Improve Lung Power For Long-Distance Running and Fitness Jogging

All runners and joggers, whether they are Olympians or amateurs who want to keep in shape, will benefit from a strengthened pair of lungs. One of the reasons people drop out of long races before reaching the finish line is because they have run out of wind.

Besides fulfilling the obvious physical need to take in more oxygen to feed faster cellular metabolism, better breathing also bestows psychological benefits. Breathing can help calm the mind and maintain concentration. This is not a new discovery, as anyone who has learned centuries-old meditation techniques will know. A calmer mind does not only make running more fun, but has practical uses, as well. Many experienced runners talk about “the zone,” which is a mental state where the limbs simply keep moving, with seemingly little conscious effort or control. You do not need to tell your arms and legs to keep going, and you will feel less pain and tiredness. (Of course, you may feel the effects later, once you have come down from your high.) Optimal breathing can help you reach this mental state, and stay there when you might otherwise be hindered by cramping limbs and burning lungs. If you are a sprinter, you might find that proper breathing before a race is extremely beneficial, as you might actually be able to spend almost the entirety of the race in the zone.

One of the most useful tips is to breathe through your nose. Even beginners in gym classes are advised to do this. Unfortunately, even veteran runners are hard-pressed not to breathe through their mouths in order to gulp down more air. Though it might seem to go against what people know of the common running experience, breathing through your nose is actually much more productive. This is an essential tip in jogging for beginners.

There is another tactic, which is to deliberately starve your body for oxygen by breathing more lightly than you usually would by running. This is supposed to force your respiratory system to utilize oxygen more efficiently in compensation. Then, if you take in a little more air later, your body will already be in oxygen-maximization mode.

This tactic is only advisable for experienced professional runners. Amateur joggers might end up feeling faint if they decide to employ this tactic without assistance, coaching and medical advice. As a matter of fact, professional runners can still perform excellently without recourse to this somewhat controversial tactic, so one may question exactly why it is being touted as a useful measure on so many running-related websites.

Interestingly, a positively correlated relationship exists between breathing strength in running and breathing strength in other activities. If you run, it is more likely that you will be able to breathe well when doing activities like singing or swimming. Conversely, if you start out as a singer or swimmer, you might have an easier time running for moderate or long distances. Do not underestimate the usefulness of carrying over the skills from one activity into another.

Running is a sport that involves your entire body: not just your muscles, but your internal organs as well. Don’t forget to give your lungs a good workout and warmup, too!