Breathing!!!

[mchllevns]

So I've been doing the run/walk on and off for several months in order to take part in a 5K...but it seems that I just can't get my breathing down!! I try to regulate as I run, but end up taking shallow breaths and needing to walk to catch my breath...any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Terapin]

Try to push out your breath on your exhale to 'make more room' for the incoming breaths. Quick shallow breathing is panting. Try breathing out as if you were blowing out a candle. It may also be that if you slow down a bit, you can breathe easier. Also make sure your shoulders and arms are relaxed. Tensing them can make it all harder. HTH! Keep it up!

 

[John VN]

I time my breathing with my walking tempo.

When I am walking a 10:00mm to 12:00mm pace I inhale 2 steps and exhale the next 2 steps and continue until I change my speed. I have found this breathing provides plenty of oxygen without hyperventilating. When I increase to 9:00mm pacing I am inhaling on right foot plant, exhaling left foot plant and repeating. Do the same for 8:00mm pace just more forcefully. This comes naturally to me because of my extensive bicycling.

The trick is to find a comfortable rhythm and the amount of force needed for the pace you are doing.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I think what John has said will help a lot. Eventually you will figure what works for you. You are smart to notice this in yourself.

If you can get to a pool to work on swimming stroke, I found that the rhythmic breathing helped me more than I would have thought to improve capacity. Even though I was/still am not able to go very much pool distance it still helped. I used swimming on some of my rest Sundays to stretch as I was swimming and practice breathing.