Breathing tips

Arsenium

Hello everyone,

I'm a relatively newbie runner although I have followed athletics for a long time and lurk on here quite a bit picking up some pearls of wisdom to help me out.

Anyway, my wife has started running recently and has done a few 5k's, a couple of 10K's and is now signed up for the mini marathon on the June bank holiday. She went for a 7K run yesterday evening and when she was describing it to me later on we realised her biggest problem seems to be around her breathing. She feels out of breath very very quickly and cant seem to get into a comfortable breathing rhythm at all. Her legs are fine and she can complete the distance comfortably but it appears that the run would be way more enjoyable, and I imagine the times would be quicker if the breathing was more comfortable.

So we were wondering, are there any breathing exercises for a new runner to allow you get into a comfortable breathing rhythm.

Thanks in advance.

RacoonQueen

She probably needs to run slower to be honest. There is no trick to breathing while running, not when running easy anyway. You just breathe the same was as you would do when walking or sitting on your couch!
What are her times for the races she does and what pace does she run at?

Arsenium

Thanks RacoonQueen.

32 mins for the 5K and 1:09 for the 10K. Her problem seems to be in the first 2km the breathing becomes a bit uneven and she never seems to be able to get it back to an even rhythm.

I remember from playing GAA as a youngster coaches would give you tips on how to get your breath back quickly after a burst of speed / sprint. And I also came across the belly breathing technique a while ago also and I have been trying to get the hang of it myself on runs (hills especially) so I was wondering if there were techniques people utilise when they start out.

RacoonQueen

What sort of pace does she do when doing a training run?
Does she have the same problem in races?
Is she tense/nervous at all while training?

Sprints and hills are extra exertion, so your breathing will become stressed - thats why you'll stop/stand around/jog/walk recovery and then go and do it again if she is doing a straight 7k at a fixed pace she shouldn't have that, unless she is going too fast for her current fitness levels.

RonanP77

I can only talk about what works for me, the more experienced people might have other views. I try to get my breathing into time with my stride, so every time my foot strikes the ground I'm either breathing in or out.

At a slow pace I do it in 4s, so it's 4 partial breaths in (with each partial breath matching a footstep) then 4 partial breaths out. When I come to a hill I'll lengthen my stride and switch to 3 in - 3 out. If I'm going at 5k pace I'll normally do 2 in - 2 out.

I ran with my sister today and I could see she was struggling, when I got her to try that she was a lot more comfortable.

menoscemo

Being out of breath is the fist and most obvious sign that you are working too hard for your ability. Your muscles need more oxygen than your lungs can take in.
You actually need to slow your runs down to a level you lungs can match before you can improve. It's not about breathing technique (in my opinion).

Hannibal Smith

Not one to be advising on anything running related, but I had that in the beginning and I was told to slow down. I was told on here that my legs should tire before my lungs and if that wasn't the case to slow down.

If she's feeling panicky starting off its relaxing to count your breaths. If I'm going really slow I know its five breaths in and four out. It seems to be in be rhythm with my feet lol. If I'm going too fast on a training run I know by how much I'm taking in whether I need to slow down. My breaths in are always one more than the count out.

Anyhow thats the witchcraftery I use..probably more scientific expert advice/suggestions out there

Clearlier

Arsenium wrote: »

Thanks RacoonQueen.

32 mins for the 5K and 1:09 for the 10K. Her problem seems to be in the first 2km the breathing becomes a bit uneven and she never seems to be able to get it back to an even rhythm.

I remember from playing GAA as a youngster coaches would give you tips on how to get your breath back quickly after a burst of speed / sprint. And I also came across the belly breathing technique a while ago also and I have been trying to get the hang of it myself on runs (hills especially) so I was wondering if there were techniques people utilise when they start out.

The advice about slowing down is right on the mark. Belly breathing can be a great way of getting there though. If she has a weak core she may need to build up to it. Start by lying on the floor and breathing right down to the bottom of her hips - her stomach should push out a bit. Then try to do it standing, then walking, then running. She may find that she develops into a natural 4 breath rhythm and that she has better posture when breathing in than out. That's ok, so long as she keeps working at it she'll develop the strength to hold a good posture. If she focuses on that kind of breathing and an effort level that allows her to do that she can just let the pace take care of itself.

Arsenium

Thanks for the replies everyone. It sounds like some of you have encountered something similar starting out also.

