Runners’ Problems: How To Resolve Issues With Breathing
If you are an active individual you already know that your speed and endurance are both affected by your breathing patterns and techniques. It is very important to breathe properly while exercising or playing any sport in order to achieve the best results. Air intake affects how much oxygen the blood gets and directly affects your performance. So, how do we resolve issues with breathing to get the maximum results while engaging in sports activities?
Find what feels right for you
There are many breathing techniques you should try out before finding the perfect one for you. Whether you use your nose exclusively or opt for more air intake via the mouth, in the end, it is all up to you. Although there are a few general tips such as: if you’re opting for sprint for your workout, using your nose will maximize your performance, as well as on a marathon run, you should avoid breathing using your mouth because it will quickly leave you dehydrated.
The biggest problem with athlete-beginners is the spread of misinformation all over the internet — an individual needs and advice and makes a research online only to find various articles, blog posts, etc. that are emphasizing that one thing is better than other. There is no point in conditioning a person to believe that one of these techniques is better and more useful because it all comes back to you, and your personal preferences and that is why you should focus on what feels right and what keeps you going.
Pay attention to your posture
In order to develop proper airflow and ensure that you have enough oxygen in your blood, you should check your posture because even the position of your shoulders, as well as the way you push your feet off the ground, can affect your performance. Next time you’re ready for a run, pay attention to how you stand so that you can control your running time. Also, pay extra attention to how you push your feet off the ground while running because more often than never it happens that a lot of people simply don’t do it properly and their running doesn’t really have a point.
Make sure that your nose is healthy
Another key factor in ensuring the optimum results while running is your nose and its state. Deviated septum, for example, can make running seem almost impossible and that is when it is important to opt for rhinoplasty, which is a routine procedure that will help you breathe properly. Sometimes it is necessary to do a quality rhinoplasty revision after a while if you still experience a breathing problem because that means that the source of the problem wasn’t fixed the right way.
Another factor that can minimize your running performance is the allergy season, inflammation or infection. Each of these problems locks down your nasal passages, limits the oxygen intake and therefore lowers our endurance and energy levels. Avoid running when you have flu and if it is the allergy season, make sure you take your inflammatory medication to help your nose stay healthy. Take a lot of vitamins such as magnesium that are good for your bones and that support your immune system. You will need to strengthen it if you really want to get the maximum results.
Breathing cheat sheet
Practice yoga breathing exercises to find the perfect technique for you and your athletic needs. Those simple exercises will help you properly ensure enough oxygen in your blood while keeping calm and working out at the same time. If you have a problem with sour throat while running and breathing through your mouth or nose, you should keep a menthol gum in your mouth, not chew it (and pay extra attention to it) that will help you get enough saliva in your mouth so that you can focus on running and proper breathing.
If you face nasal difficulties, it is important to fix the problem as soon as possible in order to maximize your running results as well as because of yourself and your health. Pay attention to your breathing techniques and your posture while you’re active to truly experience the pleasure of running.
