Can someone please explain the breathing to me in simple terms lol

[Deano1615]

Hi

I keep reading about breathing techniques, personally i tend to just gasp for air lol

I am on week three run one and would love it if someone could explain how I should be breathing whilst running etc

[CaroleC Graduate]

Generally it's just get the oxygen in any way you can! Don't worry about trying to breathe through your nose if that is difficult. If approaching hills or inclines, take a few steady deep breaths and maybe try belly breathing. This is where you push your belly/abdomen out as you breathe in which is supposed to give more room in your chest for more air to be breathed in. Here is a link to some useful info on it:

runnersworld.com/article/0,...

I try to remember to do this before approaching inclines or where I think I need a bit more oomph.

CaroleC

[CaroleC Graduate in reply to CaroleC]

Oh, the link isn't underlining properly; copy and paste the whole thing into the address bar or you'll get an error message!

CaroleC

[Deano1615]

Thank you CaroleC I will give that a good read and try putting it into practice next time out

[Moosele Graduate]

the simple way of describing breathing is to start with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly - now breathe with only the hand on your belly moving. It gets you breathing deeper and helps stop stitch *apparently.* I still can't do it when I'm actually running -just gasping for air as I go

[redsheep Graduate]

The only time I concentrate on 'breathing properly' is when I get a stitch. I find it really helps, although I'm not sure if that's because it provides a nice distraction until the stitch passes! that's when I really concentrate on pushing my belly out when I breathe in and relax it when I breathe out. That's basically it.

I ran a Parkrun last weekend which was my first time running without music and all I could hear was my huffing and puffing. I didn't realise I made so much noise! Everyone else was making quite a lot of noise breathing too, even the super fast people :).

Overall though I feel it is much easier to breathe than it was at the beginning of the programme.

[ca66ie99 Graduate in reply to redsheep]

Hi redsheep, was reading through the posts and noticed you did your first park run without music. I am planning to run one once I've graduated (fingers crossed !), do they not allow you to use headphones ?? Thanks Ca66ie99

[redsheep Graduate in reply to ca66ie99]

As stayinbed says below, you can used them but they are not encouraged. The official line is 'they are not banned' as they know a lot of people like to run to music. To be honest at my run a lot of people used them, and had both ear pieces in. The marshalls didn't really say much (although lots of clapping) during the run, but I'd definitely take them out once you're getting to the finish line as the marshalls may need to direct you then. I think they want it to be more of a social experience too, although no-one else ran at my pace so I basically ran alone for it.

[stayinbed Graduate]

They say no headphones at Parkruns, this is so you can hear other park user, bikes etc and marshalls shouting if you go the wrong way! They don't mind if you just use 1 earpiece, although my daughter ran last w/e with both ear pieces on and no-one took any notice. Having said that, when I was running, a speedy cyclist was trying to get past and if we hadn't heard him, he might have come to grief!