Breathing exercises to improve your running, from Wim Hoff to nostril breathing
- Practicing breathing can help you physically and also mentally, as you improve your ability to deal with stress and performance anxiety
- Breathing exercises can take just a few minutes a day but could have a big impact on your running
Breathing is, obviously, an integral part of running. Yet, few runners spend time trying to improve their breathing. There is more to it than just getting oxygen to your muscles - conscious breathing may have a number of benefits to your mental approach to running, too.
There are some easy exercises that will only take a few minutes a day.
The Wim Hof Method
Wim Hof is a Dutchman most famous for his cold water plunges. He is able to expose himself to the cold because of his breathing techniques. It is easy to find sample exercises on YouTube or via the Wim Hof app, or to sign up to one of his courses.
Wim Hof is unlike most breathing exercises. It is not like meditation, or calming. It can be very active, involving holding your breath, exposing yourself to cold and putting yourself under stress to identify rising stress and dealing with it before it’s too late.