This video argues that improper breathing, not a lack of fitness, is a primary reason runners struggle with endurance and feel like they’re panicking during runs. The central theme is that by mastering a few key breathing techniques, runners can train their lungs, improve efficiency, enhance recovery, and make running feel significantly easier without adding more training time. The speaker presents five science-backed hacks he has personally used to improve his own performance.
1. Prioritize Nasal Breathing
Your nose is designed for efficient, controlled breathing, while your mouth is an “emergency exit” for high-exertion moments. The speaker advocates for practicing nasal-only breathing on easy runs to build your aerobic base. A 2018 study is cited, showing that runners who trained with nasal breathing lowered their breathing rate and improved CO2 efficiency without sacrificing performance. The key is to slow down if necessary to maintain nose breathing during these easy efforts.
2. Use Breath Holds to Prevent Panic
The sensation of panic while running is triggered by high levels of CO2 in the body, not a lack of oxygen. By practicing brief breath holds, you can train your body to tolerate more CO2 and stay calm longer. The recommended drill is to perform a few 3-5 second breath holds after exhaling during strides at the end of a run. This is said to improve respiratory strength and reset the nervous system.
3. Match Your Breath to Your Stride
Creating a rhythm by syncing your breath with your steps can make everything feel more controlled and efficient. A suggested pattern for easy runs is to inhale for three steps and exhale for two. For harder efforts, a two-in, two-out pattern might feel more balanced. The goal is to eliminate erratic breathing and find a consistent rhythm.
4. Practice the Full Exhale
Many runners only partially exhale, which leaves stale air (CO2) trapped in the lungs and makes the next inhale less effective. The technique is to consciously purse your lips and exhale slowly and forcefully, as if fogging a mirror, until you feel your abdominal muscles and diaphragm engage. This ensures you fully clear your lungs for a fresh, full inhale.
5. Breathe to Enhance Recovery
Breathing directly influences heart rate and the nervous system, making it a powerful recovery tool. Inhaling speeds the heart up, while exhaling slows it down—the basis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). To accelerate recovery, focus on making your exhales longer and more deliberate than your inhales. The video highlights a Stanford study showing that 5 minutes of daily “cyclic sighing” (a double inhale through the nose followed by a long, slow exhale through the mouth) was more effective than meditation at lowering stress and improving mood, signaling better recovery.
Mentoring question
Reflecting on your own running, which of these five breathing techniques addresses your biggest challenge, and how could you incorporate a small, two-minute experiment with it on your next run?
Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JeIw8pdb7mg&si=izuObYW5Al8gMdZw
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