Among the many characteristics that a good runner and good sportsman should have, I have always thought that awareness and the ability to manage one’s breath should be considered among the most important.
I mean: the tension, the fatigue, the miles still to go that never seem to diminish, those running around us and going twice as fast as us, the heat, the rain and all the other external factors we face when we are running inevitably affect our performance and our emotional state.
And they are easily identified in how we breathe.
Let me give you an example: before a competition or an important event, but also before the classic Sunday jog, it is quite normal to feel some tension on you. Heartbeats speed up, sweating increases, muscles contract. These are all symptoms, more or less pronounced, of the famous performance anxiety.
Has this ever happened to you? I guess so.
Now-can you remember how you were breathing in those moments?
It is quite likely that your breathing was short, rapid, shallow. Maybe blocked, interrupted.
Clearly, the amount of oxygen you were getting into your body at that juncture was very little-and since oxygen is a tad essential for us to survive and play sports, it goes without saying that attention to how we breathe is a key aspect of improving our performance.
Being aware of one’s breathing means being able to notice if we are entering a state of apnea and unknowingly truncating the respiratory acts, but more importantly it means being able to intervene to bring the situation back to a normal state.
Fortunately, it is not difficult to learn how to do this, and yoga is able to help us with Pranayama, which is the discipline of yoga that deals with breathing.
If you are interested in the topic, you can learn more about it by reading this post: What is pranayama, how it is done and why it works.
In this post, and in the content I refer to, we are going to look at some simple Pranayama techniques by which you can not only learn how to breathe, but also increase your energy and concentration before you start your run.
Are you sure you are breathing the right way?
Before we get to practice, however, let’s do a simple simple test to see whether or not you are breathing the right way. You will need it later to decide which exercises to do.
- Lying on the ground
- Place one hand on the abdomen and the other on the chest, just below the shoulders.
- Breathe normally, without changing the breathing acts but simply observing how you are breathing.
If during inhalation the hand that rises the most is on your belly, it means that you are using your diaphragm, and that you are breathing in the correct way.
If the opposite happens, however, it means that you are not taking full advantage of your lung capacity. But don’t worry; by practicing with a minimum of consistency the yogic breathing exercises I will tell you about in a moment, you will be able to easily improve this aspect.
Why is it important to train the breath?
Breathing correctly and training the breath is essential to ensure efficient breathing and to manage energy expenditure; which translated and applied to sports means: minimum expenditure, maximum output.
But not only that.
Breathing correctly also means increasing concentration, being present, and having the right calmness and peace of mind to overcome difficult moments.
In fact, it is no coincidence that professional athletes do meditation and breathing exercises before competitions.
Breathing techniques before running
This series of exercises can be done standing, or in a sitting position that is comfortable for you. The important thing is that your spine is straight, to allow your diaphragm to work unimpeded.
Perform all three exercises, in the order in which I propose them. (If you don’t have the time or inclination, you can also do just one…)
If you are not practicing Pranayama, and if the previous test showed that you are not using your diaphragm, I recommend that you start by practicing only full yogic breathing.
When you become practical enough, you can move on to do the other exercises as well.
1.Complete yogic breathing
It forms the basis of breathing, and it is the breathing technique that enables us to make full use of our lung capacity.
If the previous test showed that you are not breathing correctly, devote some time to this breathing. Just by performing 5 or 6 repetitions, once a day, you can re-learn within a short time to breathe correctly.
This type of breathing, if practiced before running, is very useful both to calm the mind and to oxygenate the whole body, precisely because it uses our lung capacity to the maximum.
Some people have difficulty in being able to perform it correctly, if this is the case with you, don’t worry, it is normal and is just a matter of habit. With time and practice you will see that it will get easier and easier.
In this post you will find all the instructions for performing it correctly, and also an audio guide: Complete yogic breathing, here’s how to do it.
2. Surya Bedha Pranayama
Don’t be frightened by the name: Surya means sunshine, and Bedha piercing. It is a breathing technique that activates the body’s right energy channel, which is associated with the energy of the sun.
This type of Pranayama, which consists of breathing only through the right nostril, is very useful for activating body functions, increasing energy and vitality, and is recommended to be done before sports.
To understand exactly how it is done, take a look at the post: The breathing technique that boosts vitality.
3. Kapalabhati
Kapalabathi literally means: breathing that purifies the frontal space of the brain. But it is also known as fire breathing.
This pranayama is very effective, but it is a fairly advanced technique, so it is best to have some familiarity with breathing techniques before performing it. This practice energizes the mind and activates the body’s energy center.
In this post you will find a video tutorial that explains exactly how to do it and for how many repetitions to perform it: Kapalabhati: fire breathing.
I understand that it takes commitment and perseverance to engage in these practices, but really, if you think about it, they don’t take up that much of your time.
It really only takes five minutes.
It’s just a matter of being willing to do it — kind of like going for a run, right?
The hardest part, at least for me, is deciding to do it … then the rest comes, and you always end up satisfied.
Keep breathing!
Laura Visinoni
yoganride.com