Hi, help with breathing

[hkettell]

Hi, I am new on here. I have just completed W5 R1, am really enjoying it but I find I am struggling with breathing properly. My legs could carry on but my breathing technique is stalling me. I don't have any asthma problems. Any tips?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Slow down.

[LisaRose74]

I struggled with breathing for a while and although there was no magic answer for me, I found that with time (albeit quite a long time!) it just got easier. I think it can take a while for the lungs to get used to the change. Make sure you are not running too fast, slow and steady is the idea.

[Rhedwr Graduate]

I know there will be people who disagree with me, but for what it's worth, I don't think you need to breathe "properly" at all.

You've been breathing all your life - why change it now? I tried to follow the counting breaths via steps method, and. I got into a right old muddle. It didn't feel natural, and I wasn't gettin the oxygen I needed. - I tired very quickly. So I decided to just run, and let my lungs sort themselves out. Hey presto, diaphragm, ribs, lungs all sorted themselves out and did their jobs perfectly. I haven't given breathing a thought since.

I am a singer , so am very aware of my ribs, and of breathing into the bottom of my lungs, allowing my belly to extend, then emptying my lungs by pulling in my abdomen, so maybe that makes it easier for me whilst running.

I would say, just relax and let it happen. 🏃🏻😊

[Paola100 Graduate]

Are you sure you aren't running too fast? Slow down and Relax... The time will help you! A friend told me to run as fast as I can the last twenty second. I don't know if it is right but it helped me to improve my breath. 🙂

[poppypug Graduate]

At first my breathing was all over the place. I was concentrating on the podcast, watching where I was going so I didn't fall over , and there was too much going on and I was forgetting to breathe ! It was just another thing to think about and I think my brain went into overload !

Keep it slow , relax and try to keep your breathing calm. It will all fall into place I am sure .xxx

[Shireenjoon Graduate]

I had similar problems and also got into a middle trying to sort it out. It got better around the end of week 6, I took someone's advise and just breathed rather than trying to work out how to breathe. Sometimes that's just through my mouth, sometimes nose and mouth, whatever I feel like doing.

It will get better, just keep going.

[Clawmum Graduate]

I too have just completed W5R1 and have the same problem but like others have said try not to concentrate on it too much, i find that as soon as I start thinking about it I get flustered and find myself gasping for breath so now when i start to think about breathing (usually when Laura mentions it) I hum along to the song/tune this distracts me and i get on fine, I'm sure its one of those things that will just come together but as a friend said to me you've gone from not running to running 3 x 5mins so you must be doing something right, I'm with Shireenjoon just do it and try not to think about it too much

[yatesco Graduate]

As others have said - probably slow down a bit. You aren't trying to run fast, you are trying to run for a set period of time.

The general rule is if you can talk fluently it is probably too slow. If you can't talk at all, or only short, gasping sentences then slow down :-).

For me, my regular pace (ha, as if I have more than one :-)) is breath in for 3 steps and breath out for 4. If I am going up a hill or faster than normal then it will be 3 in/3 out or even 2 in/2 out.

If this means you are running _really_ slowly then fine - it will improve over time.

I personally find focusing on my breathing a really good way to 'get into the run' if you know what I mean.

[Hidden]

I had the same problem with breathing when I starting out - someone suggested chewing sugar free gum it helps takes your mind off the breathing it was the best running advice anyone ever gave me. I still run with gum!

[Ullyrunner Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Ooh, I'd be concerned about swallowing it and choking! 😃

[Feelingsilly]

I really struggled with breathing but as the runs get longer you find you can't focus on it quite so much, and I get into a bit more of a breathing rhythm without thinking too much about it. If I am feeling breathless I try and count my footsteps in groups of 10 and then go back to 1 again when I get to 10, over and over, that just distracts me from thinking about breathing too much and steadies my pace. Just don't look at your feet while you do it! 😀

[heavyhorse Graduate]

I found concentrating on my breathing helpful for a while, I slowed down and did breaths in for a few strides, and out slightly longer, same as yatesco, I read somewhere that we often worry too much about getting enough oxygen in, that we don't breathe out enough. This really helped me, and around wk 7 it just seemed to take over by itself and become much more efficient. As different people have different experiences it shows its not the same for everyone and worth trying a few things to see what feels right for you.

[hkettell]

Thanks everyone x