How to Breathe While Running: Nose or Mouth, and Out of Breath

How to breathe while running: the short answer

There is no single right way to breathe while running. At an easy pace you can breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, or use the mouth only: whatever keeps you relaxed is right. When you speed up or the hill gets steep, the nose alone is not enough and the mouth is the natural choice. The signal to watch is not technique but pace: if you can say a whole sentence without breaking it up, you are running at a speed where breathing works.

Beginners' breathlessness almost never comes from wrong breathing, it comes from a pace too fast for current fitness. Before changing how you breathe, slow down. If you are starting from zero, the programme in our guide how to start running from scratch alternates running and walking for exactly this reason.

Nose or mouth: what really works

Nasal breathing filters, warms and humidifies the air, and is comfortable at low intensity. The limit is flow: the nose lets through less air than the mouth, so when the body asks for a lot (intervals, hills, a final sprint) the mouth becomes necessary. Mouth-only breathing, on the other hand, tends to produce short, frequent breaths, and in cold dry air it can irritate the throat.

In practice mixed breathing works well: breathe in through nose and mouth together, breathe out through the mouth. On easy days try staying more on the nose to settle into a calm rhythm; in fast work never force it: breathing with effort to follow a rule makes running worse. In very cold air a light buff on the neck helps, as we explain in running in cold weather: breathing, layers and warm-up.

Breathing rhythm: how many steps per breath

Many runners sync breathing with steps. The most used patterns are these:

1. Very easy running and warm-up: breathe in for 3 steps, out for 3 steps (3:3). 2. Medium pace, long runs or progressions: 2 steps in, 2 steps out (2:2). 3. Hard pace or hills: 2 steps in, 1 step out (2:1), or 1:1 over the last metres.

There is also the odd pattern (for example 3 steps in and 2 out), popularised by Budd Coates in the book Running on Air: it makes the exhale, the phase in which, according to Coates, the body copes less well with impact, land on alternating feet. The theory is that this spreads the load, but solid scientific evidence is thin. Try it if you are curious, without making it a rule: the body sets its own rhythm if you do not force it, and forcing it for months rarely brings benefits.

Diaphragm breathing: how to learn it

When you breathe from the top of the chest, your shoulders rise and breath stays short. Breathing with the diaphragm means that on each inhale the belly expands slightly and the ribcage widens sideways. It helps bring in more air with less effort.

A three-minute exercise to do at home before taking it running: lie down with knees bent, one hand on the chest and one on the belly. Breathe in slowly through the nose for 4 seconds: the hand on the belly should rise, not the one on the chest. Breathe out through the mouth for 6 seconds. Repeat 10 breaths. Then try sitting, then brisk walking and finally the first minutes of an easy run. Do not expect to keep it for the whole run: the body will switch to quicker breathing by itself when needed.

Why you are out of breath: causes and fixes

The most common causes, in order of frequency: starting too fast; a thin aerobic base; rushing the warm-up; tension in shoulders and neck; heat and humidity; eating too close to the run.

Practical fixes: 1. Start slower than seems necessary, the first 5 minutes are almost always too quick. 2. Use the talk test: if you cannot talk, slow down or walk for 30-60 seconds. 3. Build volume with easy short runs for a few weeks; to understand intensity zones, read heart rate zones: how to calculate and use them. 4. Relax jaw and shoulders: a closed posture limits chest expansion. 5. Sleep and recover: sudden breathlessness after days of fatigue or after an illness can just be accumulated tiredness.

If breathlessness stays even at a slow pace and you feel heaviness or wheezing, see the section below on when to consult a professional.

Side stitch: what to do when it hurts

The sharp pain under the ribs, commonly called a stitch, hits beginners and people who run after eating. The causes are not fully understood: the most cited ideas involve irritation of the abdominal lining and diaphragm movement, and studies of runners suggest that eating or drinking close to the run and a very rigid posture raise the chance. There is no guaranteed fix.

What often helps: slow down or walk; breathe out slowly and fully through pursed lips; press on the sore spot while breathing deeply; straighten the back and relax the shoulders. To prevent it, leave two or three hours after a big meal and do not drink large amounts right before starting. If the pain is sudden, intense in the chest or spreads to the shoulder or arm, stop and call a doctor.

Training to breathe better: three simple habits

1. Lots of easy runs: the ability to breathe calmly is built with 3-4 outings a week at conversational pace. For guidance on volume, the guide how many miles a week should I run does the sums for each goal. 2. A little variety: once a week, some strides or a short hill, as in running intervals and types of training, teaches the body to breathe hard and settle down again. 3. Measure your pace: use the running pace calculator to see how slow you go on easy days. Someone who always runs at a medium-hard effort never trains calm breathing.

If you run in town, pick quiet routes or parks where the air is better: in the running section you will find routes near you.

When to see a professional

Talk to your doctor if breathlessness is out of proportion to the effort, if you hear wheezing or cough during or after running (especially in cold air, which can trigger exercise-induced bronchospasm), if chest pain or tightness, dizziness or an irregular heartbeat appear, or if breathlessness worsens for no reason. This guide does not replace a check-up. For people starting to run after 40 or with known conditions, a sports medical check is always a good idea.