I run out of breath too quickly when I run: how do I train?

Caution : You must consult your doctor for your health. This page presents only a personal and alternative point of view which should not be considered as an attempt to prescribe medicine.

Running is a complete sport that requires the whole body.

But beware, improperly practiced, it is possible to experience an unpleasant feeling of shortness of breath.

The process of oxygenating the muscles

Running is a very popular sport in France.

It is suitable for young and old regardless of gender.

And for good reason, it is an activity that works the whole body and provides many benefits.

As you know, when you run, you demand a certain amount of effort from your muscles, which then need to be more oxygenated in order to perform well.

Concretely, from the start of the race, the need for oxygenation of the muscles increases strongly and immediately.

The rest of the body has to react to provide what is needed, except that there is a response time, also called the kinetics of oxygen, which depends on each individual.

The lack of oxygen will then send signals causing an increase in heart and respiratory rates.

The blood vessels dilate and activate enzymes that convert oxygen in your muscles.

This process of receiving the necessary oxygen takes two to three minutes.

In the meantime, you get it, the muscles don't get air.

To do their job, they will compensate by fetching anaerobic energy stores.

This results in the production of metabolic by-products which are responsible for muscle fatigue.

Solutions to stop being out of breath

Before seeing the advice related purely to breathing before and during exercise, it seems essential to review a few basics:

The running posture

The hands are positioned at waist level, forming a right angle.

The back is straight, the shoulders relaxed.

For the legs, it is necessary to make a circular movement with the foot touching the ground with the front part.

The shoe for running

Equipment should not be neglected since certain types of shoes are more suitable, for men with a little more weight for example.

So for each morphology and each step, his shoe!

The pace of the race

If you are just starting out, don't strain with significant mileage too early.

Walk if necessary, take the speech test, and don't worry about your pace.

Finally, breathing is the center of the problem.

To run, the need for oxygen is important.

Warming up is very important in running because it helps prepare the body for the effort.

As you change the pace, you have to get used to your body and your breathing.

If you are running, incorporate a moment of intensive pace to alert the body to the exertion that will follow.

If it's a cooler ride, take it step-by-step and don't go too quickly or you might get out of breath too quickly.

A final key would be to work on your breathing by releasing your diaphragm.

Loris Vitry, yoga therapist, offers a free video workshop to do so, with detailed advice and exercises.

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