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Breathing patterns while running
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 2009-06-18 6:18 PM |
Regular 54 |  Subject: Breathing patterns while runningI noticed that I naturally breath in 2 steps and breath out 1 step while running... always, no matter the pace. Recently, I have been looking up different breathing patterns while running and it says the 2:1 breathing pattern that I am doing is not an efficient pattern (the website specifically says that it will increase heart rate, lactic acid production, and decrease endurance). Whether this is true or not, I do not know, but just reiterating that I have read it on a few websites. I just did a 6-mile run and tried to do a 3:2 breathing pattern, 3 steps inhaling and 2 steps exhaling, and it was difficult to maintain, if I ever was going too fast my body would revert to the 2:1 breathing pattern so I would take a short 30 second walk and restart. My question is, do you guys feel it is important to get into a breathing pattern that allows for longer inhales and exhales (adopting a 2:2, 3:2, etc. pattern compared to a 2:1 pattern) or is it more important to just go along with what the body feels is the right thing to do? If it's important in the long run to have a deeper breathing pattern then I would like to work on it now and adopt the proper one. P.S. I don't have any logs filled in (sorry!) so if you want/need to know anything about my running (mileage/pace/etc.) then let me know, thanks! |
| 2009-06-18 7:26 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
| Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running Dunno, if it doesn't say pant, gasp, or wheeze like you have a third of a lung then it probably won't be my breathing pattern  |
| 2009-06-18 7:31 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Sneaky Slow 8694      Herndon, VA, | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running Never tried anything like this, and likely never will... whatever comes naturally just seems to me to be best. I suspect that if you polled most people on this site on what is their breathing pattern while running is, like me, most of them would have no clue. |
| 2009-06-18 7:38 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Veteran 249 Littleton, Colorado | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running When I went to running camp in high school I was tought a breathing pattern that has worked really well for me for the last 10 years or so. The exhale should be very quick -- 1 step. The thought is that you want to get rid of the used air a quickly as possible so you can get fresh oxygen in sooner. As far as the pattern goes, they related it to changing gears while riding a bike. While running on a flat surface I use a 4-step breathing pattern of Exhale for 1 step, then 3 steps inhale. When you approach an up-hill you switch it up to a 3-step pattern of 1 exhale and 2 steps inhale. This allows you to get more oxygen in during a difficult section. It takes a few weeks to get used to, but now I don't even realize I do it, and I find myself automatically "down-shifting" on hills. |
| 2009-06-18 7:42 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running I used to pay attention to my breathing pattern because I thought it might give me some clue about how hard I'm working. I came to the conclusion that, at best, 'some clue' is all it gives. As for blanket statements about what your breathing pattern should be -- well, I'm no expert but that sounds bogus to me. Just breathe when you need too. I know this is controversial, but I have found that over time, carefully considered, heartrate is a much more important thing to pay attention to. I pay attention to that now, and let the breathing take care of itself. Edited by Experior 2009-06-18 7:43 PM |
| 2009-06-18 8:05 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Extreme Veteran 317 Chelmsford, MA | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running Generally I only notice the pattern if I'm thinking about it and in zone 1/2. If I'm running hard enough to cause significant exertion even if I do notice it, it fades from my brain quickly as my brain ends up in cruising mode. |
| 2009-06-18 8:21 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Elite 3683 Whispering Pines, North Carolina | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running When I'm running hard, I go to 2in/1out. it works really well for me, especially b/c i can get into a rhythm. i'd say go with what is most comfortable. |
| 2009-06-18 8:52 PM in reply to: #2227973 |
| Veteran 210 Portland, OR | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running In the Chi Running clinic I took last weekend they taught a 3in:2out pattern (I think). A few people were having some issues getting the pattern down. I've been running for quite a while and I think the point is more to empy your lungs of carbon dioxide so you can uptake more Oxygen. Not nessasarliy a 3:2 pattern. Although, I think with my normal cadence it's somewhere in that range (85-90/min). For me, I just focus on forcing the air from my lungs (with reasonable effort) and allow them to fill with little effort. Just like in swimmming. Hope that makes sense... |
| 2009-06-18 9:12 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Expert 1123 Falls Church, VA | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running tkelsay - 2009-06-18 7:18 PM I noticed that I naturally breath in 2 steps and breath out 1 step while running... always, no matter the pace. Recently, I have been looking up different breathing patterns while running and it says the 2:1 breathing pattern that I am doing is not an efficient pattern (the website specifically says that it will increase heart rate, lactic acid production, and decrease endurance). Whether this is true or not, I do not know, but just reiterating that I have read it on a few websites. I just did a 6-mile run and tried to do a 3:2 breathing pattern, 3 steps inhaling and 2 steps exhaling, and it was difficult to maintain, if I ever was going too fast my body would revert to the 2:1 breathing pattern so I would take a short 30 second walk and restart. My question is, do you guys feel it is important to get into a breathing pattern that allows for longer inhales and exhales (adopting a 2:2, 3:2, etc. pattern compared to a 2:1 pattern) or is it more important to just go along with what the body feels is the right thing to do? If it's important in the long run to have a deeper breathing pattern then I would like to work on it now and adopt the proper one. P.S. I don't have any logs filled in (sorry!) so if you want/need to know anything about my running (mileage/pace/etc.) then let me know, thanks! my casual pace is 4 in 4 out, above 150bpm or so 3 in 3 out or 3 in 2 out, last bit of a race it's 2 in 2 out. I felt it was important, when I started running again, I got myself to take the slower gradual breaths and I haven't had a side stitch since. who knows if that's really the reason, but I have been able to lower my HR by breathing deeper, but sometimes the pace just doesn't allow it. |
