If you are new to the world of running, you might not know the answer to the question, “how to breathe while running?” As you move forward and accelerate, your heart rate and muscle tone will vary, making you mentally weary. This physiological response may not be as stressful as it seems to the mind.
Learning how to breathe properly can help you go faster, feel less agitated when running, and let you appreciate the sensation of the wind in your hair as you pound the streets. This is true whether you are running outside or have taken the plunge and purchased one of the best treadmills. One of the greatest running watches you can buy will also offer live heart rate data so you can track your development as you get better.
Here, we will learn about the best ways to breathe while running and find out if adopting different breathing techniques will help us reduce the strain that running can have on our respiratory system. So keep reading.
How To Breathe While Running?
Although breathing is an automatic process that we normally don’t have to think about, developing an effective breathing cadence while running can improve your endurance, lower your risk of injury, and help you get through a training plateau. The four breathing techniques listed below can all be used while running.
1. Rhythmic breathing
When you exhale while running and your foot impacts at the same time, your body is under a lot of stress. Running helps you equally transfer this stress over both sides of your body by encouraging rhythmic breathing. By synchronizing your breathe movements with your stride cadence, you may make your exhales alternate between right and left foot strikes. For runners, it is normal to inhale after every two footstrikes and exhale after every two footstrikes.
2. Diaphragmatic breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing is a breathing technique that involves using the diaphragm, a prominent respiratory muscle located close to the lower ribs and intercostal muscles, to breathe more effectively. It is also referred to as belly breathing or abdominal breathing. During this style of breathing, the diaphragm tightens and descends, creating more room for the lungs to expand and take in more air. Using this deep belly breathing technique while engaging in vigorous exercise will assist lower your heart rate and breathing rate. It also boosts lung capacity and suppleness.
3. Box Breathing
When under stress, box breathing, often referred to as square breathing or four-square breathing, can help the body and mind regain equilibrium and tranquility. The steps in this deep breathing exercise are to inhale deeply into the belly, hold the breath there for at least four counts, exhale, and then hold the breathe at the bottom of the expiration for at least four counts.
4. Nose And Mouth Breathing
Most of the time, breathing while running through your mouth or your nose comes down to personal preference. The most crucial factor is that your breathing is effective and pleasant. In order to do this, you must inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
How To Breathe Through Nose And Mouth While Running?
For gentle runs or moderate jogs rather than sprints, breathing through the nose is preferable. Only the nostrils are used for inhalation and exhalation when practicing nasal breathing. Mouth breathing is not involved in any way. However, mouth breathing solely entails using the mouth for inhalation and exhalation. During a run, breathing via your mouth can seem like hyperventilation, which can make you more stressed. For intense running, though, mouth breathing can be really helpful. Often, when running uphill or during a sprint, people will switch to mouth breathing.
How To Control Breathing While Running?
Several variables, like the weather, your level of fitness, your run’s intensity, and your asthma, might affect how you breathe while you’re running. Here’s a guide on how to breathe effectively while running if you’re a newbie or just want to learn how to receive adequate oxygen during your workout.
1. Warm Up Your Lungs
A correct dynamic warm-up will assist prepare your respiratory system, loosen up your muscles, and get your heart thumping and blood flowing. This will make it simpler to expand your lungs and diaphragm. Before running, try some chest-opening exercises to widen your diaphragm and improve your belly breathing.
2. Maintain Your Running Form
It will be simpler for you to breathe while running if you maintain good posture. And use the excellent running form to strengthen your core and reduce pressure. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position and look forward. As if keeping an egg beneath your chin, your chin should stay tucked the entire time. Your front posture should be slightly forward-leaning, and your back should be straight. Keep your shoulders relaxed and level.
3. Breathe Through Your Nose And Mouth
If you only breathe through your mouth or nose, your lung capacity may not be utilized as effectively, depleting your supply of oxygen as you work out. Utilizing both your nose and mouth to breathe in can help you get the most oxygen possible. As you run, take regular, rhythmic breaths through your nose and mouth, synchronizing them with your alternate steps. Utilize a mouth exhalation to accelerate the release of carbon dioxide.
4. Practice belly breathing
Although taking long, leisurely breaths may seem to slow you down, this is untrue. When you breathe through your chest, you actually take shallower breaths, which deprive your body and muscles of vital oxygen during intense exertion. Instead, practice breathing from your diaphragm. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly while resting on the ground and practice belly breathing. Once you’re accustomed to this sensation, include it in your subsequent runs and pay attention to the difference it makes.
More Articles: Roger Federer Announces Retirement
