Breathing Efficiency
Running With Your Breath
By NakedSoleNate
The breath is an amazing feature of the human body—mystical, in fact.It is no wonder many world religions make distinct references to the breath; without it, there is no life.All creatures, including single-cell organisms have an apparatus for respiration.In fact, the Earth herself inhales and exhales once a year.I find it odd, then, that many in our society pay little attention to how they breathe, despite the many colloquialisms in our culture. “I held my breath until it was over,” “He took my breath away,” and gasping in the face of awe, fear, surprise, and joy are common human sayings and experiences.Yet, most have no idea how the mechanics of respiration happen, let alone learn to streamline the process for efficiency.
As children, before the age of six or so, most of us breathe naturally using the muscles of respiration.As we age and learn from example, we often lose this knowledge in Western cultures. Eastern cultures tend to be more connected to their breath.I have many theories why this is the case, but it falls outside the scope of this article.Back to the task at hand, let’s look at the muscles of respiration.There really is only one, and it is the diaphragm.The diaphragm is a fabulous muscle that, like an umbrella with a tail, sits on top of the stomach, intestines, and other abdominal organs.This means that the lungs and heart sit on top of the diaphragm.The diaphragm is attached to a place located on the lower back, and when it contracts, the whole muscle draws down to the lower back.This action allows the lungs to fill with air.As it does so, the abdomen protrudes outwardly.As the diaphragm relaxes, it rises back up, pressing the air out of the lungs, and the abdomen draws inward.This is a natural breath.Diaphragmatic breathing is key to efficiency, and it is the way our bodies were made to breathe.Unfortunately, most of us do not breathe this way.Many of us, instead, use the muscles of our shoulders, and neck to lift the lungs upward to inflate them.This is visible by movement of the shoulders, forward expansion of the chest, and drawing in of the abdominal muscles.This type of breathing is called paradoxical breathing, and it mimics the flight/fight response of the autonomic and parasympathetic nervous system, which is common in panic disorders and attacks.Is it any wonder our society is so anxiety ridden?We breathe to sustain our anxiety!
The second aspect of biology that will be helpful to understand in our quest for efficiency in motion is the relationship between our breath and our heart rate.The purpose of our heart is to pump our blood through our body; the purpose of our blood is to bring energy in the form of chemical components to the various parts of our body and to remove waste from those parts.Other than eating, we get most of this energy from our inhalation of air (not just oxygen), and remove the wastes through our exhalation (not just carbon dioxide).As a result of our rate of breath, our heart rate is affected.If you breathe faster, your heart pumps faster.The converse is true, if your heart rate increases, your breathing must either increase in rate or in efficiency.Similarly, you can reduce your heart rate if you reduce the rate of your breath…even to the point of passing out, as anyone with a stubborn two-year-old can attest.
With this understanding, it becomes reasonable to see how specific breathing practices can be an aerobic exercise even while one is sitting still.What this article is about though, is really how to slow the heart and breath WHILE doing activities that otherwise would be aerobic.In this way, energy is conserved, efficiency is achieved, and effortless motion is infinite.Okay, so maybe not infinite, but at least sustainable for a substantial amount of time.When you learn to control your heart rate by regulating your breath, you can achieve distances and speeds that you have never imagined.
The keys to making your breath efficient are very simple.There are five observances that once practiced, become natural.They are taken directly from the yogic sciences:
The first – allow your breath to be deep (meaning diaphragmatic as described in the second paragraph).Breathe low into the belly, allowing not just the front of the abdomen to expand but the lower back as well.The rib cage may expand too but not in a “forward” fashion, laterally, out to the sides.
Second – let your breath be even.This means that your inhalation and your exhalation should be the same length. This allows the muscles to receive a full measure of the nutrients from your breath and allows the toxins to be released as well.It streamlines the exchange rate of oxygen to carbon dioxide.Also, make sure your exhalations are complete, because if they are not, you will not be able to take a full inhalation on the next breath.
Third – and most difficult during strenuous activities, is to work on making the breath smooth.This means that the rate of flow in and out is consistent.There should be no “jerking,” “gulping,” or “gasping” of the breath, either on the inhalation or exhalation.Think of turning on the faucet in your sink.If the water comes out spurting, you know you have some kind of issue.Your breath, both in and out, should be like the smooth flow of water out of the faucet.
Fourth – let the breath be continuous—create no pauses in the breath.Avoid the tendency to hold your breath in-between the inhalation and exhalation and between the exhalation and inhalation.Let the transition be smooth.
Last – and also difficult during activity, is attempting to let the breath be silent.I find that if the other four qualities are in place, this one takes care of itself.In the case of running, this is the one that I would not pay as much attention too.However, if you can get it, it allows you to hear and experience your heart rate more effectively and adjust your breath accordingly.
There has been some talk about RIP (Running In Possession), meaning that one runs with some liquid in their mouth making it necessary to breathe only through the nostrils. I am a big fan of breathing only through the nose, however, in many instances of running (speed for instance), it becomes necessary to add extra “fuel” in the way of the breath by bringing in extra oxygen through the mouth.Eventually, though, with practice, efficiency and capacity might increase to the point that mouth breathing is no longer needed.This will be an individual experience.I can run very comfortable at an 8:30 pace breathing only through my nose, going faster I need to bring in the “big guns” of my mouth.You will have to play around with your own comfort levels.And, even if you are using your mouth, make sure you are still using your nostrils!How awesome would it be to be able to do a 4 minute mile for 4 miles with only nostril breathing, not even breaking a sweat, and maintaining a lower heart rate?Impossible? I don’t know, but we won’t know until we try!
There is one other thing relating to anatomy that I want to mention.Often, in the barefoot running world, we are told to lead from the hips.This is sound advice.For me, it misses something though.In yoga and in Chinese martial arts, we talk about several “centers.”One of the most important is the pelvic center, which is located inside the body, in-between the hips.This is the place of locomotion.The psoas muscle connects the legs to the abdomen here, and without this muscle, we would not be able to walk, let alone run.Interestingly, this area is also what should be expanding and contracting most with a diaphragmatic breath.We have a saying, “You move from the dan tien (pelvic center).”But the dan tien is first moved by the breath.Let your breath move you; let your legs follow.
In summary, to develop an efficient breath, remember these five techniques of breathing:
1.) Deep
2.) Even
3.) Smooth
4.) Continuous
5.) Silent
Happy running, and please let me know how this information works out for you!
