Breathing through nose when running

cspence2270

Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. It helps regulate your breathing and allows for maximum air into your lungs to help you while running.

Ditto on this!

My husband, who was a Drill Instructor in the Marines told me to do this. It works.

shreddin_mama

I used to breathe through my nose but read at http://running.about.com/od/howtorun/f/breathing.htm that you should do both and it can prevent that side cramping. I tried it today and i felt better and less cramping.

SmartFunGorgeous

I chew sugar free gum to keep my mouth from drying out (though there's probably something devastatingly wrong with that! :laugh: ).

Oh - my friend! Don't choke on your gum!!

:embarassed: <--- turning blue... Help... :laugh:

FL_Nettie

Have you tried the Breathe Right Nose Strips? They make such a difference for me when I'm exercising. They're plastic strips that go on the outside of your nose and open the nasal passage. You see football players wearing them. Give them a shot.

dave_in_delaware

When I started doing the C25K, I was trying to breathe through my nose only. It worked until I started getting deeper into the running, and getting more tired, then my concentration broke and I ended up breathing however.

After a Week or two I was trying the inhale through nose, exhale through mouth thing. Same thing: I lost concentration on my breathing method.

By W5D3 (first attempt) I was so tired by halfway that I started breathing through my mouth only, and my mouth got so dry it helped to break my concentration and distracted me enough to where I had to walk.

After that, I read a few Runners World articles. In particular there was an article about almost meditating on your breathing. How you can get an almost "zen" focus if you concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling and your footfalls.

So, I tried this while only breathing through my nose. I have it down to inhaling for 3 footfalls then exhaling for 4 footfalls. I sometimes look down at my feet while "meditating" on my breathing (I'm only on a treadmill) just to help with the concentration. I'm not really meditating per se, but I am concentrating on the breathing. I'll catch myself breathing in through my mouth, but then I'll close my mouth and only breathe through my nose again. Only because I don't want my mouth to dry out again.

So far this "meditation" method seems to be working for me, although the "get more oxygen by breathing in through both" idea makes total sense. Maybe I'll try that next time.

I guess there's no right or wrong way, just whatever way works best for you.

suzycreamcheese

i think as long as youre breathing in a normal relaxed way, itll be fine.

TavistockToad

When I started doing the C25K, I was trying to breathe through my nose only. It worked until I started getting deeper into the running, and getting more tired, then my concentration broke and I ended up breathing however.

After a Week or two I was trying the inhale through nose, exhale through mouth thing. Same thing: I lost concentration on my breathing method.

By W5D3 (first attempt) I was so tired by halfway that I started breathing through my mouth only, and my mouth got so dry it helped to break my concentration and distracted me enough to where I had to walk.

After that, I read a few Runners World articles. In particular there was an article about almost meditating on your breathing. How you can get an almost "zen" focus if you concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling and your footfalls.

So, I tried this while only breathing through my nose. I have it down to inhaling for 3 footfalls then exhaling for 4 footfalls. I sometimes look down at my feet while "meditating" on my breathing (I'm only on a treadmill) just to help with the concentration. I'm not really meditating per se, but I am concentrating on the breathing. I'll catch myself breathing in through my mouth, but then I'll close my mouth and only breathe through my nose again. Only because I don't want my mouth to dry out again.

So far this "meditation" method seems to be working for me, although the "get more oxygen by breathing in through both" idea makes total sense. Maybe I'll try that next time.

I guess there's no right or wrong way, just whatever way works best for you.

i do something similar to this, breathe in through the nose for 2 strides, and out through the mouth for 2.

IronSmasher

How do you do it?! I'm trying really hard to fix my breathing while running, and I just can't breathe through my nose. It starts to burn eventually, and I can't get enough air into my lungs. Is this something I have to build up?

Stop trying. At some point, when intensity increases, you get the best ventilation by breathing through the nose and the mouth.

Some runners get totally goofy and obsessive about breathing. What you want to do is learn to relax your arms and upper body (but keep the wrists straight). That will help both your running and breathing.

Totally agree.

Listen to yourself, you don't know how to breathe!?

The shift from nose breathing to mouth occurs when the body needs more oxygen.
If you can get enough oxygen through your nose, you're either an elite marathon runner pounding out yet another comfortable mile, or you're another lazy person wasting their time with low intensity.

Fitness gains are from the areas outside of your comfort zone

charliebird

I breathe through my mouth when I run - only because I suffer from a bloked up nose when I run outside!!! The downside I find is the added calories from the flies I consume!!! LOL !!!

BerryH

There's no difference between breathing through your nose or mouth, just breathe however you find comfortable! At a steady run I do "in in in" through the nose and "out out out" through the mouth, but any faster than that and I've breathing in through nose AND mouth.

Watch Paula Radcliffe running a marathon on YouTube. She has a nasal strip to help her breathe through the steady part of the race, but for the sprint finish she's breathing through both.

LorinaLynn

I breathe just fine unless and until I think about it. :laugh:

I think (but I'm not sure), I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth for the first mile, but any longer and I'm mostly through my mouth.

I've heard in through the nose, out the mouth helps in cold weather. I do (or did... my lungs are so much better now that I'm not sure if I still do or not)) get cold induced asthma, so I'd like to prevent that.

maemiller

i breathe through my mouth. you get more oxygen to your body than you do through your nose

UltraRunnerGale

There is a saying among runners.... You breathe through every orifice available!! It is perfectly alright and normal to breathe through your mouth!! :bigsmile:

dave_in_delaware

I guess i need to start keeping some water on my treadmill so I can "wet my whistle" when/if I start breathing through my mouth.

Because a dry mouth throws my rhythms all out of whack.

winterjade

I am a mouth breather....when I was training for my half, my trainer has mentioned it really doesnt matter through the nose or mouth its the consistance and how hard your breathing. He had mentioned that even through the tough spots (like up hill) try to breath like you are lounging on the couch...although I am not at this point yet, when I think of it while running I find that I run better when I regulate my breathing

lambchop1042

Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. It helps regulate your breathing and allows for maximum air into your lungs to help you while running.

This is what I do while exercising, otherwise my mouth gets super dry super fast!