Mindful June 2017

Catch Your Breath
3 popular breathing methods to use while
running. Try each one and pick your favorite.
1
2
NASAL BREATHING
If you’ve done yoga, you’ve
likely done diaphragmatic
nasal breathing, where the
diaphragm is engaged while
breathing deeply and slowly
only through your nose. The
technique is used to focus the
mind and trigger the relaxation
response. The same
thing happens when you
breathe through your nose
while running slowly, as in
mindful running. Plus, nasal
breathing warms and filters
the air before it travels into
your lungs, which is a boon
for running in cold, lowhumidity
climates. But it’s
difficult, if not impossible, to
maintain nasal breathing as
you increase your speed and
your body requires greater
levels of oxygen than your
nose can handle.
MOUTH BREATHING
This is the most efficient way
of getting the large amounts
of oxygen needed under exertion.
Runners usually naturally
adopt a rhythmic breathing
pattern focused on exhalation
through the mouth.
3
ALTERNATING BREATHING
Whether you breathe through
your nose or your mouth,
alternating your exhaleto-footstrike
pattern can
wake you from the hypnosis
of a repeated rhythm and
according to one study, may
help prevent running injury.
Instead of a 2:2 pattern,
where you inhale for two
footstrikes and exhale for two,
try a 3:2 pattern, inhaling for
three strikes and exhaling for
two. (If you’re naturally fast,
you may want to adjust this
to a 2:1 pattern.)
PHOTOGRAPH BY PLAINPICTURE/LANCASTER