Best Breathing Exercises for Runners (Proven in 2 Weeks)

Breathing exercises for runners can transform your workouts and help you enjoy every mile. Are you struggling to control your breathing while running? You’re not alone, and the exciting thing is health professionals who specialize in breathing say that non-elite athletes can see real gains in as little as two weeks by doing these exercises just five minutes per day. Let’s dive into practical strategies to supercharge your lungs, build performance, and make running more enjoyable.

Why Breathing Exercises for Runners Matter

If your run leaves you gasping, it’s often not just about fitness—it’s about technique. Learning targeted breathing exercises for runners helps you use the full capacity of your lungs, delivering oxygen more efficiently to working muscles. Better breathing reduces the risk of side stitches and helps maintain a steady pace. Plus, when your lungs work smarter, your entire run feels smoother and more controlled.

Assessing Your Lung Function

Before you start any routine, assess your baseline with the BODY Oxygen Level Test (BOLT). Take a normal breath in and out, empty your lungs, pinch your nose, and hold. Start a clock and note how many seconds until your first “urge to breathe.” Remember, this measures carbon dioxide tolerance, not maximal breath-hold time.

Interpreting Your BOLT Score

A BOLT score above 40 seconds is excellent and typical of serious athletes. Recreational runners usually score 30–40 seconds, which is perfectly fine. Scores between 20–30 suggest room for improvement, especially if you feel excessive breathlessness. If you’re under 20 seconds, these breathing exercises for runners will be especially beneficial.

Common Causes of Breathlessness

Intensity: Running too fast pushes your lungs into overdrive. If you can’t control your breathing, dial back your pace until your breath rate stabilizes.
Shape of the lungs: The bottom of your lungs holds the most air sacs. Learning to fill your lower rib cage and abdomen—rather than upper chest—optimizes oxygen delivery.
Unfamiliar exercises: New activities, like swimming, can feel breath-stealing until your body adapts. Give yourself two weeks to learn the movement pattern and calm your breathing.

Improve Breathing Patterns

Belly breathing helps you access those lower lung lobes. Practice seated: inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your lower ribs and stomach, then exhale fully through pursed lips. Once comfortable, carry this pattern into your runs. You can also try inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth to further enhance airflow.

Respiratory Muscle Fatigue

Your diaphragm and intercostal muscles work like any other skeletal muscle—they get tired. After intense sessions, these muscles may weaken, causing shallow, inefficient breaths. Build their strength deliberately to delay fatigue. Over time, you’ll notice steadier breathing even on tempo runs.

Respiratory Muscle Training

Inspiratory muscle training boosts performance. Start with the “pump method”: passive exhale, then a quick, sharp inhale driven by your diaphragm. Repeat 10–15 times twice daily. When you’re ready, consider a handheld resistance device to further challenge your respiratory muscles.

To understand how your lungs work during exercise, the American Lung Association provides great insights into respiratory efficiency for athletes.

Have Your Say!

Ready to take your breathing and running to the next level? Share your BOLT score in the comments, tell us which exercise helped you most, and don’t forget to share this article with your running buddies!