Help with breathing while running please../

hludwig980
hludwig980 Posts: 102 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What is the best way to work on my breathing while running? Today during my lunch I went for a walk and decided to see how it felt to run. I alternated between a quick walk and jogging. I did a total of 3.55 miles. Of that I ran probably about a mile. My legs felt great throughout the whole thing, but I am struggling with my breathing. Any tips, insights or helpful hint would be appreciated!! Thanks everyone!!!!

Replies

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Slow down.

    Sounds trite. You're probably going too fast for your cardio fitness level. That forces your heart to speed up to deliver oxygen to your muscles, and speeds up your breathing, until you feel out of breath. In time it'll get easier. Until then, running more slowly will put less strain on your body.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    +1

    General rule of thumb for building a running base - if you can't speak in whole sentences, you're running too fast.
  • Heavyd2g
    Heavyd2g Posts: 61 Member
    I used to run at a slow pace. It depends on a number of things, including your stride. I found that with my slow jog and shallow stride it was comfortable for me to breathe in for 2 steps and out for 2 steps. You just need to find a rythmn to suit you.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    hludwig980 wrote: »
    What is the best way to work on my breathing while running?

    I tend to go for a traditional in, followed by out.

    Sometimes I'll go for out, followed by in...

    The main thing is to ease your pace so that you can comfortably breathe for the duration of your run period.
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Ventilation, gas exchange in the lungs, is under considerable voluntary control (with involuntary override mechanisms!) As the workload gets high, especially at workloads above the lactate (and ventilatory) threshold, the body assumes much tighter control on breathing and there is far less room for variation in breathing "strategies." The more fit your are, e.g. the higher your lactate and ventilatory thresholds (up to your genetic limits), the more room you have to play with.

    You can either slow down and reinsert control or let the body do it's thing (IMO the best approach except where stealth is paramount). And, "breathing" through the mouth is not a bad thing and is an involuntary response to the workload. Ask yourself which venue can you provide you with the most air exchange, mouth or nose?
  • prbravo11
    prbravo11 Posts: 20 Member
    I control my breathing with my stride. I breathe in on my left foot and exhale on the right. If I start to feel the side stitch...I switch my from left to right on inhale and exhale on the left. It's ingrained in my head so I do it subconsciously.
    Also, weather dependent and effort dependent in breathing through my mouth or my nose. Sometimes I use both.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    Slow down.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Find your slow pace and run slower.

    Just get miles under your feet and the breathing will come along. Promise.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    Sing. I'm not kidding. Sing. If you can't sing when you run, you are going too fast.
  • coalz
    coalz Posts: 308 Member
    In the nose and out the mouth. Deep cleansing breaths. Find your own unique pattern and let it flow
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    First of all: slow down as others have said. Then just tried to breathe. If you don't get enough air through your nose then ignore it. There's no need to breathe through the nose. Then just breathe, really. Try not to think about it and then look at what works. I find that I usually breathe every second step if I run fast, and use a two in, three out rhythm when I run slow. but that's really individual.
  • sjostrich
    sjostrich Posts: 117 Member
    edited April 2016
    I inhale for 2 steps and exhale for 2 steps. It helps control pace and also lets your brain zone out a bit. Nose or mouth doesn't matter, whatever's comfortable for you! But if this was your first go at running in a while it might just be that. Going for 3.5 miles is awesome! But you might need to ease into it for your lung strength to catch up with your legs. :)
  • Fernando618G
    Fernando618G Posts: 380 Member
    in your nose out your mouth
  • ekat120
    ekat120 Posts: 407 Member
    I'm a mouth breather :D (only when I run!) in every 4 steps (left-right-left-right) and out every 4 steps for easy runs. Agree with the advice to slow down.
  • bogwoppt1
    bogwoppt1 Posts: 159 Member
    Mouth breather here too. When I run with friends we chat the whole way. When I run alone I try to sing along to something.

    If you cannot catch your breath you are going to fast. Maybe look at an interval running app like 5k runner. They build up very slowly to 5k and have defined intervals.

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