Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Mexico
Peru
United States
Israel
South Africa
Österreich (Austria)
Belgique (Belgium)
Croatia
Danmark (Denmark)
Deutschland (Germany)
España (Spain)
France
Greece
Ireland
Italia (Italy)
Luxembourg
Nederland (Netherlands)
Norge (Norway)
Polska (Poland)
Slovenia
Suisse (Switzerland)
Suomi (Finland)
Sverige (Sweden)
Türkiye
United Kingdom
Australia
中国 (China)
Hong Kong SAR
India
日本 (Japan)
Malaysia
New Zealand
Philippines
Singapore
대한민국 (South Korea)
ประเทศไทย (Thailand)
Vietnam
How to breathe while running
The most natural thing in the world is breathing.
It’s the first thing we do when we’re born and comes naturally to us throughout every day. In fact, thinking about breathing may be uncomfortable, requiring careful and dedicated thought, which is why it’s often used to help with meditation.
However, knowing how to breathe properly is more helpful than you think. In fact, more people breathe “wrong than you might think. Breathing from your chest instead of your diaphragm, for example, is far less efficient and can cause pain and discomfort.
Especially when running or working out, correct breathing is essential to help with your posture and keep you energised. Here, we’ll go through the importance of correct breathing while running, and how you can do this.
Why is proper breathing important?
It’s important to breathe carefully and properly while running as wrong breathing techniques can put unnecessary strain on your muscles, affecting how much oxygen you can breathe in. For example, shallow chest breathing can put strain on your neck and shoulder muscles, causing you to have a stiff posture while running. This kind of breathing also means you’re taking smaller breaths at a faster rate, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure at the same time, which can cause you to become more fatigued over time.
How do you breathe while running?
Breathing properly allows you to increase the amount of oxygen in your blood, improving your performance and even your endurance and stamina. Keep these breathing tips in mind before you step out for your next run to see if you can spot any changes.
Breathing from your diaphragm
Also known as ‘belly breathing’ this means that you’re breathing deeply from your diaphragm as opposed to shallow chest breathing. This means you can fill your lungs with oxygen, taking in more oxygen for your blood and muscles.
You can practice breathing from your diaphragm by lying down on the floor and placing your hand or a book on your stomach. Breathe deeply in and out, taking note of how the book (or your hand) moves. You should also try to breathe out all the air in your lungs with every exhale.
Practice this style of breathing every day until you’re able to breathe deeply while walking. Once you’ve mastered this, you can start with a slow run to focus on your breathing technique.
Breathing through your nose and mouth
This one depends on your own preference. If you feel you’re able to catch your breath enough by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, you can do this. However, if you find yourself struggling to catch your breath, you may feel it’s most natural to switch to mouth breathing. However, this can mean that you’re taking in shallow breaths, more often than you need to.
Practicing nasal breathing ensures that you’re breathing more slowly and deeply. It’s also useful when running in the cold, as the passageway through your nose ensures that the air is clean and warm when it reaches your lungs, which can prevent you from falling ill. Start with slower, shorter runs and focus on breathing through your nose, before increasing your pace and lengths.
You essentially want to make sure that you get enough oxygen into your lungs when practicing diaphragm breathing, which will ensure you’re able to keep going during the tougher runs.
Trial different breathing patterns
Rhythmic breathing allows you to control your breathing when running and, as the name suggests, involves breathing to a set ‘rhythm’ or breathing patterns. This could include breathing in through your nose for four seconds, and then out through your mouth for four seconds. You could also manage the rhythm based on how many steps you take for each inhale and exhale. For example, you could inhale for three steps before exhaling for three steps. Simply add more steps to increase your breathing capacity as you increase your running intensity.
When you’re doing any sort of breathing exercises, just make sure that each breath taken is smooth and continuous, avoiding any form of lagging with each breath which can affect how well you’re breathing in.
Benefits of correct breathing when running
When you’re able to breathe correctly while running, you’ll be able to keep going for longer distances, without feeling any pressure building up in your chest, neck and shoulders. Correct breathing also naturally improves your posture while running, which can remove any back pain, especially when running for longer periods of time.
Deep breathing also means you’ll have more oxygen in your lungs and your blood, improving the flow of blood through your body. This provides long-term benefits as it can improve your heart health and keeps your muscles moving as best as they can. Practicing deep diaphragmatic breathing also increases your lung capacity and function, which helps to improve your overall health.
Disclaimer: Our writer's advice is intended for informational or general educational purposes only. We always encourage you to speak with your physician or healthcare provider before making any adjustments to your running, nutrition, or fitness routines.