Each of these aspects of breathing is particularly important to me as an asthmatic. If I am in control of my breathing, I am less likely to suffer an asthma attack during exertion. I will also add that my asthma is "allergy induced." I have learned that, in my case, if I am in good respiratory health, the efficiency of air exchange seems to help purge the problem particles more readily, thus minimizing their catalytic effects in my lungs. Unfortunately, I cannot eliminate the concern entirely without help. Under my doctors care, I take minimal medications, and I always make sure I have a rescue inhaler with me.
Intake
Various articles I have read will suggest that a relaxed breathing pattern during which you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth is recommended. On the inhale, breathing through the nose provides at least two functional benefits: filtration, and moderation. Even if you don't suffer from asthma or allergies, in certain parts of the country and at prime seasonal times, the dusts, pollens, and other contaminants can at the very least be an irritant. Breathing through your nose will at least catch more of it than through the mouth. To be honest, though, it is hard for me to breathe entirely through my nose when running. Even the mildest of congestion can make it feel like I am breathing through a straw. I continue to work on it and try mainly to keep a smooth, relaxed, airflow.As for moderation, quite simply, it is hard to "gasp" through your nose. Obviously, if you are suffering from a sinus malady, you will need to be smart with what you do and otherwise improvise. On the exhale, moderation is also useful. For example, you might ease the air out through pursed lips, allowing more oxygen to be absorbed in the capillaries of the lungs before it is expelled. The pattern should be relaxed; deep enough to get the oxygen you need, but not so long or shallow that you get light-headed.
Expansion
There are chest breathers and there are stomach breathers. Read "Running on Air" and you will find some excellent exercises to help identify how you breathe and train you to be a "stomach breather."By personal observation, chest breathing is just more work. When you take air into your lungs, they are going to expand either out or down. Allowing the diaphragm and abdominal muscles to to relax lets the lungs expand down into a soft tissue area of the torso. The displacement may push the stomach area out just a bit in the normal process. If you hold your lower abdomen tight, however, your lungs can only expand through chest expansion, which is a much more forced process. Instead of allowing the air to flow in through the downward expansion, a chest breather almost pulls air in with a much more laborious movement. Breathing should fuel your energy, not deplete it, and stomach breathing allows for a more relaxed process.
Cadence: My Respiration Efficiency Zone
When I was younger, I swam competitively for many years. During that time, my asthma was nearly non-existent. In retrospect, I believe that the controlled, rhythmic breathing employed while swimming was the key to building lung capacity and respiratory efficiency. Some swimming strategists might suggest that taking more strokes between breaths keeps you streamlined in the water for longer periods of time, or that bilateral breathing (alternating which side you breathe from) allows you to keep track of the competition. While they may be right to some extent, ultimately it is the efficiency of breathing coupled with a developed lung capacity that provides the necessary oxygen for the blood to fuel the muscles to preform at their peak. Streamline and strategy will only get you so far if you run out of steam.In running, I have learned that counting my steps keeps me focused and in control. I set my pace based on a sustainable breathing pattern more than on running speed. So far, my magic pattern is 4:4. 4 steps on the inhale; 4 steps on the exhale. This is also pretty close to a conversational cadence for me, and I can generally sustain this pace for as long as the legs will hold up. I can go to a 3:3 pattern on a hard push or a hill climb, but I know that I won't last long and will need to get back to the 4:4 to get back into my groove. Think of it like heart-rate training. You find the zone for you that provides for metabolic efficiency and the optimum fueling for strength and endurance. Push beyond that for too long, and your metabolism might shift enough to bring on the dreaded "bonk." So for me, the 4:4 breathing pattern is what I might call my "Respiration Efficiency Zone." If I cross over to a 3:3, I'm inviting an "air bonk." At 2:2, I'm on the verge of hyperventilating. I might be able to hold that pattern for a 100-yard dash, but not much more. At 4:4, I think that the filtering mechanisms are able to do their job effectively, and that the air is coming in long enough and deeply enough to facilitate a good oxygen absorption. I have experimented with 5:5, 5:4, and even 4:3 breathing cadences, but mostly, it is too distracting. 4:4 is like a nice simple dance step -- easy to follow without stepping on toes.
I came to my 4:4 pattern as a means of coping with asthma while running. What I had not considered is that this balanced cadence could actually contribute to injury. In "Running on Air," Dr. Coates recommends a 3:2 breathing pattern. The offset of the pattern allows for each successive exhale to begin on alternating right-left foot strikes. Because the beginning of the exhale tends to emphasize a more forceful foot strike, the idea is to share that stress across both feet instead of always on one. I'll need to continue working on this.
...and an excellent resource:
Coates, B. & Kowalchick, C. (2103). Running on Air: The Revolutionary Way to Run Better By Breathing Smarter. Rodale: New York.This book was also excerpted in April, 2013, issue of Runner's World.
Up Next: Evolution of a Running Fool
No comments:
Post a Comment