Breathing technique- 2

Practising your breathing even when you don’t run is a great way of ensuring you maintain a correct technique when you do in fact put on your running shoes. Laboured breathing, fatigue and cramps are all indications that your speed and breathing needs to be synchronized and corrected.

While running is a great way to reduce mental stress; it also relies on your positive mental will to make the distance. Here, an overall relaxed approached is the one that’s best taken, and this is where correct breathing comes in.

The Deep breathing technique:
Unless you are a trained athlete or practise yoga, Pilates, martial arts or some form of trained exercise, you are most likely to be unaware of your daily regular breathing patterns. Most of us breath shallow and through our diaphragms. This involves using only the upper two thirds of our lung capacity. Taking a deep breath, right down to our stomach, will ensure that your body immediately relaxes as all the muscles get the oxygen they require. Take a deep breath, feel it going deep into your diaphragm, and then slowly release it. Make sure you do not hold your breath. It has to be a continuous flow of breathing in and out.

The 3:2 technique:
This technique has been described in my earlier post and works well for a more disciplined mind. You need to count on this and it takes some practice to get it right. But once you’ve got it down and can do it unconsciously, it’s a great technique to help boost your running.

Free thinking and Music:
I tend to count my breath. I’ve tried running to music and running to free flowing thoughts. Of the two, the latter works best for me. I just let my mind go and I imagine and dream up all sorts of possibilities- my grouchy neighbours is finally taught to be nice, new ideas for work and my blog, things I should do with the kids once school is out....letting my thoughts flow in all kinds of directions, keeps me focused on running and I don’t have to think about putting one foot in front of another. For others, music works well. When I need to get some oxygen though, I tend to count my breathes and I deep breath into my system.
Go for whatever works for you. And happy running!