How to breathe while running for beginners

It’s not often that we think about our breath – inhaling and exhaling happens involuntarily, after all. But paying attention to your breathing could unlock better performance.

‘Running is an endurance sport that relies heavily on the intake of oxygen and the output of carbon dioxide,’ explains Michele Olson, senior clinical professor of sport science at Huntingdon College in Alabama, US.

‘The more effectively you’re breathing, the more you can adequately supply your cells with oxygen and remove the carbon dioxide from your cells.’

Most of our energy comes from our breath, not our food or drink. So when breathing is inefficient, it places extra stress on the cardiovascular system, resulting in fatigue setting in faster, explains Alex Rothstein, exercise physiologist and programme coordinator of exercise science at the New York Institute of Technology.

How breathing can hold you back

Many factors play a role in inefficient breathing.

Your form could be poor, which can constrict the ability of the lungs to fully inflate and prevent the respiratory

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