Correct breathing allows you to develop more effort and train more efficiently. Today I will tell you how to breathe when doing strength exercises.
Remember the basic rule - in strength exercises, an exhalation is made.
That is, exhalation occurs at the moment when you overcome the maximum load. The inhalation is done during the phase with the least effort.
This is logical, because during exhalation, you can tighten your muscles much better.
Physiological studies show that breathing reflexively affects muscle tension, maximum strength is best manifested on exhalation or holding the breath.
In addition, on exhalation, the press strains and stabilizes the entire body, plus the muscles of the chest are grouped and create a strong corset - in this state it is more convenient to develop effort.
Conversely, during inhalation, the chest stretches and inflates, the abdominal muscles stretch and relax, so this is not suitable for powerful tension of large muscle groups. It's hard to tense with a relaxed belly.
Some people are accustomed to breathing incorrectly, so it seems to them that it is better to inhale with effort, but this is simply a wrong habit.
Start breathing correctly, exhale with effort and your body will quickly adjust to the correct mode. Soon you will feel that it is more organic and that more effort can be developed as you exhale.
LET'S ANSWER A FEW EXAMPLES OF CORRECT BREATHING
How to breathe correctly when doing push-ups from the floor
When you unbend your arms with effort and push up from the floor - exhale
When you go down and bend your arms, take a breath
How to breathe correctly when doing pull-ups on the bar
When bending your arms, as you go up to the bar, exhale
When you go down and straighten your arms - inhale
How to breathe correctly when doing ab exercises
Everything should be obvious here, the abdominals are the expiratory muscles!
Naturally, with the tension of the press, you need to exhale.
Raise your torso - exhale, raise your legs or knees - exhale
Lower your torso or legs (when the abdominal muscles are stretched) - inhale
How to Breathe Correctly During the Bench Press
When you squeeze the bar up - exhale
When lowering the bar to the chest - inhale
The same is true for the press while standing, sitting, or on an incline bench - you exhale when you squeeze the barbell (or dumbbells) away from you.
In "pressing" exercises, the maximum effort is developed when straightening the arms, when you squeeze the weight "away from you."
How to breathe when doing biceps exercises
Let's say you're doing a standing barbell curl, or a dumbbell curl.
The principle is always the same when you forcefully contract the working muscles - exhale.
Bend your arms, contract your biceps - exhale
Straighten your arms, lower the load down - inhale
How to breathe while squatting
Go down - inhale, go up - exhale.
I use a different breathing technique when doing heavy squats.
When there is a lot of weight on the shoulders, the barbell compresses the entire body significantly even when lowering.
Therefore, I inhale in a standing position, and then gradually exhale both on the downward movement and during the ascent,
because the tension is always great. The principle of "exhalation for effort" is not violated.
With light weights, I breathe more dynamically - inhale down, exhale up.
How to breathe correctly while doing overhead pulls or pulls to the abdomen on exercise machines
It is believed that in exercises such as pulling from the top on the simulator, pull-ups, pulling to the stomach (pulling the lower block), you need to inhale for effort. They say that in these exercises it is important to bend your back, which means that you are stretching and opening the chest and therefore you need to inhale.
In fact, this is another misconception of the modern fitness industry.
In these exercises, it is really very important to bend your back - this is true, but this does not interfere with exhalation with an effort.
During pulls from above, pull-ups and pulls to the stomach, you need to exhale for an effort!
1. The chest, in addition to the front surface, also has lateral and posterior surfaces.
During deadlifts or pull-ups, many of the chest muscles tense significantly and compress the chest, which means you need to exhale.
2. Exhalation reflexively helps the muscles to tighten better and develop more effort, which means it is more physiological.
3. On exhalation, the abdominal muscles tone and strengthen the whole body, and with a relaxed stomach it is difficult to perform many exercises.
