen intake.
Frequently, particularly at the beginning of our running regimen, we encounter difficulty in breathing and experience breathlessness. This issue is rather widespread and usually occurs due to inadequate breathing, commonly through shallow chest breathing. A lack of physical fitness is another factor that may lead to shortness of breath, hence it is prevalent among novice runners.
Moving too quickly may also result in difficulty breathing, which could be attributed to bronchoconstriction or induced asthma. When it is induced asthma, symptoms usually emerge approximately 5 to 20 minutes following physical activity.
Feeling breathless while running is a common experience, but with consistent practice, your muscles and respiratory system will become more proficient. Additionally, by quitting smoking and following the breathing tips provided, you can quickly enhance your lung capacity, thereby improving your breathing while running.
Regardless of the situation, you must seek medical attention if you experience sudden and severe shortness of breath or difficulty catching your breath after a run.
Is it better to breathe through your nose or mouth when running?
The most efficient way to breathe during exercise depends on the intensity of the workout. When jogging or running at a slow pace, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth is effective. However, for vigorous and high-intensity exercise, breathing through your mouth is better. Mouth breathing delivers more oxygen and fuel to the body, reducing the uncomfortable feeling of being out of breath.
What is the right way to breathe while running?
To ensure optimum effectiveness in your training, it is important to focus on your breathing. You might be curious about the appropriate breathing technique during running. Don’t worry, we’re here to assist you with useful tips that will allow you to breathe correctly without experiencing discomfort during exercise. Make sure to take note!
- Diaphragmatic breathing. For running, it is best to breathe from the stomach as this will help you to optimise your training. Breathing from the chest is completely discarded as it is more superficial and very little oxygen enters the body. In fact, this is one of the reasons why flatus tends to appear when doing sport.
- Follow a breathing rhythm adapted to the intensity of the exercise. In other words, breathing cannot be the same whether the intensity is low or high. For example, a good rhythm can be as follows: if you start with a low intensity by inhaling for 3 steps and exhaling for another three steps, the number of steps should decrease as the intensity increases.
- You can breathe through your nose as well as through your mouth. However, keep in mind that you will get more oxygen into your body through your mouth.
- Pay attention to your body posture. Keep your body straight and your head in line with your spine, being careful not to lean forward.
Diaphragmatic breathing technique
The previously stated method of stomach or diaphragmatic breathing can prevent the sensation of choking while running due to its deeper and fuller nature. Prior to incorporating this technique into your exercise routine, it is advisable to first become proficient in it through practice.
- Lie on your back and place your head on a pillow.
- Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach so you can feel the movement.
- Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose and feel your belly move, while the hand on your chest should not move.
- Tighten your abdomen while releasing all the air through your mouth.
Even though it’s a basic workout, ensure that you allocate sufficient time to practice breathing three or four times a day. After you have become proficient at it, attempt to perform it while seated, and eventually, while running.
Breathing advice: 5 tips for how to breathe while running
By adhering to the suggestions provided, you can enhance your running breathing patterns if you find yourself becoming breathless easily while running.
1. Practice deep breathing.
To achieve a more comfortable run, your body can utilize oxygen more effectively and ease tension in your shoulders through deep breathing. Follow these steps to comprehend the sensation of deep breathing:
- Lay on your back and breathe in through your nose. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
- Fill your belly with air and exhale slowly. Your abdomen should rise, but your chest should not.
- Try to lengthen the duration of your exhales versus your inhales.
- Repeat this for 5 minutes.
Commence breathing deeply when you’re not engaged in running. When you initially integrate deep breathing into your runs, maintain a slow pace. Once you become accustomed to the sensation, you may elevate your speed.
2. Maintain proper running form.
To run with better breathing and efficiency, it is important to maintain good running form. This can be achieved by:
- Keep your body straight and erect.
- Avoid hunching over or leaning forward too far.
- Keep your back straight and relax your shoulders, so they are level.
- Allow your arms to hang naturally at your waist at a 90-degree angle.
3. Try rhythmic breathing.
Exhaling during each foot strike helps your body manage stress and enhance breathing while running. Rhythmic breathing can even out stress on both sides of your body. Instead of sticking to the usual 2:2 breathing pattern, which may seem instinctive for runners, breathing rhythmically in an odd pattern can boost your stamina and lower the likelihood of injury.
To begin with, attempt to maintain a rhythm of 3 beats followed by 2 beats.
- Run at a leisurely pace.
- Inhale for three counts.
- Exhale for two counts.
- Repeat.
After achieving comfort in breathing while running, you may enhance your speed by adopting a 2:1 breathing rhythm as follows:
- Run at a faster pace.
- Inhale for two counts.
- Exhale for one count.
- Repeat.
4. Run indoors if you live in an area with poor air quality.
When the air quality outside is low, it can be challenging to breathe. Living in an urban location with extensive traffic can expose you to more pollutants from the vehicles on the streets, making it difficult to breathe or leading to frequent coughing. To steer clear of air quality problems, consider running in the morning before rush hour or in secluded locations, such as a nature reserve, lacking heavy vehicle traffic.
You may choose to shift to running indoors on a treadmill instead. Vingo, a fitness app, provides an engaging way to do indoor running as you get to discover virtual real-world locations such as Iceland while you run! Furthermore, you can socialize with your running pals on Vingo or interact with other runners through the Vingo app.
5. Warm up your lungs.
Similar to how you prepare your body before working out, it’s essential to ready your lungs for exercise as well. A proper warm-up routine for the lungs will stimulate the heart and improve blood circulation. Incorporate some chest-expanding exercises that will relax your muscles and prime your respiratory system for physical activity.
- Place one hand on your chest and the other high on your abdomen. Take a deep breath and focus on making the hand on your stomach move out, not the one on your chest. Do this for a minute or two.
- Place one of your elbows against a door frame, so it’s level with your shoulder. Take one step forward with the leg closest to the wall and keep your body straight. You should feel a stretch in your chest muscles. If you feel the stretch before taking a step forward, don’t take the step.
How do you avoid getting tired while running?
If you’re interested in ways to enhance your stamina and decrease exhaustion while running, these tips can assist you in achieving that goal. Along with learning breathing techniques for running, implementing these strategies may help you improve your endurance.
- Make the stride shorter.
- Maintain good body posture.
- Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.
- Take breaks to allow the muscles to recover.
- Run in different places to avoid the monotony of seeing the same thing all the time.
- Try to go accompanied or listen to music, so you will exercise in an entertaining way.
Benefits of knowing how to breathe while running
There is no question that learning how to breath properly when running can provide you with significant advantages, particularly during extended or intense workouts. You will begin to experience a range of benefits, including the following:
- You will be able to exercise more comfortably and for a longer period of time.
- Reduced risk of back pain and muscle problems.
- Reduce the risk of blood pressure spikes.
- Increased blood flow in the body.
- Improves body posture.
- You can relax while you run.
- Increased lung capacity.
Being knowledgeable about various breathing methods while running will enable you to optimize your physical performance during running, as well as expand your lung capacity while minimizing fatigue.
