How do I improve my breathing?: Hi everyone... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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How do I improve my breathing?

JoPo48 profile image
JoPo48Graduate
โ€ข9 Replies

Hi everyone, first post so hoping to get some help from you lovely people.

One more run and I will be completing week three but can't get my breathing under control. Have tried in for two steps out for two but just can't go it. Need to be able to breathe more slowly. What can I do to improve? ๐Ÿ˜

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JoPo48 profile image
JoPo48
Graduate
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9 Replies
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Grimreaper profile image
Grimreaper

Jopo

One answer is go slow .. thatโ€™s what the mantra of all the trouble you face while running.

If required run slower than walking

Other you can try breathing exercise while sitting and yoga .

JoPo48 profile image
JoPo48Graduate in reply to Grimreaper

I reckon I must be the slowest person doing this but I hear what you're saying and even though I feel like I'm dragging myself along at snails pace, I will endeavour to think "slow" and steady! ๐Ÿ˜

Gran4z profile image
Gran4zGraduate

Difficult one. I'm in W9 and still find the breathing difficult ๐Ÿ˜ณ, guess it all comes together eventually. Thing is, don't stress, just take it 'slow and steady', no rush ๐Ÿ˜Ž, enjoy ๐Ÿ™‚

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate

I too gasped and puffed for weeks then suddenly about 2 weeks ago ( AFTER graduating!) I realised I wasnโ€™t puffing and was breathing easily. I think itโ€™s when you stop panicking about running for so many minutes and trying to do stuff within a time that you suddenly breathe naturally. I just go and run at MY speed and for how long I want to now.

slow-farah profile image
slow-farahGraduate

Hi I finished C25k about a month ago and I've found that breathing has got easier with time. In the first few weeks what I did was, force all the air out of my lungs (you will sound like a steam train!), this allows more air to flow in when you breathe in. Hope this kind of makes sense. Slowing down might also help. Good luck finding something that works for you ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š

Don't worry about breathing, you have been doing it all your life! Try not to think about it and just do what comes naturally, it will sort itself out :)

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduate in reply to

Listen to Hidden ! She is wise. Just breathe. If you don't breathe you'll be dead. So just do what comes naturally. You've had years of practice. We've all been baffled by the early week "advice" about breathing in fours, been unable to count and run and breathe at the same time and then ignored it. Don't worry :-)

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

In the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5... there is a section on breathing, which basically says do what comes naturally.

I could not breathe as suggested, during C25K, so just carried on breathing normally. Three years later I realised that my evolved breathing technique was almost exactly as described in the podcasts.

Don't worry for now.

Elfe5 profile image
Elfe5Graduate

Yes, I had that kind of bother.

The best advice I was given was to just breathe and not think about it at all & it would just sort itself out. ... And it did! - it took about three weeks of practising not thinking about it mind! ๐Ÿ˜‚

Funnily enough, I noticed during my last two runs that my breathing is beginning to coordinate with my steps all by it self.

It will just sort itself in time if you are going slowly enough. ๐Ÿ˜€

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