Unlock Your Running Potential: 5 Breathing Hacks Every Runner Needs to Know!
Running is more than just putting one foot in front of the other.
It's a complex interplay of muscles, cardiovascular endurance, and perhaps most crucially, breathing.
Many runners underestimate the impact that proper breathing techniques can have on their performance.
In this article, we'll explore five essential breathing hacks that can help you unlock your true running potential.
The 5 Breathing Hacks
- Master Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Embrace Nasal Breathing
- Implement Rhythmic Breathing
- Incorporate Inspiratory Muscle Warm-up (IMW)
- Practise Breath Control Exercises or Apneas
Let's look at these in detail now.
#1: Master Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing while allowing the breath to move into the lower ribs, is the foundation of efficient respiration during running.
It is ideal to be able to breathe light slow and deep rather than shallow, fast and into your upper chest.
Often when asked to be aware of your current breathing pattern people only pay attention to the inhale. This thinking misses half the picture.
Your inhale will and can only be as good as you allow your exhale to be. The key is to have an optimal range of motion whereby the ribs can move laterally from a comfortable resting position after an exhale.
With an exhale, the ribs glide back in towards the midline so the respiratory diaphragm rises along with the pelvic diaphragm/ pelvic floor while activating your deep abdominal muscles.
The inhale allows the rib cage to expand, the respiratory diaphragm broadens and descends and the pelvic diaphragm/ pelvic floor lengthens and relaxes and the abdominals release tension as the core works to balance and counterbalance the changes in pressure
1. Lie on your back with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose, allowing your belly to rise while your chest remains relatively still, your ribcage can gently expand to the sides on the inhale.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth or nose, feeling your belly draw back inwards as the ribs glide back towards your midline.
Remember your next inhale will only be as good as you allow the exhale to be. Kristen Konkol, an associate teaching professor of exercise science at Syracuse University, emphasises the importance of diaphragmatic breathing:
"When runners are not efficiently using their diaphragms during exercise, they're limiting how deeply they can inhale, which in turn limits how much oxygen is absorbed and delivered to their muscles"[2]
50% of athletes suffer from diaphragm fatigue during their sport.
Breathing is a primal function and when it begins to suffer it will draw blood from the legs, causing fatigue, core stability will diminish and cause faulty movement patterns and increase your chance of developing an injury.
Incorporating diaphragmatic breathing into your running routine can significantly improve your oxygen intake and overall performance.
#2: Embrace Nasal Breathing
While it may seem counterintuitive, breathing through your nose during running can offer several benefits.
Nasal breathing filters, warms, and humidifies the air before it reaches your lungs, which can be particularly beneficial in cold or dry conditions.
Nasal breathing opens up the airways, improving circulation while offering resistance training for your breathing muscles.
The air entering by mouth is cold, causing bronchoconstriction leading to a faster and more shallow breathing pattern.
Mouth breathing does not improve respiratory function due to the lack of resistance unless you are a swimmer.
A study by George Dallam in 2018 found that runners who trained using only nose breathing for six months showed remarkable improvements:
- Their breathing rate decreased from 49.4 breaths per minute (mouth breathing) to 39.2 breaths per minute (nose breathing).
- The percentage of CO2 in exhaled air increased, indicating better oxygen absorption.
- Runners maintained their VO2 max and peak performance despite the switch to nasal breathing[1].
Dallam concluded that "nasally restricted breathing during running may be beneficial for endurance athletes who want to boost their performance and maintain good respiratory health"[1].
1. Start with slower, easier runs to acclimate to the technique.
2. Focus on breathing light, slow and deeply through your nose, allowing for your lower rib cage to expand.
3. You can wear a resistance band tied around your lower ribs to act as a guide and gentle reminder to allow the breath to be drawn into the area of your lungs where the gas exchange takes place.
4. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of nasal breathing as you become more comfortable.
You can try it with interval style training where you run a certain distance with nasal breathing only.
You can then switch to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth and then back to just in and out through the nose. In time those segments where the mouth was required will gradually become shorter distances.
#3: Implement Rhythmic Breathing
Rhythmic breathing is a technique that synchronises your breath with your footsteps.
This approach can help distribute the stress of impact more evenly across your body and improve overall running efficiency.
The American Lung Association recommends a 5-step pattern:
"Three steps as you inhale and two steps as you exhale (i.e. as you step: inhale left, right, left; exhale right, left, right)"[5].
This pattern ensures that you're not always exhaling on the same foot, which can help reduce the risk of injury.
https://www.lung.org/blog/breathing-basics-for-runners
For faster-paced runs, you can switch to a 3-step pattern: two steps inhale, one step exhale. This allows for steady breathing while maintaining the benefits of rhythmic breathing.
Budd Coates, a running coach and author of "Running on Air," explains the benefits: "When you exhale, your diaphragm and core muscles relax, making you more susceptible to the impact forces of running. By coordinating your exhalations with alternating foot strikes, you distribute the stress more evenly"[5].
#4:Incorporate Inspiratory Muscle Warm-up (IMW)
Just as you warm up your legs before a run, warming up your breathing muscles can lead to improved performance.
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that an inspiratory muscle warm-up (IMW) significantly improved 3,200-meter running performance in trained distance runners[4].
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30640308/
The study showed that runners who performed IMW before their run:
- Improved their 3,200-meter time by 2.8% (about 20 seconds)
- Experienced increased inspiratory muscle strength, flow, and power
- Reported feeling more ready to race and less breathless during the run
- Use a resisted breathing trainer like this set to 50% of your peak inspiratory strength. Perform 30 breaths against this resistance before your run.
- While specialised equipment can be helpful, you can also simulate this warm-up by taking deep, forceful breaths against cupped hands for 30 repetitions before your run.
#5: Practise Breath Control Exercises/Apneas
Improving your overall breath control can have a significant impact on your running performance.
Here are two exercises to enhance your breathing capacity.
Practising these exercises regularly can improve your lung capacity and breath control, which translates to better breathing efficiency during runs.
- Inhale for a count of 4
- Hold your breath for a count of 4
- Exhale for a count of 4
- Hold your breath out for a count of 4
- Repeat for 5-10 cycles
- Inhale slowly through your nose for 2 counts
- Purse your lips as if you're about to whistle
- Exhale slowly through pursed lips for 4 counts
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The Impact of Proper Breathing on Running Performance
- Increased Oxygen Uptake: By breathing more efficiently, you deliver more oxygen to your muscles, delaying the onset of fatigue.
- Improved Endurance: Better breath control allows you to maintain a steady pace for longer periods.
- Mental Focus: Concentrating on your breath can help you maintain focus and push through challenging parts of your run.
- Reduced Risk of Injury: Techniques like rhythmic breathing help distribute the impact forces more evenly across your body.
- Enhanced Recovery: Efficient breathing helps remove metabolic waste products more effectively, aiding in faster recovery.
Overcoming Common Breathing Challenges
Even with these techniques, runners may face some common breathing challenges.
Here's how to address them:
1. Side Stitches: Often caused by shallow breathing, side stitches can be alleviated by focusing on deep, diaphragmatic breaths and slowing your pace temporarily.
2. Breathlessness: If you find yourself constantly out of breath, you may be running too fast. Slow down and focus on maintaining a conversational pace. Start incorporating breathing exercises to help you better tolerate increases in CO2.
3. Breathing in Cold Weather: Cold air can irritate your airways. Try wearing a neck gaiter or scarf over your mouth to warm the air before it enters your lungs. Alternatively, use nasal breathing so the air that enters is warm as it enters the airways.
A Breathing-Focused 6-Week Plan For Runners
To incorporate these breathing hacks into your running routine, follow this progressive plan.
Remember, consistency is key. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but with practice, these techniques will become second nature and significantly improve your running experience.
- Week 1-2: Focus on mastering diaphragmatic breathing during easy runs
- Week 2-3: Introduce nasal breathing during the first half of your runs, switching to mouth breathing if needed.
- Week 4-5: Practise rhythmic breathing, starting with the 5-step pattern and progressing to the 3-step pattern
- Week 5-6: Add inspiratory muscle warm-ups & incorporate breath control exercises on rest days.
Conclusion: Bringing it all together
Breathing is the foundation of running performance, yet it's often overlooked in training programs.
By implementing these five breathing hacks – diaphragmatic breathing, nasal breathing, rhythmic breathing, inspiratory muscle warm-ups, and breath control exercises – you can unlock new levels of running potential.
As Christopher McDougall, author of "Born to Run," observed about the Tarahumara runners: "They breathe in only through the nose"[1]. This simple technique, along with the others we've explored, can transform your running experience.
Remember, improving your breathing is a journey, not a destination. Be patient with yourself as you incorporate these techniques, and soon you'll be breathing – and running – easier than ever before.
Citations:
[1] https://oxygenadvantage.com/science/how-to-breathe-while-running/
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/29/well/move/run-diaphragmatic-breathing.html
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/how-to-breathe-while-running
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30640308/
[5] https://www.lung.org/blog/breathing-basics-for-runners
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