Breathing while jogging

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  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    You guys may be over thinking this breathing thing. Breathing is natural. Running is not complicated. It's so easy even a caveman could do it... and it doesnt take math to figure out when you need to breathe. Generally you should run at a pace that will allow you to have a conversation using complete sentences. If you cant, youre running too hard.

    Quit worrying about breathing and focus on stride and foot plant, the rest will fall into place. Run like a child & enjoy the run. Check out the landscape, smell the earth, lose yourself. Damn, I think I will go out again! LOL
    Your entire post made me think of Friends ("The One Where Phoebe Runs" Season 6, Episode 7). :laugh:
    Phoebe-Running.gif

    P.S. I clearly have an unhealthy obsession with Friends, but I accept it.
  • MsStang02
    MsStang02 Posts: 147 Member
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    I am using the C25K app (week 5) and I have found that my breathing works best when I breathe in for 3 strides, and then out for 3 strides.

    My strides are super short as I run in the ball strike motion, so it's about a 1 second breathe in, 1 second breathe out.

    Make sure you do abdominal breathing (so as you inhale make sure your stomach is being pushed out) as this will stop cramps and pains.

    Good luck :)

    ^^ This! I do the same thing. I make sure I have good posture and try and hit my cadence (180). Once I've got that down I can focus on breathing and it is breathe in for 3 strides, out for 3 strides. Usually in through the nose, out through the mouth.
  • kylamaries
    kylamaries Posts: 291
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    The gas and pains might partially be because of the lack of stretching before and after your run (Disclaimer: I'm not speaking on anything more than personal experience here!) so try stretching especially your abdomen before you go out and then do the same stretches in the first 15 minutes after your run. It does wonders, I promise!

    As for the breathing, mix it up and see which way you feel most comfortable with! I used to run cross country and track and both of my coaches hated that I was a mouth breather. I purse my lips a little and breath lightly in and out. You don't have to pant when you breath with your mouth and personally, I feel as though I don't get enough air through my nose (I began having chest pains and feeling lightheaded when I do so). I know it's recommended that you breath through your nose but sometimes you have to do what's best for you!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I breathe in for three steps, and out for two steps. I read somewhere that while you are inhaling, your core muscles are tensed, and when you exhale they relax. So the theory goes that you are least stable at the beginning of an exhale. Breathing for an odd number of steps - in this case five in total - means you start the exhale on the opposite foot each time rather than the same foot always taking the burden.

    Truthfully I have no idea if the science backs that up but it does seem to work for me. When I come to a hill I might switch to in for 2, out for 1 if I feel I need to breathe faster. I try (but don't always remember) to breathe in and out through both mouth and nose and to breathe into your belly and not your shoulders.

    This is the cadence recommended in the book "Running on Air" I tried it on my last run and it was awesome. But the OP needs to slow down.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    You guys may be over thinking this breathing thing. Breathing is natural. Running is not complicated. It's so easy even a caveman could do it.

    Same thing with breastfeeding. However, it takes most women about 6 weeks and some mentorship to get the hang of it.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    ... it feels like I sound like the Hulk having an orgasm.

    LMAO! I have no idea why this is so funny but the rest of my cubemates must think I am insane for laughing so loud.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    I hold one nostril closed and snort hard out the other, blasting the contents out. Then I do the other.

    We call these "snot rockets" here in the midwest.

    They can be a hazard when running with 40,000 other people in the Indy mini marathon.
  • Rockstar_JILL
    Rockstar_JILL Posts: 514 Member
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    okay..so what can we do about the nasal issue?? Why do we have "snot rockets" on our run? how do we get rid of it? is there a mediaction to take for allergies? what can fix this??
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I've only been a runner for a little while but, from what I've seen, we mostly embrace the physical.

    Squatting in the bushes.
    Farmer blowing.
    Vomiting after cruising across a finish line.
    Dripping with sweat.
    Pushing through exhaustion.

