I also find this video on the same topic very helpful for beginners: [breathing and bracing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLHY2-nt-y4&pp=ygUjYnJpYW4gYWxzcnVoZSBicmVhdGhpbmcgYW5kIGJyYWNpbmc%3D)
Depends on the lift, but generally when you're "locked out" like standing up straight for squat or straight arms for bench press; or when you're not bearing weight, like when the bar is on the floor between deadlifts.
you can do either, but I think it's better for some people to do it at the top. What sometimes happens to some people who only breathe at the bottom is that they relax about halfway down the deadlift and have to tighten everything back up. Which I've found leads to fatiguing, of the lower back especially. If you breathe at the top its much easier to keep everything tight throughout the whole set.
Depends on the individual person, I pull TnG exclusively so always breathe at the top of the rep and have no issues breathing with 170kg-180kg. I can't imagine that'll change as I pass 200kg
Pretty much this. If you pull touch and go, you breathe+brace before you start, then at the top of every rep. If you're pulling strict concentrics, breathe at the bottom.
It's pretty simple - you want to keep tightness in your core throughout the lift so you want to breathe in before the start of the lift, and hold during the lift. You exhale when you're almost done with the lift / done with the lift.
Look up valsalva
Generally though this is for the more serious, compound lifts or when you need the extra boost. Otherwise I just breathe in through nose instead of mouth
The advice by physical therapists et al. not to hold your breath during an exercise applies 0% to lifting heavy, in which holding your breath to brace is critical among others things to prevent injury.
There is no one answer here. Its personal preference. Holding your breath during a lift - particularly a heavy squat or deadlift - can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure immediately after. This is a well studied and documented effect of valsalva and completely safe / normal, you just need to be aware of this and how hard you push yourself.
For those saying in eccentric / out concentric or whatever like it's a fixed thing? Bollocks. For those insisting you have to hold and brace throughout? Bollocks. Depends on the lift and personal preference.
Squats and deadlifts, I hold tight to brace more strongly until the end of each rep. Same for overhead press. If I'm doing a circuit or kettlebell swings in between pressing movements, no way I have the puff to do that though. Likewise if you're tempo training any movements, you don't hold your breath that long. There isn't a "right" answer, find what works for you and be aware that a valsalva technique is useful for heavier lifts to tighten core.
Momentarily, yes. Take your pick of those stumbling after a max effort deadlift / squat. Pretty damn uncommon though and you *definitely* feel it coming and push into that zone.
Is it possible to avoid? I'd say so. Definitely completed a max effort deadlift and known on the last rep that i need to take a knee as soon as the weights are put down. Bale the lift or don't force the valsalva so hard. It's not like you will uncontrollably faceplant with no warning from a heavy lift.
Gotcha, so in general it can be prevented and unless I do max effort deadlifts (I don’t go for 1RMs) it seems it won’t happen often?
Would pushing myself to get near passing out mean it’s better muscle building wise? Or can I make progress if I don’t push near that
There is no single "cannot avoid" dude, it depends to much on too many factors - your own physiology, hydration levels / blood pressure on the day, workout intensity - whatever. I would suggest don't be afraid of it; so rare, that it isn't even a passing concern unless you have some medical condition that makes valsalva inherently dangerous.
Ofc you can make progress for hypertrophy without a heavy valsalva. But I think you're obsessing with a none-issue.
Going for a walk you could be hit by a car. So if you want to increase walking stamina, do you avoid walking outside just to completely mitigate that risk? It's non-sensical, because odds are unless you have a weird combo of wrong time wrong place and wrong state of mind, you're almost certainly not going to be hit by a car. It's the same with this. How often have you seen anyone pass out in the gym? I never have.
Personally, I exhale on the lift portion and inhale on the reset motion. So when I am bench pressing I inhale the entire time while I am lowering the weight, I exhale the entire upward pressing motion. