The Simple Breathing Trick That Helps You Run Faster and Longer

If you're not a runner, there's a good chance you think it's pretty easy. All you have to do is put on a decent pair of running shoes and hit the pavement...right? Not exactly. Sure, running is simple by nature but to turn yourself from a newbie to a pro takes more than just a few jogs around the block. Most runners agree that before you try to hit your first six-minute mile, you have to learn to breathe correctly. 

"If you don't breathe properly, you expend more energy," says Jason Loebig, a Nike personal trainer and co-founder of Live Better, an experiential health and wellness company based in Chicago. "This wasted energy amounts to more fatigue and higher perceived levels of effort, aka it feels harder. The skill and practice of breathing is important for all forms of exercise, [especially] with endurance sports like running. Athletes should be focused on running faster and longer, not breathing harder."

Much like learning to brace your core when you go for your first heavy squat pr, learning to breathe properly while running doesn't always come naturally. According to the American Lung Association, when we're resting we may only use a small part of our lung capacity but add in exercise like running and you'll need more air to enter your lungs to ensure you're getting enough oxygen to muscles.

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"One tip I give new runners is to match the intensity of your breathing with the intensity of your goal running effort," says Loebig. "If it's an easy run, aim for mostly nasal breathing. If it's a difficult run, a combination of nasal and mouth breathing [may be] necessary when your effort level goes up." 

For veteran runners, breathing properly seems like a simple skill learned a lifetime ago. But for people who haven't spent years perfecting their stride, breathing solely through your nose can be challenging to start. While many runners breathe through a combination of their nose and mouth, most research agrees that breathing only through your nose can help to bring more oxygen to your brain and muscles. 

"Breathing through your nose is a great way to regulate your effort," Loebig adds. "For example, an easy run should be done at a 'conversational' pace where the runner is not out of breath and can chat with a friend. If you're a new runner, nasal breathing can be difficult and restrictive, so give it time!"