How to Breathe While Running

How to Breathe While Running

In our “How to Breathe While Swimming” post we discussed how swimming has a rhythm and how breathing with that rhythm makes one’s technique more efficient. Running is just the same but I think slightly easier to practice. The trick again, is symmetry. When breathing, specifically exhaling, the core muscles and diaphragm loosen. When you combine this loosening of tissues with the impact and repetition of running, the side of your body (which leg hits the ground first) that you land on while exhaling, becomes less stable. If you were to run with a breathing pattern that had you inhale and exhale for the same number of breaths, you would constantly be exhaling on the same footstrike. Like swimming, over the thousands of steps and breaths you will take, imbalances can easily be fostered.

The proper breathing technique for running is to inhale for two or three steps, and then exhale for the opposite. Example: breathe in for three steps and out for two or in two out three. This will result in you exhaling on alternating right and left footstrikes. Now, the breath count is not set-in-stone. At a moderate effort, either the two-three pattern or three-two pattern should feel comfortable. At a very relaxed pace or recovery pace, I personally will adopt a three-four or four-three breathing pattern. At faster speeds like sprints, fartleks, strides, or surges, a one-two or two-one pattern will give the body more oxygen in demanding times.

Correct breathing on the run is not only determined by rhythm but also the utilization of the diaphragm. Do you breathe with your upper chest or your belly? Take a breath in and notice how your torso moves. If you notice your breath is in the upper chest, try inhaling more slowly and consciously drawing the air deep into your core. Breathing this way has even been found to reduce stress. Practice breathing this way all the time and it will become second nature. The last trick for proper breathing is perhaps the most important. Nasal breathing is somewhat difficult to get used to but it comes with numerous benefits. Firstly, when you inhale steadily through the nose, Nitric Oxide (from here NO) is produced. NO is a potent substance that sterilizes and warms the air before it enters your lungs. NO also is responsible for a phenomenon called vasodilation. This is a loosening of the tissues of the blood vessels which results in more efficient bloodflow. Not convinced of nasal breathing yet? How does a 10-15% increase in blood oxygenation sound? That’s right, just breathing consistently through your nose will give you 10-15% more oxygen in your blood. So next time you lace up remember these tips: Breathe deeply, breathe with the rhythm, and do so through the nose as much as you can!