Runners, how do you breathe??

jamielynn1981
jamielynn1981 Posts: 232 Member
edited December 16 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
    I think that NOT thinking about how I breath seems to works better.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    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
    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
    Thanks, was kinda thinking the same thing!! (about NOT concentrating on it)
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    the army taught me breath in two step then a quick out burst. in nose out mouth
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    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
    Just make sure you are still breathing by the end, and you will be fine :-)
  • karliekins
    karliekins Posts: 27 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    :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
    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
    I breathe through my nose, big long breaths, and out my mouth.
  • JenaePavlak
    JenaePavlak Posts: 350 Member
    I saw that if you have frequent "side stitches" try making sure you breathe on your left foot. I don't normally think about it unless I do get a stitch, then I concentrate on the left foot thing, and it works! Also, if you get any pain in the diaphragm, try breathing all air out possible and you'll feel the pain subside..
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    I pretty much breathe from my belly and breathe in 2-3 steps and out 2-3 steps through both mouth and nose. Works well for me. I don't think about it much, except for when my lungs are starting to burn - like when my heart rate is in the mid to high 160's.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    I breathe like a phone stalker. I find I get cramps if I think about my breathing too much though.
  • AmyEm3
    AmyEm3 Posts: 784 Member
    I can't think about it or it throws me off. I also have to breathe in and out through my mouth. I can't get enough air in through my nose.
  • sheryllamb72
    sheryllamb72 Posts: 163 Member
    I do 2 breaths in on one step and two breaths out on the other...... Works for me!
  • cboyt
    cboyt Posts: 1
    hi i always run with a friend and spend so much time chatting i dont even think about my breathing!!!! xx
  • sheepiegail
    sheepiegail Posts: 56 Member
    mouth closed. no bugs and no side stitches!
  • liveyourlifex
    liveyourlifex Posts: 149 Member
    inhale through nose, out through mouth
    i take 2 steps in-between :)

    i can't talk with anyone because i concentrate on my breathing
  • Zangpakto
    Zangpakto Posts: 336 Member
    Natural...

    What is with this counting stuff? It makes no sense, everyone is different!

    Lung capacity, VO2 max, your endurance, weight, stride style, stride length etc etc...

    Too many variables... If I'm going at a 7min/km pace maybe it's 2-3 in/out?

    If I'm going at 4-5m/km it's about the same still as legs moves fast ya know...

    Seriously... silly question, everyone is different, as nike would say... Just do it!...

    Best advise from me? I've run countless half marathons, raced competitively in 5-10km and now moving to full marathons and ultras...

    My advise? What comes natural is good, good steady breathing is the guideline, not breaths... at least for endurance, if you want to feel less winded? A good way is to expel air 1-2 breaths more than inhale and expel the air harder! Gets rid of CO2, and enriches the blood with better oxygen, but also places stress on HR so not efficient to do over a longer period than say 20-30seconds...
  • katemme
    katemme Posts: 191
    In through my nose twice, out through my mouth twice. The air is warmed up by the time it reaches my lungs, and it helps me keep pace.
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