To get the right answers, it is better to turn to science, or study classic, Olympic sports, for the development of which whole scientific institutions are working. When I was studying at the sports academy, different groups often gathered at lectures, of course, we liked more when a group of rhythmic gymnastics sat with us (these are about twenty slender beauties) Some lectures were held with us together with rowers, these are hefty guys, masters of sports with powerful backs ... In rowing, in order to develop high speed, they have to work very powerfully with the oars and they develop tremendous strength. The stroke movement is very similar to doing the abdominal pull on a machine. During the stroke, when they powerfully pull the oars towards themselves, they exhale with effort.
In all sports, we can see examples of expiration (or holding the breath) for a powerful effort.
In order to understand how to breathe correctly when squatting, you need to learn how to perform the exercise itself, understand where to put your legs, how to hold your back and what to do with the barbell on your shoulders.
Exercise Description
On the shoulders is one of the basic exercises. It involves several muscle groups, the knee and hip joints. The spine is also heavily loaded. It is important to take this into account for those people who have contraindications, as well as recommendations from doctors. When performing the exercise, the muscles of the legs, buttocks, back and abdomen are involved in the work. during squats, you can understand by starting to perform the exercise itself.
Starting position
Spread your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. The feet should be parallel to each other, the toes of the feet are slightly apart (about 15-20 degrees). This position is as comfortable as possible for the ankle joints and is anatomically correct.
If the exercise is performed with a barbell on the shoulders, then the apparatus should be located on the upper back (on Other options for squats (with a dumbbell or other equipment, without additional weights) can be performed with different options for the position of the arms: on the belt, stretched out in front of you, at the head and so on. The back is straight, the press is in tension.
Execution technique
Standing in the starting position, begin downward movement - while inhaling, while lifting - exhale. How to breathe correctly when squatting, technique, the role of breathing in the exercise - all these affect the effectiveness of the entire workout.
The squat is performed to a 90-degree position between the thigh and lower leg. This technique is used in a fitness format. Weightlifters, bodybuilders use a technique in which this 90 degree angle must be passed. That is, the squat is performed below. Any option can be used. It is believed that exercises are most effective when the athlete squats below parallel (thigh parallel to the floor). When the required position is reached, the upward movement begins. At the same time, the question of how to breathe correctly when squatting should no longer arise.
Throughout the movement, the chest is open, the shoulders are straightened, the back is straight, the gaze is directed forward or upward.
If the squat is performed with a barbell, then before starting it, you need to go to the bar, determine its middle, choose the optimal position for your hands, fix them on the bar. After that, you should put both legs strictly under the barbell (without a step), fix the projectile on the upper back (namely, only after that you can remove the barbell from the racks, take a few steps back, straighten up and start performing the exercise.
Special instructions for the execution technique
It is very important to understand that squatting is a technically difficult exercise that requires maximum concentration and attention from a person. It is important to watch your knees when going down. They should remain in place, point forward, and do not allow movement of the toe of the foot. From the outside, it looks like a person is sitting on an imaginary chair. It is necessary to keep your back straight and firmly hold the barbell with your hands on your back.
When returning to the starting position, the legs should be straightened, but the knee joint should be slightly bent. You do not need to straighten your legs completely (do not block the joint). Throughout the exercise, the feet should be firmly pressed to the floor, and the heels should not be lifted off the floor.
Squatting Exercises
In order to learn how to squat as efficiently as possible (with the correct technique), the exercise can be started with or with small discs, which are recommended to be placed under the toes of the feet.
There is also an option to start doing the exercise against a wall. To do this, you need to stand close to her, fix your hands at the head, elbows to the sides (you can use your hands on the belt). We begin to perform squats, standing right next to the wall. Thanks to this position, the knees will not go forward, and it will be impossible to lift the heels off the floor. This version of the lead exercise for the main squat trains the sense of balance well, preserves the knee joints.
Another way is wall squats with a big ball (fitball). At a distance of a step from the wall, we fix the ball with the lower back. When moving down, it rolls along the spine to the thoracic region, and when moving up, it returns to its original position. In this case, it is important to monitor the knees (whether they go beyond the toe of the foot).
Having learned how to perform at least one of the above options for the approach exercises, you can try to do a squat with weights (with a barbell or dumbbells).