    It's all part of the fun.
  • abarkin
    abarkin Posts: 2 Member
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    foolproof breathing technique: sing the alphabet song-- inhale on "A, B, C, D" and exhale "E, F, G". Repeat.
  • IHeart90s
    IHeart90s Posts: 38 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I wasn't able to read all your posts until now, but I will definitely put theses suggestions to practice. Today is training day so wish me luck! :smile:
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    I've only been a runner for a little while but, from what I've seen, we mostly embrace the physical.

    Squatting in the bushes.
    Farmer blowing.
    Vomiting after cruising across a finish line.
    Dripping with sweat.
    Pushing through exhaustion.

    It's all part of the fun.

    Don't forget the runners who crap themselves.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I've only been a runner for a little while but, from what I've seen, we mostly embrace the physical.

    Squatting in the bushes.
    Farmer blowing.
    Vomiting after cruising across a finish line.
    Dripping with sweat.
    Pushing through exhaustion.

    It's all part of the fun.

    Don't forget the runners who crap themselves.

    As I said, I've only been a runner for a little while :)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Heh. I've seen it on tv with marathon and with ironman... I was like... wait what?

    HOLY!

    Then I'd find myself on the floor in tears, laughing. With nary a thought of.... what if it were you D, what if it were you? I FEAR THAT.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Heh. I've seen it on tv with marathon and with ironman... I was like... wait what?

    HOLY!

    Then I'd find myself on the floor in tears, laughing. With nary a thought of.... what if it were you D, what if it were you? I FEAR THAT.

    I've had two babies. I've done worse. LOL.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    First up, make sure you're not suffering from exercise-induced asthma or allergies. If you find yourself coughing or wheezing after a run, that can explain why you can't catch your breath. A reliever inhaler sorted me right out, then as I got fitter I hardly needed it.

    Next, run slower. No, slower than that. Even slower!! Get the distance sorted first, and the pace will come later. Try running alone to see what pace suits you.

    For stitch, exhale hard every time your right foot goes down. Not eating or drinking for an hour before you run will help too.

    To get enough air in, I breath through my mouth AND nose - I'd breathe through my ears if I could, anything to get enough air in! My personal long-distance pace is in for three steps (right, left right) then out for three. But you need to find what suits you.
  • Raasy
    Raasy Posts: 972 Member
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    commenting to continue following thread
  • keninf
    keninf Posts: 215 Member
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    There are so many good resources for beginners and expert runners alike. Try a trial running magazine like runner's world. There are also great books that help with everything from how to start, how to tackles hills, how to find shoes, how to breathe. I would start looking and researching- good luck.
  • cmfaris8
    cmfaris8 Posts: 39
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    This is probably not the safest thing, but I have found chewing gum to really help with my breathing. I spent 23 years believing that I just could not run and then about 2 weeks into C25K (13 min jogging/5 min walk) I forgot to spit out my gum and was able complete an entire 5K, no problem. I think it gets me into a rhythm and forces me to breathe through my nose. It also helps with dry mouth.
  • auteurfille22
    auteurfille22 Posts: 251 Member
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    I don't know how much help I'll be, but I finished C25K about a month ago and loved it. When I started out, my breathing was really really uneven and it really sounded like I was a panting dog on a hot day (even though I'd started in February). Part of what helped me was just not to think about it so much. I know this is more of a psychological answer and is probably not what you're looking for, but what I started doing was playing my music loud enough that I couldn't really hear my own breathing. It helped me to not be constantly think about how I'm supposed to breathe and whether I'm being too loud or not, etc. I think part of it just takes time, too. I don't know how long you've been training, but I definitely found as I went through C25K and did the longer runs my breathing sort of evened out on its own and became less of an issue. And also, don't go too fast! Of course you want to do as best as you can but over-exerting yourself can definitely lead to unbalanced and unhealthy breathing, so don't take this to extremes :) Good luck!

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