3 Keys to Proper Running Breathing
There are a lot of factors that can weigh in and affect your running performance. Factors like diet, fitness level, injury, motivation, recovery, and others. However, you should also know that the way you breathe while running is very vital on your running performance.
In fact, breathing properly can often make a huge difference from having a good run and a devastating run. And if you’ve been running for a long time, then you know for a fact that it’s true.
It’s very vital that you know how to breathe properly while running. Breathing techniques also has a great impact on your ability to run. If you can inhale a great amount of oxygen without sacrificing your running efficiency, then you are going to have a great advantage over other runners who are struggling to breathe correctly.
If you can do proper breathing while you are running, you can develop your endurance and go for longer distances. Proper breathing techniques can help your body provide oxygen to your muscles effectively, and in turn this can make you feel a lot comfortable while running.
Proper Breathing Techniques
Nose Breathing
If breathing through your nose is hard for you, start trying out the technique now right before temperatures drops significantly. Nose breathing helps you in breathing more deeply and effectively, which in turn can eventually help you while running regardless of the temperature. If you are planning to run during cold seasons and you haven’t mastered nose breathing, you can wear a shirt that you can pull up far or a bandana over your nose and mouth to aid in trapping the moisture as you breathe and humidify the air before it goes to your lungs.
Breathing Rhythm
If you’re running for more that 10k, do a two-to-two breathing pattern wherein you breathe in after two steps and then breathe out for two steps for almost the duration of the distance. If you go for this breathing pattern, you are breathing slow enough to get a good depth of breathing. A lot of top athletes either go for a two-to-two rhythm or a three-to-three breathing pattern, so try out which pattern works for you. During the race, you may change to a two-to-one breathing pattern during the last 2 minutes as you dash for the finish line.
Deep Breathing
Your lungs are smaller as compared to your ribcage; however, a lot of people have a tendency to utilize just the top third of this strong organ. If you take a deep breath, you’re expanding your lungs, pressuring down the diaphragm and making your abdomen expand as air fills your lungs. Knowing to breathe in this manner during your run can help you in taking a lot of oxygen, which prevents dizziness and nausea. With a bit of practice and a few stretching you, may be able to breathe into your full capacity and improve your endurance. Cross-training with Pilates and yoga can aid you in learning how to breathe from your diaphragm.
