Stefanie's Shoes

I will continue with my running tips.

1. Stretching


2. Listening to your body


3. Breathing


4. Running form


5. Eating right


6. Hydration


7. Running shoes & clothing

Today I will blog about breathing techniques when jogging.

BREATHING:
Breathing when jogging seems kind of obvious, but novice runners are known to over-breath. What is over-breathing? Over-breathing is when you either breath too fast or too deep. Under-breathing is the opposite of this. Essentially what you are doing is allowing your body to lose or intake too much carbon dioxide (CO2). Over-breathing (or under-breathing for that matter) may cause a person to hyperventilate. Asthma can intensify this.

I have asthma so I always have to be aware of my breathing. If I start to hyperventilate, my asthma will kick in full force. When this happens I need to immediately gain control of my breathing. If you have asthma and are trying to get into shape by running (or other exercise regimes) then it is a good idea to carry your inhaler with you at all times.

Also people suffering from anxiety can easily over-breath (often referred to as a panic attack) and hyperventilate. I was once told my a medical person that if you suffer from hyperventilating then bring a paper bag with you and breath into it, sealing it tight around your mouth. This will force you to breath in the same CO2 that you just breathed out, which, in essence, prevents your body from hyperventilating. This is a more extreme measure and probably won't help much with running as a paper bag is often not nearby when running.

So it is very important to control your breathing...remember you are indeed in control of it. Don't let it control you! Controlling your breathing is easy...force yourself to breath out and breath in for equal number of counts. I often repeat to myself in my head "out-two-three in-two-three". That is, breath out for three counts followed by breathing in for three counts. Make the counts of equal length. You can choose whatever counts fit your breathing style. Practice this when you are not running to get into the habit of it so that you can get your mind and body to the point (when you are running) not to even think about it.

If the weather is extremely hot or humid then no matter who you are it is important to count your breathing. You do not want to experience any hyperventilating in extreme weather conditions! If ever you feel your breathing getting heavy then it is important to get it under control. Remember, you are in control of your breathing!

Happy running!