How breathwork can support your running (and improve VO2max)

Breathing is one of the most overlooked tools in running, says TCS Sydney Marathon Head Coach Ben Lucas. Here’s how simple breathwork techniques can improve your endurance and control.

Most runners think about their legs – mileage, pace, intervals, long runs. But breathing plays a huge role in how well you run.

It can also improve your VO₂ max – which is essentially how much oxygen your body can take in, move around and use when you’re working at your hardest.  

How breathwork affects running

Every step you take is powered by oxygen. Your muscles rely on it to produce energy, and the better your body can deliver and use that oxygen, the more efficient your running becomes.

When breathing is rushed or shallow, the body works harder than it needs to. Heart rate climbs faster, tension builds, and fatigue creeps in earlier. 

When breathing is controlled and rhythmic, everything settles. Your effort feels smoother. Your body becomes more efficient.

The best breathwork technique for runners

Something I often encourage runners to experiment with during easy runs is nasal breathing.

Breathing through your nose naturally slows things down and helps keep you in the aerobic zone, exactly where most marathon training should sit – in that aerobic zone.

For most runners, around 70–80% of their weekly running should be done at this easier aerobic intensity. It also has some interesting physiological benefits. Research shows nasal breathing can improve your tolerance to carbon dioxide (which helps regulate breathing) and encourage better oxygen exchange in the lungs.

In simple terms, your body gets better at using the oxygen it already has.

How to train your muscles for breathwork

Most people don’t realise how important the diaphragm is for runners. It’s a key breathing muscle, and like any muscle, it can be trained.

Studies have shown that improving respiratory muscle strength can reduce the feeling of breathlessness and support endurance performance.

Breathwork exercises before running

A couple of minutes of breathwork before a run can settle the nervous system and bring your focus back. A simple pattern to follow is:

·       Four seconds in through the nose.

·       Six seconds out through the mouth.

That longer exhale helps activate the body’s recovery response and bring the heart rate down before you even start running. It’s simple, but powerful.

Why breathwork for runners is so powerful

Over time, better breathing rhythm improves efficiency, supports aerobic development and helps you stay calmer during harder efforts. Breathwork can be used during warm-ups, easy runs or even in the final kilometres of a race to regain that sweet feeling of control.

Running isn’t just legs and lungs. It’s rhythm. And breathing is the metronome that keeps everything moving smoothly.

Want more expert training advice? Find the best running content here.