Breathing

[ShotokanKid]

I recently started lifting on a regular basis with heavier weights. I recently saw a video on lifting and it said to breath a certain way (for example in when going up and out while going down or whatever). I looked up breathing in my books, didn't find anything. Looked up online and saw that holding your breath could be better. How should one breath when lifting, or who should I ask to find a good answer?

Thanks!

[bushido_man96]

Here is how I do it: breath in on the decline phase, and then exhale forcefully on the lift phase.

[Menjo]

I read once in some article that weight lifting without proper breathing in the long run can lead to eye problems, due to how blood flows. I don't know how valid the statement is though.

[KNOCKuOUT]

I agree with bushido man. Breath in on the decline, and out on the incline.

[Martial_Artist]

Your body needs oxygen. Unfortunately, we don't absorb oxygen through our skin. The only way we get it is through breathing. Breathing oxygenates the blood which, in turn, transports the oxygen to your muscles and brain (among other body organs).

Breathing in on a relaxive motion and breathing out on a forceful one is recommended. Holding your breath is definitely not recommended.

Think of it as a strike when you exert for force you breathe out. When you push the bar up from your chest you should be breathing out.

MA

[ShotokanKid]

That's what I've been doing but one website says holding your breath (obviously not the whole time) holds the chest in a certain position that helps with muscle development. I have been exhaling when pushing the bar up, inhaling as it comes down.

However, on exercises such as the deltoid raise, how do you breathe on those... or does it not matter as long as you're breathing the whole time?

Thanks again!

[bushido_man96]

Breath out on the lifting motion on nearly all lifts.

[Hawkmoon]

A really old thread, but a really great thread one that is very important to us all......

...especially for me just now as I'm struggling to get it right at the moment!

In the past breathing has always been done form the stomach(core) with the muscle held firm, breathing as deep as possible without giving away the fact that I am breathing.

(If that makes sense?)

Now I feel I maybe overdoing the 'not showing I am breathing' piece at the moment, but the other night after a few rounds I was clearly exhausted, nothing left flat out on my feet!

Yet in previous sessions I 'worked' way past 'that' point before I started to flag!

Now the advise (sound and correct ) was to work on breathing deeply, not to worry about the outward appearance just now, just get the breathing right and not get fatigued.

Sensei even demonstrated to me that I was breathing from my chest(rib cage) and not my core as I had thought and that I was actually breathing very shallow, practically 'panting'!

In the past (all them years ago) the only time I became fatigued was in competition as I hit the semi-finals. Eventually to overcome this I started to run and when allowed to train with my gum shield in, so forcing me to 'breath deeper'.

This same advice was offered to me the other night, run with a gum shield in to get used to the restricted oxygen forcing me to breath deeper than I normally would.

The suggestion brought back memories as if hit by a steam train.

Anyone have any suggestions/ideas?

[yamesu]

I always try to inhale on the gravity force phase of the lift, and exhale on the working part of th lift.

Holding your breath can be extremely dangerous, and can lead to passing out...

[bushido_man96]

I have to rescind my previous statements on breathing, and provide different data due to my more recent lifting experiences.

I was doing a 3x5 or 5x5 lifting plan, and it the method of breathing taught by some of the biggest out there is the use of the Valsalva maneuver. Basically, hold breath during the lift (both down and up), then take a short breath between reps if needed, and hold during the lift.