Introduction
Breathing is one of the essential processes that are a part of every living being and for runners, it is critical to know how they breathe, and how they can enhance their breathing techniques can determine the overall result, sustainability and relaxation of the runners. During a run, it can be valuable to have clear set of breathing techniques to be used individually in order to regulate breath and energy as well as to focus. The good news is that understanding and applying proper breathing for runners can be fast and fruitful. In this article, you will find the seven best breathing exercises useful for runners to assist in enhancing your performance and winning a race.
1. Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing, also commonly known as deep breathing, is a process that requires that you breath slowly with your diaphragm. The technique can help improve the amount of oxygen that enters the lungs as well as regulate the pulse rate. To practice diaphragmatic breathing, follow these steps:
When in the usual positioned with your legs sitting erect, put one hand on the breast and another on the abdomen.
Pretend that you are slowly smelling something and your belly starts going up while breathing. Try to listen to how deep you can get your voice while at the same time avoiding any movements of the chest.
<p>Breath out from the mouth and let your stomach go down too.
- Repeat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Masters of this technique should try to practice it often to see an increase in lung capacity and thus breathing efficiency during runs.
2. Paced Breathing
Paced breathing is the process of trying to ensure that your breathing follows the same same pattern as your running tempo. This technique can make you a better runner improving on your efficiency, energy conservation and in some occasions even your concentration. To practice paced breathing, follow these steps:
- Determine the right jogging speed.
The easiest way to go about it is to count to four, while taking one step at a time, take two steps while inhaling and two steps when exhaling.
If the millisecond rhythm of your breath does not match your stride rate, establish the correct pace. For example, you may spend three steps on inhalation and three steps on exhalation.
Breath rate also follows the same pattern of the running pace as; the more the pace, the more the breaths you make.
With time, the pace at which you breathe after waking up from sleep will commonly fit with your running steps.
3. Belly Breathing
The second technique that help in controlling breath while running is the belly breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing. In this technique, the diaphragm and abdominal muscles are used in order to inhale more deeply and thereby improve lungs ability. To practice belly breathing, follow these steps:
Start either standing or sitting up straight with your back upright as well as your shoulders relaxed.
Inhale through the nose while moving the belly button downward ie expand your belly outwards gently.
– Blowing air out of your mouth, bring your lower abdomen inwards.
Continue this several more minutes or until you feel more comfortable and better capable of controlling your breathing.
This is of course similar to what was done in the diaphragmatic breathing technique, and the more often you practice the belly breathing technique, the better your breathing will become during runs.
4. Alternate Nostril Breathing
Equal nostril breathing is another method of breathing that is also associated with practicing yoga which can help enhance the running efficiency and synchronize the left and right halves of the brain that are linked with stress.
This assessment includes: Sit or stand with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.
Making sure that you do not squirt the mucus on the face cover your left nostril with your right ring finger Take a deep breath and exhale through the right nostril.
– Stand up, tilt your head slightly down, close your right nares and breathe in through the left nares and then exhale through the right nare.
– It is advisable to continue repeating this cycle for several-minutes.
Practicing alternate nostril breathing during your running can significantly lower anxiety, stress, and tension that hinders your complete concentration on your running.
5. Breath Counting
Breath counting is also a basic breathing exercise that can be used when trying to enhance your breath focus and management during running. In this technique, a person has to try to sustain some sort of count with the breathing process, as in ‘counting the breaths.’ To practice breath counting, follow these steps:
Begin with taking a few moments and then take a deep breath with your mouth closed and exhaling through your mouth.
Count one full breath cycle as one, breathing in as well as breathing out or take ten seconds to perform the count.
- Keep on counting the breath cycle as you run, acknowledge the beats and rhythm as you run.
If you find that your breath or pace during the activity is faltering, you can start counting your breaths again to take charge.
Breath counting enables one enhance on focus and mental acuity while doing this activity Thus leading to the enhancement of the running performance.
6. Coordinated Breathing
Coordinated breathing is when you regulate your breathing in harmony with your arm movement while running. It helps to enhance the amount of oxygen you’re able to take and the quality of your breaths, as well as engage your abdominal muscles. To practice coordinated breathing, follow these steps:
Stand or jog around, paying particular attention to your arms.
When you move your right arm, breath through your nose and take a deep breath while doing so.
: When returning the right arm back to the chest level, blow out forcefully through the mouth.
Do the same thing with your left arm, breathing in as your left arm swings up and out, breathing out as it swings back in.
Add rhythm to your running exercises so as to enhance on your core stability, co-ordination and breath control.
7. Nordic Breathing
Nordic breathing is a technique where especial emphasis is given on proper intake of oxygen, proper regulation of the rate of the heart beats and better performance. This method concerns a special breath cycle in which you need to inhale for four seconds, pause for four seconds, exhale with facing the same four seconds, and pause again for four seconds. To practice Nordic breathing, follow these steps:
- Choose a comfortable position whether seated or standing with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.
Inhale air through your nostrils and count for four.
– Take a breath while counting four.
- Breathe out slowly through the mouth counts to four.
Take another breath, then hold this time for a count of four.
– Continue this cycle for about several minutes or until desired.
Adding Nordic breathing to your running plan has severally shown to enhance the oxygen transportation and other cardiovascular performances.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is a lot of difference that can be made by practicing the right breathing patterns across this distance. When you work to enhance your breathing capabilities, running economy, and your mind, you are certain to enhance your capability to address your running objectives with less effort. As I have stated, it takes a long time to instill these breathing routines to your daily life and thus you ought to integrate them into your training currently if you want to experience additionally benefits when running.
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