Breathing is perhaps the number one essential process of human life. You can go several days without food or water, but just a few minutes devoid of oxygen. In fact, many restorative arts such as qigong, reiki and all forms of yoga consider breathing to be a central part of your entire being. Breathing directly affects your quality of health, state of mind and physical performance in any endeavor. This goes especially for running. Perry Louis Fields, former member of the U.S. Track and Field Team, said that "Good breathing is far more important than stretching before running." By practicing breathing in ways that affirm physical strength and well-being, you will enhance your abilities and improve the quality of your overall experience.
Cadence
Cadence breathing is an exercise to be performed while running. The term refers to breathing in a tempo that coincides with a particular number of steps. For instance, the two/two is a cadence commonly used by advanced distance runners. It is performed by inhaling for a count of two steps and then exhaling for the same duration. If this cadence requires too much effort to maintain or you find yourself feeling dizzy and crampy, try switching to a three/three. If still immoderately uncomfortable, relax and breathe at any pace that feels right for you.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Many runners habitually breathe from the upper chest when fatigued. As the lungs are more narrow toward the top, doing this restricts the amount of air taken in for the body. A report from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says that "When you breathe from your chest, you inhale about a teacup of oxygen. Instead, you should breathe from your abdomen. When you breathe from your abdomen, you inhale about a quart of oxygen. The more oxygen you inhale, the better." Muscles tend to spasm and cramp when oxygen is in short supply, which hinders performance and becomes painful. According to the authors at Breathing.com, "Chest breathing often brings a sense of struggle to breathing, a behavior that should otherwise seem automatic, effortless and easy."
Diaphragmatic breathing, inhaling with the lower part of the lungs, takes in a greater amount of oxygen. Breathing fully in this way averts cellular damage caused by oxygen depletion. "When the lungs have difficulty doing their job, other organs in the body have difficulty doing their jobs. Therefore, the health of the lungs has direct and immediate effects on the overall health of the body," according to "The Lung Cancer Guidebook."
Start the exercise by lying on your back. Balance a large book on the middle of your abdomen. Keeping your eyes on the book, begin breathing in a slow, deliberate manner from your belly. Focus on raising and lowering the book evenly, so that the tempo is smooth and consistent. Imagine that you are running while doing this. Make it a point to spend time during each run breathing in this way, until it becomes natural and automatic.
Deep Breathing
This exercise focuses on deep breathing in a way that fosters mental clarity and relaxation. It can be executed in a standing, sitting or prone position. Breathing through your mouth, exhale completely. Push out as much air as possible from your lungs. Rest your hands on top of your belly button. Breathe in deeply. Imagine air is flowing in from the bottom of your feet, filling your entire body from the floor up. When your lungs are filled, hold them this way for at least 5 seconds. Slowly exhale, again from the mouth. Notice the compression of your stomach, as your hands drop in. Practice this for several minutes, until breathing in this way seems natural and you no longer need to touch your stomach to do it properly. Focusing on your breathing like this will calm your mind and body, encouraging overall wellness.
