The Five Step Breathing Patterns used in Breath Runner training programs roughly equate to a “Zone 3” (Zones to be discuss in subsequent journal posts) or 10K pace (if known) for training runs. A few notes about Five Step patterns:

• Effort is significantly higher than Seven Step. Focus on “getting comfortable being uncomfortable.” The good form honed during the Nine and Seven Step patterns are coming into focus at this effort level. Hold that form while working to hold pace.

• Five Step patterns can still be a “governor” on effort (keeping effort level under control), but the longer the time spent in this pattern, the more the pattern will morph into being a source of support for sustaining the effort.

• Just breathe! The demand for oxygen (or, more accurately, for removing carbon dioxide) is such that nasal breathing is becoming impractical for most. Never artificially restrict breathing when under stress!

• Pay attention to arm carriage. At these elevated effort levels, the upper body becomes an important part of run form. Try to keep elbows behind the armpits, and don’t cross hands over the midline (sternum). Keep arms bent 90 degrees or less at the elbow (hands should be relatively close to the armpits).

Again, a key concept of the Breath Runner training program is to use breathing patterns to control efforts, which allows the body to habituate to the demands of running. Rather than trying to impose an arbitrary “hard” value (be it pace, heart rate, etc.) and expecting the body to respond to that — no matter what — we have found that by using a breathing pattern appropriate to the intended training effect, it will give the body the opportunity to better adapt to ever increasing volumes and/or intensities needed for goal races. Herein is a core concept that we can’t stress enough: Breath Runner is NOT about improving your breathing (although that may well be a beneficial side-effect). It is about targeting the efforts of your training, using the most instantly available and objective metric — your breathing — as a guide, instead of focusing on things like numerical metrics, vaguely defined goals or other such things which can lead to unproductive efforts. The Breath Runner training program is designs as to provide a template to build health and stamina in a way that puts the body’s needs first, and allows performance to develop in an organic and sustainable manner.

Next up: Three-Step Breathing Patterns