Start Running - Breathing Tips

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Running for Beginners: Looking to Increase Lung Capacity and Run Faster?

Breathing oxygen is an extremely important component of staying alive, right? Well, the same goes for running. If you're not breathing properly, you're running is going to suffer.

There are tons of theories circulating around the jog-o-sphere about breathing. Should I breathe through my nose? Should my breathing be rhythmic? Do I breathe deeply and deliberately or quickly and nonchalantly?

Put all that out of your head for the moment. The most important thing is that you breathe comfortably. Do what feels right. Your body breathes instinctively - even while you're sleeping, your lungs and corresponding muscles are going through the motions. Running while breathing does not have to be complicated. As long as oxygen is entering your respiratory system, you're doing okay.

How you're running directly affects how you're breathing. When I'm running fast, say a 7-minute mile pace, I'm breathing mostly through my mouth. Your mouth provides a much larger port of entry than your nose, and it's the most effective way of getting oxygen into your system quickly. However, when I'm running super-long distances at a 10 to 12-minute pace, I'll let my nose handle some of the intake.

Which brings me to my next tip: breathing through your nose is a great way to give your lungs a workout and increase capacity. Try this next time you're on a long distance run: breathe in through your nose only and exhale through your mouth.Yes, it's more difficult than mouth-breathing. But if you stick with it over the course of a few weeks you'll notice that your lungs are retaining oxygen more effectively. Once you feel comfortable inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, try switching to all nose for a few minutes at a time. This requires more effort, but will strengthen your lungs even more. Before long, you'll notice your breathing taking on a meditative quality. It will be automatic and out-of-mind, leaving room to focus on other aspects of your running technique.

Lastly, you might want to try belly breathing. I've found that if I periodically take very deep, voluminous breaths during long distance runs - I'm talking about a big 'ol breath that expands your stomach to Buddha proportions - it engages my body's core and helps circulate energy from toes to fingertips. Try it.

In conclusion, breathing comfortably is paramount. When you're ready, try introducing some lung strengthening exercises into your workout. Start out with some light nose-breathing and work your way up, one breath at a time. In time, your breathing will become natural and intuitive. Good luck and be safe.

Tellman Knudson is an ultra-runner training to run 3,200 miles barefoot across the country to raise money for homeless youth. He is the founder and creator of http://www.startrunning.com, an online community for runners.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• running
• fitness
• exercises
• tips
• jogging
• marathon

[XxYonisxX]

i was expecting "Breathing tips,while smokin weed"

[shortstufftrull]

whish i could grow a beard like.  best video

[BenW1991NE]

nice shirt

[MrKuntry71]

@Jamierose757 Our lungs extract 4% and we exhale 16%. That's 20%. What happens to the remaining 80%? Check your facts. We absorbe about 30% of what we inhale. If you don't know, don't act like you do.

[Jamierose757]

@jordanchie I think you need the biology lessons mate. Our lungs only extract approximately 4% of the oxygen from the air we inhale. This means that we exhale approximately 16% of oxygen OUT. If we didn't exhale any oxygen then what would be the point in performing mouth to mouth resucitation?

[jordanchie1]

Bro, you might need to go back to 6th grade biology, because i am pretty sure you don't breathe oxygen OUT. Just by the way.

[TheDespicableme101]

nice shirt..

[dieselxdan]

Tebow in the offseason.

[x20michigan]

Wow this guy is the next Forrest Gump by trying to run across the country.

[thesnowman16]

Jesus is teaching me how to run!

[petruccirag3]

Guthrie Govan is a runner too?

[mofoNOSE]

I think I just found my running guru! 36 and just want to get in better shape. Tried jogging a few times but always quit after a month. This guy hit the nail on the head in one video about the mental side of running. I mean he is training to run across the country! Who better to know about the the mental side. I'm going to try the breathing tips and the mental tips tomorrow. Wish me luck.