Do you love to run? Are you just
planning to start running as part of your exercise regimen? Running is a
rewarding, and at the same time, exhausting exercise, but if you know how to do
proper breathing, you can certainly reap the optimum benefit of this
cardiovascular activity. Run a lot farther, and for much longer, by remembering
the following things:
Do deep breathing exercises.
Proper breathing while running is
important. Breathing techniques can contribute significantly to improving your
speed and resistance. The proper way to breathe is by inhaling a lot of oxygen
without affecting your running efficiency. Because of this, you have a greater
advantage among other runners who struggle to breathe properly.
Train your lungs.
A lot of runners make the mistake of
thinking that training their legs for running is enough. Don’t forget the
importance of training your lungs as well, when preparing for a marathon, a triathlon,
or even your early morning jogs.
Did you know that the more chest heaves
you do, the more you struggle to breathe. Your lungs go into overdrive when you
reach the end of a speed interval. Your breath becomes shallow and rapid, as
your heart starts pumping more blood and you pull in more air. You end up being
exhausted, bending over to gasp for air.
According to Mindy Solkin, the owner and
head coach of The Running Center in New York City, "A strong respiratory
system can improve your running. It's a simple equation: Better breathing
equals more oxygen for your muscles, and that equals more endurance."
There are a lot of breathing exercises
you can try to boost your lung power.
Avoid leg sprain.
Have you experienced leg sprain while
running? Did you know that right breathing can also prevent leg fatigue? Taking
deeper breaths gives your body more oxygen, which it feeds to your muscles, including
your leg muscles. Take slow and deep breaths as you run to enhance the process.
Breathe through your diaphragm.
Most runners are used to breathing using
their chest rather than their belly. Whenever you breathe in, your belly should
fill up like a balloon, and then deflate when you breathe out. Chest breathing
can be a hard habit to break. You can try breathing through the mouth so you
can take in more oxygen and be able to release more carbon dioxide.
Breathing in patterns.
When we do exercises, we count 1 to 8 or
up to 16, then repeat them in sets. The same can be applied to breathing
exercises. This method is called rhythmic breathing and is an effective way to
avoid injury. To start breathing in patterns:
- Start with a 2-2 pattern: Breathe in
while stepping left then right
- Breathe out while stepping left to right
- Advance to a 3-3 pattern: (Breathe in,
step left, right, left; breathe out, step right, left, right), and then a 4-4
pattern.
Do cross-training exercises.
You may also try doing cross-training
exercises to reduce huffing and puffing. Exercises like Pilates or yoga can
also help you train your lungs and perfect your breathing techniques.
The breathing exercises mentioned above
will not only keep you away from any injury—whether it may be leg sprain,
muscle fatigue, and more—but also help you run or jog without feeling too
strained.
Running is a great activity to engage
in, and proper breathing can do a lot to improve your running experience. You
may be exposed to some injuries, as with any other exercise activity, and in
such cases, a medical insurance can come in handy.
Want to know more about medical insurance? Check out MoneyMax’s comparison tool
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*disclaimer: The above article is contributed by Cristina Beltran a blogger and writer from MoneyMax.ph..
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