Your lungs already know how to run. The real problem is all the breathing advice telling you otherwise.

Breathing is one of the most overcomplicated topics in running. I tested seven popular techniques, from box breathing and Wim Hof to nose breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, to find out which ones actually help you run easier and which ones are better left for bedtime. In this episode, I break down what works during a run, what helps with recovery, and why the simplest approach often delivers the biggest results. If you’ve ever felt out of breath on easy runs or wondered whether you’re breathing “wrong,” this episode will help you train smarter and breathe with less effort.

Key Takeaways

1. Most Breathing Techniques Work Better for Recovery: Methods like 4-7-8, Wim Hof, and box breathing can help you relax and recover, but they are not the best tools to use while you’re actually running.
2. Diaphragmatic Breathing Makes Running Feel Easier: Learning to breathe from your belly helps you take deeper breaths and gives you a stronger foundation for every other breathing technique.
3. The Best Breathing Strategy Is to Keep It Simple: Use nose breathing on easy runs to control your pace, and switch to mouth breathing when the effort gets hard and your body needs more air.

Timestamps

• [00:27] What You'll Learn
• [01:30] How I’m Ranking Them
• [02:12] #7 4-7-8 Breathing
• [03:09] Use This to Breathe Better on Your Runs
• [03:44] #6 Wim Hof Power Breaths
• [04:44] #5 Box Breathing
• [06:10] #4 3-2 Rhythmic Stride Breathing
• [07:51] #3 Cyclic Sighing / Physiological Sigh
• [09:44] Help Another Runner by Doing This Super Easy Thing
• [10:31] #2 Diaphragmatic Belly Breathing
• [12:03] #1 The Best Breathing Method of All
• [14:44] Why the Best One Is Boring
• [15:43] Go Deeper on Nose vs. Mouth Breathing

Links & Learnings

• 📈 Get your free breath easier and run faster/farther training plan here https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/breathworstbest
• Learn more about nose vs mouth breathing here https://dlakecreates.com/nosebreathing
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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