Running is a fun and energizing sport. If you love to run, then improving your performance would be a top priority for you, especially as a new runner. Your legs might be fine but are you breathing well? Is your breathing stabilized enough for you to run just the way you would love to?Does it get incredibly hard to breathe as soon as you start running? Do you want to run like experienced runners who have mastered how to handle their breathing for optimal performance? You can’t catch your breath while running? Then you should read this article.
When it comes to breathing, things like an oxygen concentrator can help to deliver oxygen to those who require it. However, for runners, you need to be equipped with effective breathing tips to take your running from a starter-level to a master-level. You need to learn how to breathe in such a way that you would be able to run as advanced runners do run.
Your breathing has to be good and not shallow. Before you try out any breathing training, technique, or tips, it is important to first consult your healthcare professional to make sure you don’t have any medical issue. This is an important step that shouldn’t be skipped. Once you have been cleared of that, then you can utilize well-tested and trusted tips and insights to help you master your breathing while running.
A very important aspect of running is how you breathe. Do you know that your inhale and exhale and affect the quality of your running? When you understand the basics about breathing while running, you are able to keep your pace, prevent injury, and run the way you want to run.
Here are some breathing tips to help you:
- Focus on a good posture:
To allow your lungs to fill up to their proper capacity, you should keep a great posture. Do not allow yourself to sag forwards as you feel exhausted. This might efficiently minimize the space your lungs can operate in and for that reason limit your breathing, contributing to your fatigue.
Your posture matters and you need to ensure you maintain a good posture. Relax your shoulders, don’t slouch, keep your heads up. This would help you increase your lung capacity. Practice and master a good posture.
- Go for a walk:
When you go for your work, you should practice deep and slow breathing which can help you expand your belly as you walk. Have a good inhale and exhale. As you begin to walk and master your breathing, then you can pick up the pace and increase it while maintaining the same breathing pattern. Deep breathing will fill your lungs, reduce fatigue, and help to improve your posture.
- From walking to jogging:
Once you have mastered how to walk while maintaining the deep and slow breathing you can move on to jogging while still maintaining the same breathing pattern. Once you have mastered this stage then you can start running from short distances to long distances while maintaining the same breathing pattern.
- Slow down:
If you’re a newbie runner and also find yourself getting out of breath, it’s normally an indicator that you run out of shape. It does not indicate that there is something wrong with your running/jogging method or lungs.
As a new runner, you should start running from a relaxed place where you can practice deep breathing and master your breathing. You can start running from a relaxed and conversational place; a situation where you can still hold conversations even when you are running. Get your pace under control and slow down.
- Exercise often:
Set out some time daily to exercise often and keep yourself in shape. When you exercise often, you give yourself the opportunity to be in shape and you can also practice any of the following breathing exercises that would help you increase your lung capacity.
- Combination Breathing
- Belly Breathing
- Breathing Patterns
- Progressive Breathing patterns
- Standing Deep Breathing
- Belly Breathing
- Rhythmic Breathing
- Run-walk intervals:
If you want to get your lungs in shape, you can practice the run-walk intervals. Here, you run for a certain period of time, then walk at a set period of time. Repeat this process for some minutes. Don’t forget to breathe deeply and slowly while you do this.
- Be focused:
Bonus tip! Don’t get distracted, keep your breathing focused. Don’t engage in activities that won’t allow you to focus on your breathing just yet. Ensure you are conscious about the way you breathe so you adjust the way you breathe when the need arises.
It might take a little focus to maintain your breathing rate from increasing as you grab the pace, however, you will be surprised exactly how quickly and easily you can actually manage and control it by just paying a little focus to it.
Learning to breathe correctly can significantly boost your efficiency while running. Nonetheless, it is constantly vital to discuss exercises with your doctor before including them to your routine.
What other tips did we miss out? Do drop your comments below!