| 2009-06-19 7:37 AM in reply to: #2227801 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running You should only be using your breathing pattern as a gage for the effort level you are currently running. You should never force a pattern. The pattern will correspond to the effort. Here are very general guidelines: If someone is breathing 1/1, then are either in a full out sprint or hyperventalating. 1/1 is not enough to get your body the oxygen it needs for very long. Won't be able to talk. If someone is 2/2, then they are usually in that tempo and up level. Pretty much anything 1/2 marathon and faster for racing (or training effort). Speaking will be minimal, but possible. If someone is 3/3, then this is usually where you want most of your training to be. Almost comfortable enough to talk, but not conversation. If someone is 4/4, then it is recovery pace and conversations will be easy. Again, those are very general "definitions" of where your effort should be based on your breathing. Everyone has their own pattern and while it is good to recognize what it is, it should only be as another "marker" as to how hard you are going. As an example for me, it is good for racing to know that in a normal training run I almost always do 3 in, 2 out. If I am 2/2 in a 1/2 marathon or shorter race then I know I'm at the right effort. If I'm 2/2 in a marathon, it better be in the last 3 or 4 miles only! If I'm 1/1 or 2/1 or 1/2, then I'm going way to hard if it is not the finish sprint! |
| 2009-06-19 7:46 AM in reply to: #2228437 |
Master 1651 Breckenridge, CO | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running Daremo - 2009-06-19 6:37 AM You should only be using your breathing pattern as a gage for the effort level you are currently running. +2, This is the worst part of training at altitude (9600'). When I drop down to Boulder (5430') to race I lose the breathing component of RPE. You'd think not being out-of-breath in a race would be good, but as a relatively weak runner I think part of my run collapses have been due to an imbalance in my leg muscle strength (weak) vs. my breathing ability (strong). |
| 2009-06-19 7:51 AM in reply to: #2227801 |
Master 2355 Houston, TX | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running |
| 2009-06-19 10:32 AM in reply to: #2228437 |
| Regular 54 | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running Daremo - 2009-06-19 8:37 AM You should only be using your breathing pattern as a gage for the effort level you are currently running. You should never force a pattern. The pattern will correspond to the effort. Here are very general guidelines: If someone is breathing 1/1, then are either in a full out sprint or hyperventalating. 1/1 is not enough to get your body the oxygen it needs for very long. Won't be able to talk. If someone is 2/2, then they are usually in that tempo and up level. Pretty much anything 1/2 marathon and faster for racing (or training effort). Speaking will be minimal, but possible. If someone is 3/3, then this is usually where you want most of your training to be. Almost comfortable enough to talk, but not conversation. If someone is 4/4, then it is recovery pace and conversations will be easy. Again, those are very general "definitions" of where your effort should be based on your breathing. Everyone has their own pattern and while it is good to recognize what it is, it should only be as another "marker" as to how hard you are going. As an example for me, it is good for racing to know that in a normal training run I almost always do 3 in, 2 out. If I am 2/2 in a 1/2 marathon or shorter race then I know I'm at the right effort. If I'm 2/2 in a marathon, it better be in the last 3 or 4 miles only! If I'm 1/1 or 2/1 or 1/2, then I'm going way to hard if it is not the finish sprint! thanks for the reply, this is what i was looking for |
| 2009-06-19 1:06 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Master 2491 | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running I used to pay a lot of attention to patterns. It seemed that breathing more often would get more oxygen in. I got faster, but that may have been the cumulative effects of training. I learned how to disconnect from a pattern while doing some half mile intervals over the winter. I was going hard, and my usual pattern didn't fit. The terrain is constantly changing, so shouldn't the need to breathe? Since then, I've tried to avoid getting into a pattern that may or may not fit with the pace I'm maintaining. Instead, I try to focus on the exhale, squeezing the belly, as they might tell you in a yoga class. The inhaling seems to come naturally. |
| 2009-06-19 1:48 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Elite 3658 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running I don't pay attention to my pattern because it changes with my intensity, but I do have to focus on not breathing shallow. For some reason I will not breath as deep as I should when I'm running and it will drive my HR up 5-8 BPM. |
| 2009-06-19 6:56 PM in reply to: #2229484 |
Member 106 | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running I use bilateral breathing or else I run off the side of the road. |
| 2009-06-19 7:16 PM in reply to: #2227801 |
Member 15 | Subject: RE: Breathing patterns while running I don't know whether this is an "officially coach accepted" type of breathing pattern, but in my training runs (which are done at about 5K pace) I use a 2:3 ratio. (Two steps per in-breath and three steps per out.) I used to do a 2:2 and found that I got cramps/stitches quite often. I had a couple of avid runners point out that I am breathing in and breathing out when the same leg strikes the ground when I breathe in the 2:2 ratio. The added bonus was that I had to force a slightly higher turnover for my legs so that I was getting enough oxygen - and my times dropped a bit just from that shift. I found that for me the 2:3 is more comfortable than the 3:2. But, it is all about what you find comfortable and what fits for you. Try them all in training to see what works, and then train the heck out of it. Once it is second nature in your training, you will do it in your race! |
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