How to Breathe While Running: Stop the Puffing

Let’s talk about the one thing you literally can’t live without, and the one thing most new runners completely ignore: breathing.

Or as many of you sound mid-run: “HHHHHWWWWUUUUUHHH...HAAA-HAAA-HAAA-WHHEEEEZE...”

Unless you’re auditioning for the role of a 1993 Hoover Turbo, it’s time to sort out your breath control. Because breathing isn’t just about survival. It’s about performance.

And no, you don’t need a yoga mat or incense to get it right — just some technique, awareness, and maybe the humility to admit you’ve been doing it wrong since your first parkrun.

Step 1: Why You Sound Like a Dying Appliance

When you run, your body demands more oxygen. Most newbies respond by turning into frantic mouth-breathers, sucking in air like it’s the last Oreo at a carb party.

Result?

• Shallow breathing
• Panic
• Side stitches
• That awkward moment where you wave your friends on and pretend you’re “just doing intervals”

This is not elite behaviour. Let’s do better.

Step 2: Start with the Belly, Not the Chest

Here’s the golden rule: breathe from your diaphragm.

If your shoulders are bouncing like a bad Zumba class, you’re chest-breathing — shallow, ineffective, and panic-inducing.

Instead:

• Inhale so your belly expands
• Exhale and feel your belly draw in
• Keep your chest quiet, like it’s trying not to wake a sleeping baby

Tifosi Tip: Lie on your back. Put one hand on your chest, one on your stomach. Breathe. Only the bottom hand should move. Boom, diaphragm engaged.

Step 3: Nose vs. Mouth — The Eternal Debate

Should you breathe through your nose or mouth while running?

Short answer: Both.
Long answer: It depends on your pace.

• Easy runs: Nose breathing is great. It filters, warms, and slows the air.
• Moderate runs: Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth.
• Hard intervals: All bets are off. Breathe like a steam train if you must — just stay alive.

The goal is oxygen in, carbon dioxide out — not winning some Instagram purity contest about nasal breathing.

Step 4: Find Your Rhythm (The Breathing Beat)

Great runners don’t just breathe. They breathe in rhythm.

Two common patterns:

• 2:2 breathing: Inhale for two steps, exhale for two.
• 3:2 breathing: Inhale for three, exhale for two (better for reducing side stitches).

It’s like drumming, but inside your lungs.

Tifosi Tip: Match your breath to your footstrike. It calms your body, sharpens your focus, and makes you look composed even when you’re crumbling inside.

Step 5: Breathe in Through the Pain

Running hurts sometimes. Especially on climbs or at pace.

The instinct? Tense up and shorten your breath.
The better move? Breathe deeper. Slower. Stronger.

Think of your breath as a steering wheel. Control it, and you stay on course.

Bonus: Side Stitch Emergency Protocol

The dreaded side stitch — that sharp cramp under the ribs. It shows up like an unwelcome guest around minute seven.

To fix it:

• Slow down
• Switch to 3:2 breathing
• Exhale hard on the opposite foot to the stitch
• Rub the area gently and keep moving

Then get back into rhythm like nothing happened.

Advanced Jedi Move: Controlled Exhalation

Most runners overfocus on the inhale. But the real magic is in the exhale — that’s how you clear CO₂ and make space for oxygen.

Try this:

• Inhale steadily
• Exhale forcefully and fully
• Let the inhale come naturally

It’s like squeezing a sponge. Clear it out, then refill.

Real Talk: You’ll Sound Weird at First

If you’re used to gasping, switching to belly breathing will feel odd. You’ll sound weird. You’ll overthink it.

That’s okay.

Breathing is a skill. It takes time to rewire your habits. Stick with it and one day you’ll float down the road like Kipchoge — not wheeze like a Hoover in a sandstorm.

Tifosi Takeaways

• Stop chest-breathing. Start belly-breathing.
• Use both nose and mouth depending on effort.
• Find a rhythm — 2:2 or 3:2 works.
• Control the exhale. That’s the power move.
• Expect awkwardness. Mastery takes reps.

And remember:
If your breath is calm, your mind is calm. And if your mind is calm, you can handle anything — hills, heat, pain, or that person who sprints past you at the last second.