How To Breathe When Running

How often do you like to run? If you don’t already run regularly, then you're making a great choice to start now.

Besides being great for your health, running is a great way to burn off steam, enjoy some time to yourself and get those endorphins pumping! 

It can even be a great way to socialize and make new friends, especially with all the various running clubs you can join.

Still, regardless of whether you're new to the sport or you're just getting started on our fitness journey, there's one thing that we're sure that everyone can agree on: controlling your breathing while running is one of the hardest aspects to get right, and incorrectly doing it is often the reason that many throw in the towel before they've even worked up a sweat.

In fact, running for long periods of time has less to do with overall athleticism levels and everything to do with how you are able to control your breathing.

That's why, in this article, we are going to be talking you through how you should breathe while you are running. 

Along the way, we are also going to be sharing with you some helpful advice that will help to ensure that you get the most out of each one of your running sessions, too. Let's begin! 

What Happens to Our Bodies When We Run?

When we run, our bodies switch from aerobic to anaerobic. This means that our muscles become more efficient at using oxygen as fuel, which allows us to use them for longer without needing to rest. 

As a result, our heart rate increases when we exercise, our breathing becomes faster, and our body temperature rises.

All of these things happen because our body needs to work harder to keep up with the increased demand placed upon it by the additional workload.

The good news is that once we have reached the point where our body is working hard enough to need to rely on anaerobic energy sources, we are well into the zone where we can feel the benefits of exercise. 

When we first start running, however, it is very easy to forget about the importance of proper breathing and focus instead on simply trying to finish the race.

But if we want to maximize the results that we see from our workouts, we need to remember that we must always pay attention to what our bodies are telling us.

How Does Breathing Affect My Running Experience?

As mentioned above, when we run, our bodies increase their reliance on anaerobic energy production. In order to achieve this, our bodies need to produce more lactic acid than usual.

The problem is that lactic acid builds up in our muscle cells until it reaches a certain level, after which it begins to cause damage to our tissue.

While there are supplements that help reduce lactic acid, there are other things to remember to avoid this unwanted buildup. 

It is important to avoid over-exerting ourselves during our runs; otherwise, we could find ourselves injured later on down the line.

You should also make sure that you are centering your breathing and grounding down into your body while you run.

By controlling your breath, you will be more focused and in-tune with your body, and this will, in turn, help you to notice the different signs that your body is trying to give you while you are running.

If you don't, then you may end up paying a price later on down the line.

So, How Do I Control My Breathing While I Run?

Now that we know how breathing affects our running performance, let's talk about how we can actually change our breathing patterns so that they improve our performance.

The main way that you can do this is by ensuring that you are breathing in a controlled manner.

Controlling Your Air Flow

The easiest way to control the amount of air flowing through our lungs is to slow down our breathing.

Slowing down your breathing will allow you to take deeper breaths, which will help you fill your lungs with more air. 

It also helps to ensure that you inhale and exhale evenly throughout the duration of your run.

By slowing down your breathing, you will be able to get more out of every breath that you take, and this will lead to better endurance.

The most effective way to breathe while you are running is to follow the breathing pattern of slowly in through the nose and then out through the mouth. So, you should be sure to slowly inhale through 

What Should I Do If I'm Struggling To Breathe During A Run?

If you're feeling like you are having trouble breathing during your workout, there are a few things that you can do to help yourself.

First off, if you are beginning to feel light-headed or as though you are struggling to catch your breath – then you should be sure to either slow down to give yourself some room to get your breaths in or alternatively stop and take a break altogether. 

No matter what, you need to make sure that you are listening to your body at all times, as you don't want to risk getting an injury or becoming sick. 

In addition, it's also important to keep in mind that you are likely to experience shortness of breath during the first 10 minutes of your run (as this is the time when your body switches from its aerobic system to its anaerobic system.

So, if you can push through that, you will begin to find that it is a lot easier to breathe while you run.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are many ways in which you can improve your breathing while you are running. However, the best thing for you to do is listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel. 

You should never force yourself to run faster than you are comfortable doing, and if you start to feel light-headed, dizzy, or otherwise not well, then it's probably time to slow down.

Thank you for reading!