I've been doing the C25K for 7 whole weeks now and I still can't get the hang of breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth like Laura tells us to do. Each time I try I end up dribbling out of the corner of my mouth! What's that all about? I also start to panic because it feels like I can't get enough oxygen in that way and I end up gasping even more than usual. As for in for 4 and out for 4? Forget it! It's just not going to happen!
When I don't think about breathing I seem to settle into a rhythm of sorts of my own and I feel relatively comfortable with it. Nothing like the one Laura suggest but a rhythm never the less!
So, is this normal? Is it ok to gasp along or am I wasting vital energy on breathing so hard? Just wondering....................
Written by
Mrs_Miggins
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
im the same as u and also on week 7 , find it hard to breath that way, but as u say i found my own way of breathing and it works so just stick with whats comfortable i would say lol
I must get her to teach me - I'm running the Ealing Half Marathon in September which goes past our church in the middle of the Sunday morning service - some bright spark suggested I text when I'm approaching so they can all come out and cheer...... more like offer prayer for healing as I fall flat on my face
Lol, my daughter did the Olympic Park run last weekend and she was texting me the whole way round!!! I was sat in the stadium waiting and keeping track of where she was through the texts lol - we discussed pacing, stitches, water or no water, distance to go, nearly there - you name it lol - I've no idea how she does it! The one time I tried it I ran into a tree...
Laura tells us to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth to our foot cadence, 1, 2, 3, 4, then tells us to hit the ground heel first...contrary to lots of popular opinion. From this we can deduce that Laura doesn't always get it right where midfoot or even, if you are running in the barefoot type trainers (Vibram five finger type things) forefoot striking, seems to be the best advised position.
As Shelley says, just get the air in anyway you can...and it's true, once you get into longer running, you just do it without thinking about it. Belly breathing, where you exercise your whole diaphragm (look it up) is also advised from various running sites, to help expand your chest area for maximum oxygen uptake.
The hardest running challenge I found was in the winter doing dark morning or evening runs. I'd have my mp3 player strapped to one arm over my running jacket, my hi-vis flashing armband strapped to the other arm and a water bottle in one hand...the challenge then was, as i got warmed up and needed to get the jacket off, to try and get all the arm straps off, the jacket off and tied around my waist, all without stopping running or I'd bugger up my Garmin timings and without dropping the water bottle. Just trying to actually co-ordinate all of that was enough to put how to actually breathe well out of my mind!!
hi carole. when I mentioned this type of breathing to my daughter she says it sounds llike what she has to do in her music class at school. good for singers apparently. although she did say you have to fill your belly up with air but breathe out at the same time ?? need a puzzled face sign now!
What your daughter is doing sounds a bit like circular breathing (something you need to be able to do when playing the didgeridoo of all things) when you breathe out and in AT THE SAME TIME!!! I've read up on that technique and tried to do it but just ended up going a funny purple colour lol.
It's normal, I can't breathe through my nose at all when running, it's almost as if it takes too long for the lungs to fill that way ! As for in for four out for four NO CAN DO!!! Do what's comfortable for you, that makes sense to me
i have tried the breathing also and cant get it like laura says can no way count to 4 i'm nearly on the floor by then then gasping for breathe as long as you breathe in your own rythm and it feels confortable then carry on that way.
It seems to me that Laura is giving advice that 'may' help, but its far better to go with how you feel comfortable. To breathe deeply and evenly is the ideal and I think as you get fitter you are able to do this, but the 4 in, 4 out in through the nose out through the mouth is just way too much for most of us at this point. I'm a musician (wind instruments) and was a county level competitive swimmer in my late teens and even I find it difficult if I'm under pressure and I've spent my life (since the age of 4) learning how to breath lol. I find that I can maintain Laura's suggestion for about 5 or six cycles then have to do an extra gasp out - if you've breathed in for 4 you need, ideally, to breath out for 8 or you won't empty your lungs fully and the gasping starts
Just do what you feel is best, what your body responds better to and as you improve you're breathing will change with it, just try and control it I am a little confused by quite a bit of the advice given - as CaroleC points out she also advises heel striking which, according to most sports physios and experts is the worst possible way to land unless you're particularly wanting an injury - its strange really.... I think that the podcast advice needs some amending - the programme itself is fantastic, but one size doesn't fit all and you need to do what works for your body
Breathing and counting? Hahaha! I just hyperventilate myself for the entire time I'm running! And as for for talking and running? Forget it! It's hard enough to gasp out a "good morning!" to people I come accross as I run. Maybe that's why they have a look of sympathy on their faces as I pass?
Mr Jiggles Thank you! I'm so glad I'm not the only one to dribble! Maybe it's the thought of cheese that I've been cutting out of my diet!
I might be doing in for 4 and out for 4 now I have sped up a little but can't say I've payed much attention to it. I'm a wind instrument player as well and I belly breathe all the time, I quickly feel faint if I have to breathe in through my nostils when running, or if playing I can't get full lungs quick enough that way. Think I have slightly narrower than average nostils than most and I don't think that helps, if I breathe in quick they tend to almost close together. When swimming I am comfortable breathing out through the nose though.
I've taken most of the advice from laura as 'tips that may help' so in that sense they are maybe ok. Except the advice to run on the heels. Someone called justin posted at length on the subject under one of the main c25k pages and got a reply saying they thought it was the best advice for a beginner.
Wherever you stand on the posible benefits of barefoot, and various researches going on at the moment.. .If you take your shoes off and try running on your heel it is painful and unnatural. It makes no sense to tell people to run on the heel. Perhaps they were worried about how technical descriptions and analysis can be of different running techniques but I think for beginners all you really need to say is don't land on your heel, keep you foot landing beneath your body and not out infront.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Breathing through your nose 
Is it really important to breathe through the nose?
Do you all breathe in through your nose, and out throu your mouth as Laura suggests?
Is it wrong to breath through one's mouth?
Anyone else have problems breathing through their nose?
