Runners, how do you breathe??

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jamielynn1981
jamielynn1981 Posts: 232 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This may sound crazy but how do you all breathe while running?? I googled it yesterday and said to try to inhale by using your diaphragm or belly muscles and through your nose and mouth. Inhale 3 steps, exhale 3 steps. But while running it seemed hard to do............

What works best for you all??
Thanks
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Replies

  • capnwo85
    capnwo85 Posts: 1,103 Member
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    I think that NOT thinking about how I breath seems to works better.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    Honestly, I just relax and don't think about it. I've tried the three steps breathe in, three steps breathe out and it took my concentration off from my running.
  • lschuttem
    lschuttem Posts: 82 Member
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    i remember when i used to run more when i was younger (ran some cross country, nothing too impressive though) i would inhale for two steps and exhale for two steps and that was a good rythm for me. Im not as good of shape now, so sometimes i breath in with one step and out with the next step, but im trying to breath in for two, out for two.
    i mostly breath though my mouth..and i think i use my chest and diagphram..not too sure
  • jamielynn1981
    jamielynn1981 Posts: 232 Member
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    Thanks, was kinda thinking the same thing!! (about NOT concentrating on it)
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
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    I'd always heard in through the nose and out through the mouth.
    My wife told me in and out through the mouth. Since I started that, I was able to run.
    Now I just don't think about it..
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
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    If I'm pushing my speed I'll exhale 2 steps, inhale 2 steps.

    If I'm taking it leisurely I'll exhale 3 steps, inhale 2 steps.

    I only breathe through my mouth, because my nose gets blocked frequently on a run. Never suffered from this.

    Don't know how long you've been running, but you'll probably naturally fall into a pattern when you can run for a long time without feeling winded. Until you've built up a bit of fitness first it's REALLY hard to follow the 2-in/2-out pattern, so don't worry too much. Your 3-in/3-out pattern sounds difficult!
  • goodme02
    goodme02 Posts: 17 Member
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    I think mine is more like breathe in for 2 steps, and out for 2....I found found that just trying to take good, deep breaths instead of shallow ones helps with side aches and helps my breathing from becoming too out-of-control. And I also breathe in and out through both my nose and mouth. As long as you keep your breathing under control, you're good, and it makes running easier.
  • azazelrabbit
    azazelrabbit Posts: 137
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    Well, I'm not a 'runner'. I'm really jsut starting out, but this helped me:

    In through the nose 1 - 2 - 3
    Out through the mouth 1 - 2 - 3
    And repeat.

    Once you start doing this regularily it kinda becomes automatic, and sometimes I do have to take that extra gulp of air if I'm short, but otherwise it's really effective.
  • reharvrun
    reharvrun Posts: 31
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    This may sound crazy but how do you all breathe while running?? I googled it yesterday and said to try to inhale by using your diaphragm or belly muscles and through your nose and mouth. Inhale 3 steps, exhale 3 steps. But while running it seemed hard to do............

    What works best for you all??
    Thanks

    I just take deep breathes occasionally while I am running and that seems to work. I also listen to music so I'm not even thinking about my breathing.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
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    I changed the way I was breathing in the last few weeks. I had to as I always felt like I was out of breath. I felt like I was panting all the time, and hyperventilating, and giving myself a stitch.

    Now I breath through my nose, and then out through my mouth. I make sure they a long breathes from my belly. I had to really concentrate on the breathing the 1st time I tired out this technique but it was well worth it.
  • guildwars1987
    guildwars1987 Posts: 73 Member
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    the army taught me breath in two step then a quick out burst. in nose out mouth
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I currently do the gasping, barely breathing thing. I try breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, but after a few breaths I don't feel like I'm getting enough air and I have to stop.
  • beckizzle
    beckizzle Posts: 118 Member
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    Just make sure you are still breathing by the end, and you will be fine :-)
  • karliekins
    karliekins Posts: 27 Member
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    I try not to think about it, but when I was running a race today I noticed that I had one inhale and exhale for every three steps. So that's twice as fast as everyone says you should breathe, but it was fine for me. It's whatever you're comfortable with I guess.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
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    When I first started I was doing in 3, out 3. I don't get enough air in through my nose, so it's always through my mouth, in and out. I also used to suffer from anxiety when running, thinking I wasn't going to make the target I'd set myself, and start to panic and then not get enough air in, so I found that if I wore headphones that stopped be hearing how heavily I was breathing it really helped.

    Recently though, I've got more into the swing of things, and I suddenly realised, without even thinking about it, I'd upped my speed, and switched to 2 in, 2 out. I also did my last run without any music etc at all, and that was quite a revelation, feeling more in tune with my running and not paniccing.
  • willismack2
    willismack2 Posts: 84
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    Legendary New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard, when asked how runners should breathe said, “Breathe through your mouth. Breathe through your nose. Suck the air in through your ears, if you can.”
  • vmclach
    vmclach Posts: 670 Member
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    i run cross country and track for my college. I would say just stop thinking about it. I would just run with music. Breathing should not be a problem when you are running. Obviously if you are pushing yourself too hard, your breathing is going to be very heavy and it may hurt. I don't think you should be pushing yourself to that point at anytime unless you are racing.

    You get better at running through practice not learning any "breathing" techniques...


    Personally my breathing consists of three sucks in of air and 2 sucks out. It's what I do naturally. Everyone has their own breathing pattern. The cool thing is your body regulates it without you thinking about it.
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
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    :laugh:
    Just make sure you are still breathing by the end, and you will be fine :-)

    I do find myself taking a deep breath every now and then, but otherwise, I don't think about breathing while running.
  • vmclach
    vmclach Posts: 670 Member
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    i run cross country and track for my college. I would say just stop thinking about it. I would just run with music. Breathing should not be a problem when you are running. Obviously if you are pushing yourself too hard, your breathing is going to be very heavy and it may hurt. I don't think you should be pushing yourself to that point at anytime unless you are racing.

    You get better at running through practice not learning any "breathing" techniques...


    Personally my breathing consists of three sucks in of air and 2 sucks out. It's what I do naturally. Everyone has their own breathing pattern. The cool thing is your body regulates it without you thinking about it.

    also i breath both in and out through my mouth.
  • Alicia_Monique
    Alicia_Monique Posts: 338 Member
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    I breathe through my nose, big long breaths, and out my mouth.

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