LEE-ANNE WANN 20 AUGUST © Lee-Anne Wann Limited 2011

Everyone will have a different opinion on how you should breathe when running or performing other aerobic exercise. This is largely because breathing should be relaxed and natural and will be unique for every individual. Some people breathe through their nose, others use both mouth and nose, and some use a form of 'cadence' breathing and so on. The key is to try various methods and work out what suits you. There are some good breathing exercises that you can do to not only improve your running efficiency, but also your overall mental and physical health.

Often in running our breathing becomes laboured and stressed, and this can bring on cramps, poor performance and premature fatigue - which is what you might be experiencing. I have had clients who struggled for the first five minutes of a run, others 15 or so minutes; it was really down to how quickly they settled into a breathing pattern. People who struggle to settle may be stressed or start to increase their breathing prior to running without realising it. The best time to do some breathing exercises for running is at the start of your workout as you warm-up for the running itself.

Here are some breathing exercises for running and to help you settle into your run:

The Deep Breath
Most of our day-to-day breathing involves only the upper two thirds of our lung capacity. It's only when we engage our diaphragm that we fill the lower part of our lungs. Taking a deep breath can help relax us, reduce stress, eliminate cramps and increase our aerobic capacity. Breathing exercises can be done when not running, as well. Take a full breath in, filling up your entire lungs, hold for a count of five and slowly release it. If you're doing this breathing exercise while running, do not hold the breath. In fact, the relaxation breath (in the nose out through the mouth) is hard to do when running. I personally use both my nose and mouth when running. The deep breath alone will help you get a bit more relaxed and it'll give you a good shot of oxygen when you need it.

Breathing to Music
While the deep breath can and should be used for a pre-race calming or to settle yourself down in your first 20-30 minutes, one of the most effective breathing exercises for running is simply to adopt a cadence that works for you and your pace. I find music or a particular song helps my breathing stay regulated and productive. It could be a fast-tempo song, or one with some positive lyrics. If you don't think music has an effect on your breathing or pace, take note of the changes next time you run with your iPod!

Cadence
For some of the more disciplined runners, try a cadence per inhale and exhale. Cadences can be described as steps per inhale, followed by steps per exhale. Most elite distance runners do a 2-2 (two steps per inhale and two steps per exhale) in the beginning of the race and finish on a 2-1 cadence (two steps per inhale and one step per exhale). If you find that you're getting cramps or light-headed with a 2-2 cadence, try a 3-3 cadence or vary the foot that you're starting with. If that doesn't work, relax your pace to the point where your breathing is not laboured.

Breathing exercises for running can benefit not only your racing times, but your overall stress levels. Yoga, martial arts, meditation and many other activities use breathing to focus our energies on the task at hand

Lee-AnneWann info & tip sheets are designed for educational purposes only and are not intended to replace medical advice or professional medical services. The information contained on this page is intended as an aid to fitness and wellness maintenance. Any medical or other decisions should be made in consultation with your qualified health care provider.