Training efficiency
Squats are very effective exercises for building muscle mass, increasing leg strength, reducing body fat, and developing endurance. The development of these qualities is easy to achieve due to the versatility of the exercise. You can use different weights, the number of repetitions, as well as the speed of execution. A correctly selected technique will help to achieve the desired result as soon as possible.
Working muscles
- Biceps femoris.
- Semitendinous.
- Semi-membranous.
- Four-headed.
- Buttock.
- Extension of the spine.
- Abdominal muscles.
How to breathe properly while squatting
Squats can be done with a barbell, with dumbbells, without equipment. All variations are performed with the same technique and breathing. On inhalation it is necessary to go down, on exhalation - to return to the starting position. There is a difference only if the athlete squats with large weights. You can consider each option in more detail.
How to breathe correctly with aerobic squat? In this mode, exercises are performed up to parallel with the floor, in the group program hall, to music. Each repetition is accompanied by the instructor's command. Usually, light equipment is used in group training: body-bar, dumbbells, fitball, medicine balls or no additional weights. Descent is accompanied by inhalation, lifting is accompanied by exhalation. Since the speed of the exercise in such a workout can vary, the breathing also changes. For example, if you squat down 1 count and one up, then inhalation and exhalation will coincide with the count. And if you do 4 down and four up, the breathing will change. For each count, you must inhale or exhale.
Breathing During Barbell Squats
Experienced athletes, when working with large weights, know how to breathe correctly when squatting with a barbell. Performing one repetition with a maximum weight in the hall or at a competition, the athlete, before lowering down, takes a breath, holds his breath, and when lifting, when it is necessary to do the impossible, lift an unbearable weight, exhales, often accompanying him with a loud exclamation.
Regular gym goers have probably witnessed such workouts. This type of breathing is not encouraged and is only allowed by experienced athletes.
Breathing while doing other exercises
How to breathe properly in a squat or other exercise? It is enough to remember one rule: exhalation is performed on effort, and inhalation is on maximum relaxation. For example, how to breathe properly when squatting without a barbell? The simplest phase of the movement is going down, which means it is inhalation. The difficult phase of the movement is lifting, which means it is exhalation. Having remembered such a simple rule, you can apply it to all exercises and no longer wonder how to breathe correctly. When or in the simulator on the rise, there is always an exhalation. A very important point: inhalation is always carried out with the nose, and exhalation - with the mouth.
In this article, I will tell you how to breathe correctly when doing exercises (strength) 🙂
Breathing is an extremely important part of doing an exercise.
With correct breathing, the load on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body is significantly reduced, and the effectiveness of the training process also increases (due to the fact that correct breathing allows you to develop much more effort in exercises).
Holding your breath while doing strength exercises is not necessary, because:
- First, it can cause short-term loss of consciousness due to oxygen starvation of the brain.
- Secondly, due to breath holding, blood pressure can significantly increase, and this is fraught with consequences for many organs, for example, for the eyes, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and brain.
- Thirdly, improper breathing significantly reduces the effectiveness of training (due to the fact that it will not allow developing the greatest effort in a particular exercise).
Therefore, we breathe (and we do it right) in every repetition, every approach and exercise.
Remember: EXHALING is done on EFFORT (MOUTH)!
Those. inhalation (air intake; carried out by the nose) during the "light part of the movement (at the moment of the least muscle effort)", and exhalation \u003d at the most difficult part of the exercise (at the moment of the greatest muscle effort, at the moment when you overcome the maximum load).
For example, consider breathing in the following exercises:
Exercise Breathing - Incline Barbell Press
In this exercise, the maximum muscle effort occurs at the top point of movement (when we squeeze the barbell up from the chest), respectively, there we EXTEND (with our mouth), and when we lower the barbell down (to the bottom point of movement, towards our chest) \u003d we simultaneously gain air (NOSE). As a result, we lower (we take in air with our nose), squeeze out - we exhale with our mouth, and along the knurled one.