Lots of stuff in there to try out and work on. She does lots of core work in the gym so hopefully the belly breathing should be manageable as well as the other tips around counting the breaths etc.

Running can be very difficult when the breathing is difficult so hopefully any improvements from this will make it all more enjoyable.

NetwerkErrer

Arsenium wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone. It sounds like some of you have encountered something similar starting out also.

Lots of stuff in there to try out and work on. She does lots of core work in the gym so hopefully the belly breathing should be manageable as well as the other tips around counting the breaths etc.

Running can be very difficult when the breathing is difficult so hopefully any improvements from this will make it all more enjoyable.

I think you are missing the important part here Arsenium. She definitely needs to slow down. You shouldn't have to worry about breathing at an easy pace. If you do, you are running too fast.

Ososlo

NetwerkErrer wrote: »

I think you are missing the important part here Arsenium. She definitely needs to slow down. You shouldn't have to worry about breathing at an easy pace. If you do, you are running too fast.

absolutely. When I started running I used to think it was so easy for the fast people as they could run really fast and it looked so easy and their breathing wasn't laboured. The key I learned afterwards was that they were running at a pace which was easy for them. If they were running at their hard effort then they too would be breathing harder.
I used to be obsessed with my bad breathing when I started running. I heard a 'tip' somewhere that blowing balloons would help with lung capacity. I must have blows 1,000s of them:o Nothing worked except running more, slowing down and not racing each run and just getting fitter which will happen if she slows down and runs more.

Beef

Ososlo wrote: »

I heard a 'tip' somewhere that blowing balloons would help with lung capacity. I must have blows 1,000s of them:o

Sorry Ososlo, but this is priceless. I can imagine you sitting there with a headband, garmin and running gear on, surrounded by balloons wondering why you're not getting any fitter. Just you and your lungs having a massive party.

Ososlo

Beef wrote: »

Sorry Ososlo, but this is priceless. I can imagine you sitting there with a headband, garmin and running gear on, surrounded by balloons wondering why you're not getting any fitter. Just you and your lungs having a massive party.

Can't believe I actually admitted to that!

I was a favourite guest at kids' birthday parties:D

kerry4sam

Arsenium wrote: »

Hello everyone,

I'm a relatively newbie runner although I have followed athletics for a long time and lurk on here quite a bit picking up some pearls of wisdom to help me out.

Anyway, my wife has started running recently and has done a few 5k's, a couple of 10K's and is now signed up for the mini marathon on the June bank holiday. She went for a 7K run yesterday evening and when she was describing it to me later on we realised her biggest problem seems to be around her breathing. She feels out of breath very very quickly and cant seem to get into a comfortable breathing rhythm at all. Her legs are fine and she can complete the distance comfortably but it appears that the run would be way more enjoyable, and I imagine the times would be quicker if the breathing was more comfortable.

So we were wondering, are there any breathing exercises for a new runner to allow you get into a comfortable breathing rhythm.

Thanks in advance.

Re: the piece in bold above :-
On a cycle recently, whilst turning a corner my bike was almost blown out from under me by the wind <- that threw me and my breathing rhythm.

Went cycling on another dry day; started my cycle peddling against the wind and my breathing was off to the point it was uncomfortable.
^^^ The correction I made was actually varying breathing techniques I learned in yoga.
Would your wife be interested in attending even one yoga class? It will start with differing breathing, relaxing techniques and she would learn more then throughout the class.

It truly was what I learned in my yoga class on relaxed breathing that kept me peddling on against the wind.
Whether running or cycling, relaxed breathing is relaxed breathing

Just a suggestion,
kerry4sam

CailinGaillimh

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for helping your breathing in the warmer weather? I found the last day that even though I was out early enough in the morning (back before 11am), that the heat seemed to make it a little more difficult to catch my breath, at one stage I felt like I was about to go into a fit of coughing!

menoscemo

CailinGaillimh wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for helping your breathing in the warmer weather? I found the last day that even though I was out early enough in the morning (back before 11am), that the heat seemed to make it a little more difficult to catch my breath, at one stage I felt like I was about to go into a fit of coughing!

When it's warmer than usual your Heart Rate is higher for your usual pace as it has to work harder to keep your core temperature at normal levels . Therefore you need much more oxygen to maintain the same pace as at a lower temperature.
Basically when it's hot/humid/windy/hilly you just have to run a fair bit slower than 'normal'.