Many people that start running find themselves short of breath and unable to maintain the intensity that is required for their run. There are a couple of things to this.
- Your body will adjust and you will develop a breathing pattern that will suit your running style and intensity demand.
- You will use a rhythm to control your breathing while running.
How can you improve your breathing technique while running?
Inhale through your nose
You want to inhale as much oxygen as possible in through your nose. This will go into your body and muscles, which will help you perform.
Inhale steadily so you can feel the air fill up your lungs.
Exhale through your mouth
Exhale air through your mouth (not your nose). Exhale as much of the carbon dioxide out through your mouth so you can inhale the new oxygen through your nose to fuel your body and your muscles.
Inhale and exhale based on your stride pattern.
You want to inhale and exhale steadily. E.g. 1 second in, 1 second out. 4 seconds in, 4 seconds out, etc.
You will need to train your body to control your breathing pattern.
It is easier to inhale and exhale based on your striding pace. So inhale on steps 1-4, then exhale on steps 5-8. Then repeat.
As you build up your cardiovascular endurance, you will be able to increase the inhale and exhale timings and pacing.
