Maraika Rose had been running for eight months before discovering a way to make the activity less exhausting. “Let me teach you. This is an army technique, so everything starts on your left foot,” the Polynesian runner began. “You know how in the army they do ‘left, left, left, right, left,’ well, it’s a way of controlling their breathing. “Every step, you’re doing something with your breathing. Essentially, what you’re doing is one deep breath in and then two half breaths out.”
Share iconMaraika Rose revealed her “army breathing technique” to make running easier in a viral video with over 3 million views
Image credits: maraika.rose The content creator demonstrated her technique by controlling her breathing in sequences of three—in, out, out—while running on the streets of Melbourne. “Controlling your breathing is the easiest way to keep your heart rate down. Try it,” Maraika concluded. “No one teaches you how you’re meant to breathe when you run and it took me sooooo long to find this technique and it’s made running A LOT easier!!!” she wrote in the video’s caption.
The runner controls her breathing in sequences of three—one deep breath in and then two half breaths out
Share icon Image credits: maraika.rose In the comments, people responded to Maraika’s fitness hack, sharing their personal experiences with this type of physical activity. “I feel like I’m not getting enough air in when I breathe like that,” one user wrote. “Breathing isn’t an issue for me; it’s getting up to run,” another joked. “I used to run 7-8km [4-5 miles] a day but started with 700m on day one lol. My mate who ran with me taught me this on day two, and this breathing technique is gold,” a third shared. “I’m gonna try this cause I sound like I’m gasping for air,” somebody else added. “When I was super fit I used this method, went from not being able to run to running 20km [12.4 miles] no problem,” said a separate user.
Watch Maraika’s method below
Creating a rhythm between breathing and the way in which you run, or establishing your gait, is a successful technique for runners, the American Lung Association notes. For more guidance on healthy breathing techniques during a jog, Bored Panda consulted Dr. Albert Rizzo, Chief Medical Officer for the American Lung Association. “There are several theories on how to best breathe while running. One is called belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, which is the most immediate way to get more oxygen into the body,” Dr. Rizzo explained via email. “Another way is rhythmic breathing. To practice rhythmic breathing, use belly breathing and a 5-step pattern: Three steps as you inhale and two steps as you exhale (i.e. as you step: inhale left, right, left; exhale right, left, right; inhale left, right, left; exhale right, left, right). “This will naturally shift your breathing so it’s not impacting the same foot on the inhale repeatedly, reducing the pressure on the diaphragm and body during your run.” As you run faster, you can shift to a 3-step pattern: two steps as you inhale and one step as you exhale.
Maraika had been running for eight months before discovering a technique that makes her workouts less exhausting and helps her avoid losing her breath
Share icon Image credits: maraika.rose Share icon Image credits: maraika.rose For optimal cardiovascular health, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week (or a combination of the two). Instead of aiming for an intense run on a steep incline, it’s best to begin with a casual, comfortable jog and set realistic goals. Take as many breaks as you need and control your breathing before increasing your pace.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week
Share icon Image credits: Pixabay Share icon Image credits: Tirachard Kumtanom Regular aerobic exercise like jogging can help you lose weight, strengthen your body’s response to illness (both in the short and long term), protect the brain from decline related to aging and stress, improve mental health by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and maintain spinal flexibility as you age. Additionally, running is beneficial to lung health. “When you are physically active, your heart and lungs work harder to supply the additional oxygen your muscles demand. Just like regular exercise makes your muscles stronger, it also makes your lungs and heart stronger,” Dr. Rizzo said. “As your physical fitness improves, your body becomes more efficient at getting oxygen into the bloodstream and transporting it to the working muscles. That’s one of the reasons that you are less likely to become short of breath during exercise over time.” Before beginning any exercise routine such as running, it is important to speak with your healthcare provider. This particularly applies to individuals who may have a chronic condition such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“Learning such a technique must be a game-changer for runners,” a Facebook user wrote
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