BALANCED N MOTION

Breathing – The Nose Knows

Ever wish you had just a little more energy inside you?  Or how about when you’re running up a slope that just will not stop and your lungs feel like they have checked out. One of the latest hot subjects that most running related materials have been covering is using “breath work” for increased stamina. Some of them teach the reader how to simulate training at altitude without going to the elevation.

There are several books that have been written specifically for runners and other activities. These books will provide you the science behind the theories and give you several ways to practice working with your breathing.

For most of us novice folks a good place to start is just keeping our mouth closed at the beginning of a run and at the end of the run. If you practice breathing through your nose only for five minutes each time, adjusting your pace as needed to be able to accomplish it. As your diaphragm muscles increase with strength you can add more time and begin to increase your speed. Remember that keeping your posture inline will also give you the most bang for your buck. Hunching over or being bent at the waist can decrease your title volume by 30 percent.

Two books that a runner might want to investigate are "The oxygen advantage" by Patrick McKeown  and "Running on air" by Budd Coates.

Below is a link to a Ted Talk that Patrick McKeown did and an article on why nose breathing gives an optimal advantage for athletes and folks who want to stay healthy.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/30/buteyko-breathing.aspx

 

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