How Do You Breathe When Running Uphill?

I know the feeling all too well. When I run uphill I land up gasping for breath before very long. It used to be worse than it is now, but steep hills still tend to knock the breath out of my lungs.

To be able to breathe while running uphill, use a 2:1 or 3 count breathing pattern with 2 counts for the in-breath and one count for the out-breath. This will help you absorb more oxygen from each breath and lower your heart rate – the 2 key factors that cause you to be out of breath when running uphill.

Now that you know the basics of how to breathe when running uphill, let’s look more closely at each of the factors that will make uphill running a bit less difficult.

How Do You Breathe When Running Uphill?

When you run uphill, you are exerting more effort and you are working harder to run. This results in your body needing more oxygen so that you could compensate for the extra effort and harder work.

Since your body needs more oxygen to do such, your brain will signal your respiratory system to breathe deeper and faster. So, how do you breathe when you are running uphill?

You will have to do the 2:1 or 3-count rhythmic breathing pattern. When you do this technique, you will find it much easier and manageable to run uphill for longer periods of time.

Effective Breathing Pattern For Running Uphill

When you run uphill, you are prone to experiencing breathlessness. Why? It is because your body exerts more energy and therefore necessitates more oxygen in order for you to run.

An effective breathing pattern that you can do when running uphill is the 2:1 or 3-count rhythmic breathing pattern. You can do this by inhaling for two steps and exhaling for one step and repeating this process the entire time you are running uphill.

There are great advantages to using this breathing pattern. First, it will reduce your breathlessness and help you run uphill for longer. Second, it can reduce your risks for injuries because it will help you run more easily and comfortably uphill.

Techniques In Lowering Heart Rate

Before doing any technique to lower your heart rate when you run uphill, you should first determine your heart rate zones. You can calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Then, the target heart rate for running uphill should be around 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.

A lower heart rate when running uphill is advantageous because it lessens the stress on the heart muscle and makes it easier for you to run longer. Here are various techniques that you can do to lower your heart rate:

• Deep breathing – When you do the deep breathing technique, you are breathing through your belly or diaphragm. This will reduce your heart rate and blood pressure.
• Intensity reduction – You can reduce your intensity while running uphill when you slow your pace a bit and/or take short walking breaks.
• Avoiding stimulants – Stimulants like nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine can dehydrate your body and stress your heart, making your heart rate increase.
• Aerobic exercising – Sustained light activities can help you lower your heart rate because it strengthens your heart muscle enough not to beat quickly when you are running uphill. Such activities include cycling, swimming, walking, and jogging.

Training To Reduce Breathlessness

Here is how you can train your body to reduce breathlessness when you run uphill:

• Walk breaks – Taking quick walk breaks at intervals when you run uphill will train your body to reduce breathlessness by giving you the chance to catch your breath and breathe more effectively.
• Warm-up – Before running uphill, make sure to warm up your body by walking or jogging lightly for 20 minutes before the actual uphill run.
• Deep breathing – You can practice deep breathing even when you are not running by breathing through your belly or diaphragm. This will help you in being able to breathe deeply and properly when you run uphill.

Training To Lower Heart Rate

Here is how you can train your body to lower heart rate when you run uphill:

• Steady pace – When you are training for running uphill, you can do this by running with a lower and steady pace for many miles. You will find that this will help you in lowering your heart rate when you run uphill.
• Heart rate zones – Know your goals so that you can train your heart rate in different zones. For example, if you are running for five kilometers, you should train in Zone 3 which is 70% to 80% of your maximum heart rate.

• Monitoring heart rate – In order to help you lower your heart rate, you should wear a heart rate monitor. This will allow you to see your heart rate in real-time so you can easily adjust your pace and effort.