Breathing in exercise -
Here, the maximum muscular effort occurs at the top point of movement (when we squeeze the platform from the bottom point up, almost completely unbending the legs at the knees), respectively, there we EXTEND (with the mouth), and when we lower the platform down (to the bottom point of movement, towards ourselves, approximately to breasts) \u003d we simultaneously gain air (NOSOM).
As a result, we lower (we take in air with our nose), squeeze out - we exhale with our mouth, and along the knurled one.
Breathing in exercise - "LUNGS"
In this exercise, the maximum muscle effort occurs at the upper point of movement (when the athlete (s) rises up from the lower point, almost completely unbending the leg at the knee joint), respectively, EXHALATION is done there, and when we go down (to the lower point of movement) \u003d we do INHALATION (intake of air by the nose), because this point is the moment of least muscle effort).
As a result, we go down (we take in air with our nose), we go up - we exhale with our mouth, and along the knurled one.
Breathing in exercise -
Here, the maximum muscular effort occurs at the top point of movement (when the extension has occurred), respectively, there is EXHAUST, and when we lower our legs with a roller down (to the lower point of movement) \u003d we INS (air intake with the nose), because this point is the moment of least muscle effort). As a result, we go down (we take in air with our nose), we go up - we exhale with our mouth, and along the knurled one.
Exercise Breathing - "Close Grip Barbell Press"
Here, the maximum muscular effort occurs at the top point of movement (when the arms are straightened at the elbows), respectively, there we EXTEND, and when we lower the bar down (to the lower point of movement) \u003d we INSIDE (air intake with our nose), because this point is the moment of least muscle effort). As a result, we go down (we take in air with our nose), we go up - we exhale with our mouth, and along the knurled one.
Well, the essence, I think, is clear. EXHALATION - done on EFFORT! And you need to breathe constantly! In every rep, every approach and exercise. And then, everything will be bad.
At the initial stage, I would recommend, in addition to learning the technique of performing all the necessary exercises for muscle growth and the development of a mental connection between the brain and the muscle, and also carefully concentrate your attention on breathing when performing strength exercises (well, this, in principle, refers to technique).
If at the very beginning you put perfectly correct breathing in this or that exercise \u003d you will not have to retrain yourself in the future, and you can avoid all sorts of problems.
Therefore, my advice to you: do not rush, learn the correct technique for performing all the necessary exercises for muscle growth (breathing is also here) and develop a mental connection, the brain of a muscle.
Best regards, administrator.
Usually we don’t think about how we breathe, we don’t track the depth and rhythm of breathing. However, this is of great importance during strength training. Correct breathing can increase the stabilization of the spine, normalize blood pressure and provide the muscles with sufficient oxygen.
So how do you breathe properly? To begin with, we will analyze the breathing method itself, and later we will talk about continuity and delays.
Diaphragmatic breathing
One of the mistakes that gets in the way of exercising and getting great results is fast shallow breathing.
To check if you are breathing correctly, do a little test. Stand up straight, place one palm on your chest and the other on your stomach, and calmly take a few breaths in and out. Under which palm is movement felt? If the abdomen rises, you breathe deeply, using all the lungs, if the chest, breathing is shallow. Deep breathing is also called.
The diaphragm is a muscle that separates the chest and abdomen and serves to expand the lungs. It accounts for 60 to 80% of the work on lung ventilation.
In childhood, everyone breathes deeply. Due to sedentary work, stress, uncomfortable clothes, breathing changes with age, becomes shallow. During this breathing, only the upper part of the lungs is filled with air. As less air flows in, breathing becomes more rapid, and pressure increases on the neck and shoulders, which are already loaded with people with sedentary work.
The diaphragm, on the contrary, becomes weaker, due to which sufficient intra-abdominal pressure is not created, a bad one is formed - the center of the abdomen falls inward, bringing the lower ribs and pelvis closer together.
In addition, during rapid shallow breathing, you force your body to work harder to get the same amount of oxygen as when breathing calmly and deeply. This reduces the efficiency of your movements - you expend more energy, although this is not required.
Therefore, it is worth working on breathing, at least during the exercise. Try to breathe deeply and evenly. When inhaling, the stomach should inflate. Yes, you will have to concentrate more on your body, but for the sake of good posture, relieving tension from the muscles of the neck and shoulders and more economical movement, it is worth doing this.
