Most runners know that, in order to improve, they have to train the main muscle groups that are activated when running: the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves.
But few think about training the muscles that allow them to breathe: specifically the diaphragm, says Dr. Kristen Konkol, an assistant professor of exercise science at Syracuse University in New York. And that can put runners at a disadvantage.
When they don't effectively use the diaphragm during exercise, people who run limit the depth of their inhalation, which in turn limits the amount of oxygen that is absorbed and reaches the muscles.
According to Nicole Hagobian, a running coach and professor of kinesiology at California Polytechnic State University, this ultimately affects the proper functioning of muscles during exercise.
Although there aren't many studies on how diaphragmatic (or "abdominal") breathing directly improves running, the experts we've spoken to agree that, at least in theory, it can help increase oxygen supply during exercise.
Here's everything we know about how it can help you run diaphragmatic breathing and strategies to do it correctly.
Diaphragmatic or "abdominal" breathing can help increase oxygen supply during exercise. Photo Shutterstock,
What is the diaphragm and how does it help?
The diaphragm is a large, domed muscle that sits under the lungs and looks like an inverted U.
According to Dr. Tianshi David Wu, assistant professor of pulmonology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, when inhaled, the diaphragm contracts and flattens, creating a suction-like force (similar to that of a syringe) that draws air into the lungs.
To allow more air to enter, other muscles in the chest, neck and shoulders also work, pulling the chest upward and expanding the upper and middle regions of the lungs when we inhale, Wu explains.
Some people don't take advantage of the full potential of their diaphragm, leading them to rely too heavily on these other muscles. When this happens, those people can't get air deep into the lungs, limiting the amount of oxygen they can absorb.
How does diaphragmatic breathing work?
According to Kristen Konkol, diaphragmatic breathing consists of consciously using the diaphragm to breathe very deeply, trying to breathe in towards the stomach instead of towards the chest.
One way to do this is for you to lie on your back with your hands on your belly and take in air deeply through your nose, consciously trying to get the air into your stomach. In doing so, the hands on the belly should be raised. When exhaling, the hands and belly should descend, according to the doctor.
Professor Hagobian teaches the technique to runners by placing one hand on the belly, the other on the chest and breathing fast and very shallow to show them that the hand on the chest moves much more than the hand on the belly.
He then takes a deep diaphragmatic breath and points out that it is now his belly hand that moves the most, while his chest hand remains mostly still.
To find a way around this type of breathing and make it more and more as a reflex, Konkol recommends practicing the technique for 15 to 20 minutes per day, or every other day, for a couple of weeks. "Just as we train the legs, we have to train the lungs," he says.
Only a few small studies have directly looked at how diaphragmatic breathing influences exercise.
In one, published in 2018, researchers found that participants with fatigued diaphragm were unable to exercise at the usual intensity.
Another study, from 2004, found that using certain techniques to train various muscles involved in breathing, including the diaphragm, helped cystic fibrosis patients breathe more deeply and exercise on a stationary bike with greater intensity. Research from 2006 found similar results in healthy adults.
The technique becomes more difficult to maintain as the duration or intensity of the exercise increases. Photo Shutterstock,
How to Use Diaphragmatic Breathing When Running
Joe Shayne, long-distance running coach for TeamWRK, an organization of runners in Brooklyn, New York, says it can be difficult to learn a whole new way to breathe. And pushing yourself to do well can make you tense up and make breathing deeply harder for you.
So he recommends practicing diaphragmatic breathing while in situations of tranquility and relaxation.
He suggests practicing it first while with your back to the ground, or in a seat or standing, and only then try to incorporate it into walks. Once diaphragmatic breathing starts to feel easy and natural on walks, you can gradually switch to longer or more vigorous walks, then jogging, and finally more intense runs, Shayne says.
The technique becomes harder to maintain as the duration or intensity of the exercise increases, he says.
Once the technique is mastered, Nicole Hagobian and Joe Shayne recommend finding a breathing scheme that works for you when running. For example, Shayne likes to exhale every four steps. Hagobian, on the other hand, prefers to start by breathing in for three steps and exhaling for two, and then inhaling in two steps and exhaling for one when the pace is faster.
Maintaining a rhythm "helps you focus on your breathing technique and prevents it from becoming erratic," Hagobian says.
According to Konkol, as you improve with full diaphragmatic breathing, you should notice subtle but noticeable changes in your runs.
You should need fewer breaths per minute and may feel more energized, all because you improve your body's supply of needed oxygen.
©The New York Times
Translation: Roman Garcia Azcárate
***
Want to read more about running?
We suggest these notes:
➪Do you want to run but don't know how to start? 4 tips
➪Everything you need (and what you don't) in a running shoe
➪Six tips to start running at 60
***
➪ Do you have any questions about health and wellness that you would like us to address in section notes? Enter the Clarín Help Center by clicking here, enter Message to the newsroom and then to Questions to Good Life. Write us your inquiry and send. Ready!
See also
