Better Breathing Can Improve Your Performance

It's probably not often you think about your breath. But paying attention to and practicing intentional breathing is a key that can unlock better performance-just like logging regular miles, maintaining form, and staying hydrated.

- By Rozalynn S. Frazier

The more effectively you are breathing, the more you can adequately supply your cells with oxygen and remove the carbon dioxide from your cells, explains Michele Olson, PhD, FACSM, CSCS, senior clinical professor of sport science and physical education at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.

Most of your energy comes from your breath-not food or drink. So when breathing is inefficient, it places extra stress on the cardiovascular system, resulting in fatigue setting in faster, explains Alex Rothstein, CSCS, an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist and program coordinator of exercise science at New York Institute of Technology.

Step one in making the most of every inhale and exhale, especially in support of your stride, is recognizing the role it plays in propelling you through the miles. After that, it's all about fine-tuning your breathing efficiency and learning to make it work to your advantage.

How breathing can hold you back

Many factors play a role in inefficient breathing. You could be running low on energy reserves, such as glycogen. Your posture could be poor, which can constrict the ability of the lungs to fully inflate and prevent the respiratory muscles from shortening and lengthening optimally. Running in a hunched-over position can also constrict the deep transverse abdominis muscle, a key core muscle of the trunk that supports the action of breathing this can not only affect contractability of the diaphragm, but also weaken low spine stability. Plus, toward the end of your long run, all your muscles can fatigue, including those involved in breathing.