To tune in to strength training with proper breathing, pay attention to how you breathe as you warm up. Try to do all exercises with rhythmic deep breathing. This will help you learn to breathe correctly faster.
Exhale for effort, inhale for relaxation
This is the most popular breathing advice you can hear in and out of the gym: inhale as you do the light part of the exercise, exhale with effort.
Strong and safe movement is possible only with a rigid spine, which transmits force from large muscle groups. The spine is strengthened with the help of tension in the muscles of the core - rectus and oblique abdominal muscles, pelvic floor muscles, back. During inhalation, it is impossible to well strain other muscles of the core, which means that it is difficult to provide the spine with the necessary rigidity.
On the other hand, when you exhale, it is quite easy to tighten your core muscles. Breathing affects them reflexively, through the nervous system. The muscles tense, fixing the spine and helping to develop maximum strength. That is why the effort must be performed on the exhale.
If you pay attention to your breathing during strenuous exercise, you may notice a brief pause in breathing at the moment of maximum effort. This is quite natural. Brief breath holding is used by experienced powerlifters and weightlifters to lift large weights. This breathing technique is called the Valsalva maneuver, but it should be used very carefully.
Is Valsalva's maneuver dangerous?
The Valsalva maneuver is a procedure that creates high pressure in the middle ear cavity, as well as in the chest and abdominal cavities. It is used in otolaryngology to test the patency of the Eustachian tubes and in cardiology to identify cardiac pathologies. This maneuver is also used in powerlifting and weightlifting and helps athletes lift a lot of weight.
The Valsalva maneuver used in power sports is as follows: a person takes a deep breath (about 75% of the maximum possible), and then, at the moment of maximum effort, holds his breath for a few seconds and tries to exhale air through the closed glottis. Breathing is delayed throughout the entire repetition, exhalation is performed after the end.
The Valsalva maneuver increases the pressure in the chest. It is transmitted through the diaphragm to the abdominal cavity, which creates good support for the back and helps to resist the forces that tend to move the spine. As a result, the athlete can lift more weight and the risk of injury is reduced.
Effects of the Valsalva maneuver on the body
However, the Valsalva maneuver is often criticized because it increases the pressure that is already high during strength training, which can lead to it.
Opinions differ on this issue. Dr. Jonathon Sullivan, professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Wayne University, believes that when using the Valsalva maneuver, heart attack should be feared only for those who have already had problems with the cardiovascular system.
In another study Effects of Weightlifting and Breathing Technique on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate. it was found that using this technique to raise a one-time high produces only minor changes in blood pressure. The Valsalva maneuver is only suitable for lifting really heavy weights with low reps.
Using the Valsalva maneuver for multiple repetitions with low weight can cause dangerous high blood pressure, rupture of blood vessels in the eyes and face, headaches, temporary visual impairment, fainting, or cerebrospinal fluid leakage.
The last problem was described in the article Don’t Hold Your Breath. Vishal Goyal and Malathi Srinivasan, MD, from the University of California Department of Medicine.
A 50-year-old patient complained of headaches in the projection of the nose, continuous cough, and persistent unilateral nasal discharge. As a result of tests, doctors discovered a leak of cerebrospinal fluid and damage to the nasal ethmoid bone. It turned out that the patient was doing chest press with a weight of 90-136 kilograms every day. At the same time, he held his breath during the bench press.
The doctors assumed that the patient's problems arose precisely because of the Valsalva maneuver. Exercise raised blood pressure, destroyed the pia mater, which caused meningocele and cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea.
The Valsalva maneuver does help lift heavy weights, but should not be used if:
- you are a beginner who does not have a set technique and a coach who can follow the correct execution of the Valsalva maneuver;
- you prefer exercises with low weight and high repetitions;
- you have had problems with the cardiovascular system;
- you have had problems with intracranial pressure.
Strengthening the body and continuous breathing
For medium loads, it is worth using continuous breathing without delays - exhaling for effort, inhaling for relaxation.
