Stck Xchng // Learning proper breathing technique
Proper breathing technique is one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of running, or any athletic activity for that matter. Maintaining good technique isn't difficult at all, and in return, will keep you running for much longer.
The trick is to not run out of breath and stress your body with a lack of oxygen. Breathing improperly too easily results in shortness of breath, more physical injuries and a dwindling confidence in your body's ability for endurance, leaving you with the possibility of cutting short your running career.
So how is proper breathing technique achieved? Easy. Here's how.

1) Deep belly breathing
It's a common mistake for new athletes to not fully utilise their lung's true capacity. Breathing from your chest is an easy way to find yourself out of breath quickly. What you need to be doing instead is drawing breath from your belly as well. When you inhale, be sure to expand your belly, as well as your chest. Dig right in there.
2) Don't just inhale through your nose
This technique might take some practise, but often top runners master the art of inhaling through both the nose and mouth at the same time. Sports boffins argue that inhaling through the nose alone doesn't fully utilise your lung's capacity, and inhaling slightly through the mouth at the same time helps to get more oxygen into your system more efficiently.
3) Exhale fully
Making the mistake of not exhaling completely leaves unwanted Co2 in the body, which just takes up space that would otherwise be used for inhaling oxygen. Initially, you'll want to focus on exhaling as much as you do inhaling, but eventually, it'll become a natural process for you.

4) Three step in, two step out
It helps to match your inhales and exhales with your steps. Generally, we all have different lung capacities depending on how much we've trained for the occasion, so it's difficult for us to give you a set of rules to follow, so this you must find for yourself. Try at first inhaling for three footsteps, and exhaling for two footsteps. If this doesn't work for you, try inhaling for two footsteps, and exhaling for two footsteps, eventually finding your own pace.
5) Use the talk-test
Running faster than your limit demands too much of your lungs. This leads to over-exertion, leaving us out of breathe too easily. Take the talk-test. Run at a pace that allows you to have a perfectly normal, non-out-of-breath conversation with someone. If you can't talk and run, you're running too fast, slow down.
6) Relax the body
     Tensing yourself during your runs helps nothing, so try your best to loosen up. Keep your shoulders low, until your forearms lightly brush against your hips during your strides. Tilt your head slightly back, all the while keeping your focus on the horizon. When your upper body is aligned well, you will be much more relaxed, and therefore able to breathe much more efficiently.
7) Learn, practise, repeat, forget
That's right. It makes perfect sense to us, and so it should for you. Why? Proper breathing technique is not something we naturally acquire. It is an art that everyone must initially learn. When you know how it's done, you've got to put it into practise every time you get out there. Repeat the process. Continue to be aware of your body and correct your technique continuously.
Once this becomes completely natural to you, forget everything, because your body will know no better/ easier way to breathe and it becomes instinctive. Focusing too much tenses you up anyways :)