How to Breathe While Running

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1 Learn How to Breathe Properly

2 Improve Lung Function Over Time

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Article Summary

Co-authored by Shira Tsvi

Last Updated: July 15, 2024 References

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Learning how to breathe properly while running can help you run faster and longer with less effort, and prevent you from getting painful side-aches and stitches during your workout. Read this article to learn how.

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Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Learn How to Breathe Properly

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1. 1
   Breathe with your diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that sits like an upside-down bowl just beneath your ribs, contracting and relaxing to move air through your lungs. Deep "belly breathing" that visibly moves your abdomen in and out helps strengthen this muscle and improve your endurance. If your belly stays flat and your chest pumps up and down, you're taking shallow "chest breaths," and will fatigue sooner.
2. 2
   Take longer breaths. This will help ensure that you are getting enough oxygen to your body, and is the best way to prevent muscle and lung fatigue. It also helps increase endurance by getting proper oxygen circulation to your muscles.
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3. 3
   Keep your mouth open. Your mouth is wider than your nostrils, allowing you to take deeper breaths of air. Allow air to enter through both your mouth and your nose.
4. 4
   Find a breathing pattern. Most experienced runners coordinate their breath with their steps, such as the popular "inhale for three steps, exhale for two" (or simply "3–2"). This helps you breathe more consistently. You may also be forced to switch to a different pattern (such as "2–1") at higher speeds, which helps you keep track of the intensity of your run.

   • There are several popular alternatives to these patterns, such as "2-2" or "2-3." Experiment with different breathing patterns to find the right one for you.
5. 5
   Use the "talk test" to determine if you are breathing enough. You should be able to form full sentences while running without huffing and puffing.
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Part 2

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Improve Lung Function Over Time

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1. 1
   Run or jog regularly. Running, just like any other physical activity, improves with practice. The better shape you are in aerobically, the easier it will be for you to breathe efficiently.
   

   Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter

   Persevere through the challenges. "The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination."
2. 2
   Do breathing exercises. Remember that just as we work to strengthen our muscles and hearts, we must also work to strengthen our lungs.

   • Practice taking deep breaths from your diaphragm while sitting still or lying on your back. Put your hand on your abdomen to make sure it moves up and down with each breath. Count to 8 for each inhale and exhale. Repeat for 3-5 minutes.
   • Swimming regularly can also improve lung function over time, because the exercise places an emphasis on breathing. It will also help you learn how to pace your breathing, because you must learn to coordinate your breath with the strokes you take.
3. 3
   Don't smoke. Smoking causes damage to your lungs, making it much more difficult for you to take deep breaths while running.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  Is it better to breathe through your nose or mouth when running?

  

  Shira Tsvi
  Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor

  Shira Tsvi is a Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor with over 7 years of personal training experience and over 2 years leading a group training department. Shira is certified by the National College of Exercise Professionals and the Orde Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports in Israel. Her practice is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

  

  Shira Tsvi

  Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor

  Expert Answer

  Both! You should inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Make sure that when you're inhaling that you're breathing from your diaphragm. Your stomach should inflate a little bit when you inhale. This will keep your shoulders from coming up and ensure that you're maintaining the proper posture while you run.

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• Question

  How do I breathe when running?

  

  Michele Dolan
  Certified Fitness Trainer

  Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

  

  Michele Dolan

  Certified Fitness Trainer

  Expert Answer

  There are a few different ideas on what is the best way to breathe while running. What ends up working best for you is your own best method. Having said that, try inhaling for two steps and exhaling for two or three steps, and repeat that pattern. If you use the three-step exhale, you will end up alternating the foot you land on with each breath, which some believe is best.

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• Question

  How can I improve my breathing while running?

  

  Michele Dolan
  Certified Fitness Trainer

  Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

  

  Michele Dolan

  Certified Fitness Trainer

  Expert Answer

  Experiment with nose/mouth breathing. Try the 2 footfalls inhale, 3 footfalls exhale. Find out what feels the most natural and efficient for you, mixing up the variables. Most experts advise mouth breathing and 2 footfalls on the inhale, 2 footfalls on the exhale, when you are tired.

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Tips

• Dynamic stretches (involving continuous motion) are best done when warming up before running.<rref>https://www.health.harvard.edu/dynamic-stretches</ref> Perform static stretches (holding a position) once your muscles are warmed up.
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• Running at high altitude can help improve breathing and running.
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• Running or jogging at a comfortable pace will help prevent getting stitches or aches in your side, and help you keep up with your breath.
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