Start exhaling a little earlier, a moment before maximum effort. This way you can do more.
Breathing should be smooth and rhythmic. Don't stop at extreme points. Immediately after inhalation, exhalation follows without short delays.
To ensure the maximum rigidity of the case, try using the anchorage method. The term was first used by Dr. Stuart McGill, a specialist in lumbar spine injury and rehabilitation. Anchorage - Activation of all core muscles to create a rigid midsection, maintain whole core stability, and reduce the risk of injury.
Before lifting weights, imagine being punched in the stomach. Tighten your abdominal and back muscles. This will create a rigid corset that must be held in place throughout the exercise. At the same time, breathe continuously, exhaling at maximum effort and further strengthening the body.
There is another theory about breathing during time. Dr. Stuart McGill and Dr. Mel Stiff believe that the correct exercise technique will automatically force the body to breathe correctly without your control.
But this is only true for ideal technique. If you can't boast of one, work on your breathing as well as on your technique.
Outcomes
- Try to develop diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe this way as you warm up to get used to and tune in.
- Use the Valsalva maneuver for only a few reps with maximum weight.
- For exercises with a large number of repetitions, use continuous, smooth breathing with inhalation for the light part of the exercise and exhalation for maximum effort.
- Along with continuous breathing, use anchorage - tightening your core muscles to stabilize your core during exercise.
If you have any tips for breathing during strength training, write in the comments.
In this article, according to the words of an experienced trainer of FitSchool, Vyacheslav Andreevich Popov, we will talk about proper breathing. You will learn how to breathe correctly during exercise.
The essence of what was written about breathing in a book by one great trainer and bodybuilding producer Joe Weider: you need to breathe during exercise in the way that will be most convenient for you. If you constantly focus on breathing, then you will simply forget that you are doing the exercise. Better to concentrate on the exercise itself.
However, Vyacheslav Andreevich has great experience in sports - almost 50 years. And he shares his opinion on how to breathe correctly during exercise.
There are 2 types of exercises: pulling and pushing. Pulling is a biceps lift, pull-ups, abs, in general, all those exercises in which the main working muscles act in a "towards themselves" type. Pushing exercises are the opposite of pulling exercises. These are push-ups from the floor, a variety of presses, lifting weights up, that is, almost all exercises that are done by the type "from oneself".
So, according to our trainer, breathing should be different when performing one type of exercise or another. The essence of the opinion boils down to the fact that when performing pulling exercises, one must exhale for effort, and when performing pushing exercises for effort, inhale. Accordingly, with a reverse amplitude, inhale or exhale, depending on the type of exercise.
Let's explain everything with examples.
First example. Pushing exercises
Vyacheslav Andreevich performs push-ups from the floor. By pushing from the floor, he inhales. As he sinks to the floor, he inhales.
Example from the same series: bench press. When the bar is raised, exhalation is carried out, and when the bar is lowered, inhale.
Second example. Pulling exercises
Pulling up, you need to inhale. The exhalation is done while lowering down.
Lifting the bar for biceps. When we pull the bar up and towards ourselves, we inhale. The exhalation is done in the opposite direction.
Exceptions
Exercises such as barbell squats and various barbell rows are performed according to the technique of our trainer in a slightly different way than just pushing or pulling exercises. Let's consider them in more detail.
Squats
Classic squats with a barbell on the shoulders (performed by Alexei Sorokin - the initiator of the "!" Section). When the bar is on your shoulders, before squatting, you need to inhale three quarters, then perform the squat completely on a held breath, exhale immediately after completing one repetition. You can also exhale when lifting with the bar up.
Thrust
When performing any exercise from the "deadlift" group, you need to breathe in about the same way as when performing squats. When the starting position is taken, a breath is taken three quarters. On holding the breath, an amplitude of the effort is made. Straightening up with a barbell, you can already exhale. Also can be exhaled after completing one full repetition.
So, you learned about the breathing technique from Vyacheslav Andreevich Popov. Good luck from the FitSchool team!
The article was written based on the following video: