Breathing Exercises for Running

Any kind of exerting physical activity requires tremendous stamina. The health of your lungs, heart and the strength in your bones govern your performance. Improving lung power is possible through breathing exercises, which you need to practice everyday without fail. Breathing exercises occupy a significant position in the exercise regimen of athletes.

They need to dedicate at least one hour to such exercises for boosting up their endurance. Keeping the fitness factor aside, breathing exercises also have a calming effect on your mind. We shall first explain you how breathing exercises improve your health and then move on to the different types.

• It's a natural treatment for respiratory diseases like, bronchitis and asthma.
• Breathing exercises increase the rate of oxygen take up by our lungs.
• Supply of nutrients and blood to bones and muscles and to the body in general, is considerably increased through breathing.

• They boost up your metabolic power and more energy is generated.
• These exercises uplift your muscular strength and stretchability as well.
• Helps in improving your concentration power.

From the aforementioned point, you have well understood the fact that breathing exercises make a deep impact on your body. It's important for you to know these techniques correctly and they should be done under the guidance of a fitness trainer.

Breathing exercises form the beginning step of any form of yoga and meditation. Runners depend so much on breathing techniques as they have to constantly sustain energy levels while running. We explain you the techniques over here.

Deep breathing has a direct effect on the function of our diaphragm. During a breathing cycle, the diaphragm shifts more towards your lungs and enables you to exhale. While inhaling, it shifts away from lungs, let them expand and you are able to take up air.

The oxygen supply of your body is considerably increased and carbon dioxide is expelled properly. There are many kinds of deep breathing exercises and we have sorted out the most beneficial ones for runners. Have a look at the techniques.

Basic Breathing

• Relax your body. You can either stand or sit while breathing.
• Inhale through your nose and count till 4.
• Exhale the air slowly. Make sure that the entire volume is exhaled on the count of 8.
• Repeat the exercise for 5 minutes.

Breath Stimulation

• Sit on the floor and cross your legs.
• Keep your mouth closed as you will be breathing through your nose.
• Inhale the air deeply through your nose.
• Hold your breath for 5-8 seconds.
• Exhale the air and continue breathing in this fashion for five minutes.

Relaxing Breath

• Sit on the floor, keeping your back straight.
• Roll your tongue to create a ridge.
• Open your mouth a little and inhale so that the air passes along the ridge.
• Do not breathe through your nose.
• Hold your breath and count till 7.
• Release your breath when you finish counting 8.

Cadence refers to a series of musical rhythms. It's the most effective breathing exercise that every runner must follow. Cadence breathing is, inspiration and expiration of the lungs to the 'tempo' [cadence] of the right or left arm or right or left foot movement.

The most important aspect of cadenced breathing is the timing. The number of cadence performed by you depends on the frequency of your steps. The motion of your feet, duration of inhale and exhale and the position of your arms should proceed in a synchronized pattern.

The 2-2 cadence is usually followed by the most experienced runners. You should perform it under the guidance of your sports trainer. We explain you the technique over here.

• 2-2 Cadence: You have to take 2 steps per inhale and 2 steps per exhale.
• 3-3 Cadence: You have to take 3 steps per inhale and 3 steps per exhale.

These exercises are not only beneficial for runners, but also for everyone. You can try the cadence breathing while jogging and incorporate the deep breathing exercises in your workout schedule. The amount of oxygen inhaled and carbon dioxide exhaled by us plays a vital role in proper functioning of every organ present inside our body. You will definitely notice improvement in your health after practicing them religiously for at least one month.