only done the first two weeks. 20 years after my football career ended I’ve been in a sedentary job so starting from ground zero.
I find the recommendation to count four steps on an inhale and another 4 for exhale totally impossible. I’m more like one for one.
does the ability to slow breathing come with time as it seems miles off or even impossible for me.
Yes I’m the same, I just breathe to my own pace but concentrate on keeping it level.
I’ve never managed it! I tend to do two or three breaths in then out and I have also never managed to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth - i breathe in and out by mouth.
You will find the breathing does get easier so just find a rhythm that suits you and don’t worry about the recommendation. 😊
I assumed it helps you for later weeks and that’s why it asks you to do it, but good to know it’s not vital
Well done on being two weeks in! I always found the breathing advice pretty hard to follow, so made a conscientious decision to ignore it to be honest and just do what works for me. I have all manner of breathing techniques from forgetting to breathe to sounding like a heffalump! You will find what works naturally for you 😊.
Fast and shallow at he moment !
I’ve been running years now and never got the hang of counting breaths, take it slow and find your comfortable breathing
Forget about the breathing technique!Just breathe as feels natural, it's worked for you so far 🙂
Just breathe... like you always do, without thinking... Conversational pace... nose or mouth, whatever works for you... slow and steady as you run . Relax and enjoy!Well done you!
I really couldn’t do this timed breathing either; at first breathing was all I thought about and would ask everyone about how to breathe. I learned that two breaths in and out were what suited me for my pace and I found after 6 weeks in that my pace was too fast and I needed to slow it right down - this is when breathing came easier and I didn’t think about it anymore, could your pace be too fast? Can you talk whilst you are running? (Best advice I’ve been given on here) If not, slow it down. Good luck.
If I slowed my pace then one breath to 4 steps would be even harder. I am more like one breath per step, maybe two steps at certain points.
I didn’t try to match my steps - I just slowed down and did my breathing in for two out for two - it gets too complicated otherwise and we lose focus on enjoying the run.
Well done on completing Week 2 -Alchemist- .
Personally I never bothered with the counting breaths stuff, it just annoyed me. In any case the point isn't to time your breaths to your steps, it's to jog at a sufficiently slow and comfortable pace that you could carry on a conversation.
If you're really at one breath per step it sounds like you're gasping for breath and you need to slow down. Going slower = less out of breath!
Don't worry about the number, just try to make it regular!
It depends how much you're exerting yourself, so early in the programme it's naturally harder but as your fitness improves you will find it gets easier. I personally find counting helpful and a good indicator of pace - if I can't manage my usual count it usually means I'm going too fast (or I'm on a steep hill). But others find counting really distracting and there's a lot to think about in the early days so as others have said, do whatever works for you!
It also helps to look ahead and raise your chin. When it gets harder we tend to tense up and hunch over, which makes breathing more difficult.
You should see improvements over time but certainly at the start; just keep breathing! 🤣 I've never bothered about the counting thing but as my fitness improved I did work on breathing in through the nose and out the mouth as this helps your body get max oxygen to your muscles (on hills this often gets left behind) and on easy runs focus on not huffing. I remember chatting to a couple who asked how far I'd gone (it was around 8 miles) and the woman exclaiming "but you're not even out of breath" that's what you want to get to ideally. 👍🏻
Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.
This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5....
and includes advice on breathing, minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.
Enjoy your journey.
Whatever you do, don't stop with the breathing habit. 😉
I've never been able to follow that guideline either. More important is that your breathing should be even and deep, and not shallow panting.
Breathe however you can. It sorts itself out once you get through 8-10 minute runs👍🏽
Thanks everyone for the replies.
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