Why We Get Out of Breath

and How Recovery Breathing Works,

Hello, this is Young-in teacher! :)

In PE class, even after a short run, students’ faces turn red and they shout, “Teacher, I’m out of breath!” At this moment, feeling out of breath doesn’t mean the body is suffering. It’s a very natural and healthy physiological response to quickly deliver oxygen to the muscles and remove waste products (carbon dioxide).

Today, let’s break down in simple terms why our breathing gets faster during exercise, and how it recovers when we rest.

1️⃣ Why does our breathing get faster? (Increase in Ventilation)

When we start exercising, our muscles need much more ATP (energy) than usual. To produce this energy, oxygen is an essential ingredient.

Here’s what happens:

The muscles start using up a lot of oxygen.

The oxygen level in the blood drops, and carbon dioxide increases.

The brain (respiratory center) senses this state and sends a command: �
“Alert! We’re low on oxygen! Breathe faster and deeper!”

So, without us even trying, our breathing becomes faster, and the amount of air we inhale and exhale increases. In technical terms, this is called an increase in ventilation.

2️⃣ “Out of breath” vs “Dangerous breath”

At the beginning of exercise, feeling out of breath is part of the body adapting to exercise mode. It’s a healthy reaction. However, teachers need to distinguish this from “dangerous breath.”

⚠️ When a child complains of chest pain or dizziness
⚠️ When their face looks extremely pale, or breathing does not settle even after rest

In these cases, you should immediately lower the intensity and give enough rest.
In elementary PE, the most appropriate intensity is:

“I’m a little out of breath, but I can still have a short conversation with my friend.”

3️⃣ Recovery breathing: Why are we still out of breath even after stopping? (Oxygen Debt)

When we stop running, our legs stop moving, but we’re still panting. Why?

Because our body has to pay back the oxygen it couldn’t fully supply during exercise.
We call this “oxygen debt” or “Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC)”.

During this time, your body is:

Cleaning up: removing fatigue substances like lactate,

Stabilizing: bringing body temperature and heart rate back down to normal.

Through this recovery phase, our body returns to a comfortable state.
The better this recovery ability, the better our overall fitness.

4️⃣ Easy ways to explain this in elementary PE (Simple analogies)

Instead of using difficult terms, you can explain it like this:

�‍♂️ During exercise:
“Your breathing is fast right now because your leg muscles are telling your brain,
‘Send more oxygen! We’re hungry!’ It means your body is working really well!”

�‍♀️ After exercise:
“Is your breathing still fast even though the exercise is over?
That’s because your body is saying, ‘Let’s clean up and tidy things up now~’ and doing the after-work. Let’s wait a bit and breathe slowly together.”

� Classroom Application – Young-in Teacher’s TIP! (Use it right away in your lesson)

✅ Tip ① Use the “Talk Test” to control intensity

Explain exercise intensity to students like this:

(Light): “I can still sing a song.” (walking)

(Moderate): “I can talk to my friend, but singing is hard.” (light jogging)

(Vigorous): “It’s hard to talk, only ‘huff, huff’ sounds come out.” (all-out sprint)

� If you say, “Today we’re going to run at the ‘moderate’ level!”, students can adjust their speed by themselves.

✅ Tip ② Have a “1-minute breath check” after activity

After intense activity, don’t make them sit down right away.
Have them stand still for 1 minute with their eyes closed:

“Feel how fast your chest is moving.
How is your heart beating?”

� This turns breathing and recovery into a body-based experience, not just head knowledge — a great mini physiology lesson.

� In Closing

“Being out of breath” is not something terrible; it’s a healthy sign that your body’s engine is working powerfully.

When children are panting, instead of only saying, “You must be tired,” try saying:

“Wow! It looks like your heart and lungs are getting really strong!”

That one positive sentence can be the reason they start running again.