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Breathing Exercises for Running

Most runners never train their breathing on purpose, and it shows in the moments that cost the most: a side stitch at kilometre eight, a heart rate that will not settle on easy days, nerves that burn energy before the gun. Breathing is the one part of your running you can practise sitting down.

How to use them

Build the base on rest days with Diaphragmatic Breathing, then take it onto easy runs as Nasal-Only Endurance Breath. Rhythmic Running Breath pairs your breath with your footstrike, and the Hard-Effort 2:1 Breath is for tempo and intervals. Use the Start-Line Reset in the last minutes before a race, and Cool-Down Descend to come back down afterwards.

New to this? Start with Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing: Deep belly breathing for oxygen efficiency and endurance.

Every day: build the base

Train daily, away from the action.

• Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing — Deep belly breathing for oxygen efficiency and endurance.
• Light Breathing (Buteyko) — Breathe less, gently. Builds CO2 tolerance and calm.

In training

Breath mechanics while you move.

• Side-Stitch Relief — Deep belly breaths with sharp exhales to release a stitch.
• Nasal-Only Endurance Breath — Train aerobic capacity by breathing only through the nose.
• Rhythmic Running Breath (3:2) — Alternates foot-strike on exhale to balance impact.
• Hard-Effort 2:1 Breath — Faster ratio for tempo, intervals, and threshold work.

Game day: before and between efforts

Before and between efforts.

• Start-Line Reset — Long exhales to tame pre-race nerves in the final minutes.

Recovery

Bring the system back down.

• Calming Breath — Extended exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Pursed-Lip Recovery — Long exhale through pursed lips for fast aerobic recovery.
• Sitali (Cooling Breath) — Inhale through a curled tongue to cool body and temper.
• Cool-Down Descend — Progressively slower breathing to close out a session.

Get the app

dubchi is free in the browser at dubchi.com (it installs as an app and works offline) and on Android, on Google Play. No account is needed to practise.

Other sports

Breathing Exercises for Trail Running · Breathing Exercises for Cycling · Breathing Exercises for Triathlon · Breathing Exercises for Rowing · Breathing Exercises for Hiking · Breathing Exercises for Endurance / Ultra · Breathing Exercises for Swimming · Breathing Exercises for Freediving · all sports

General information about breathing practices, not medical or coaching advice.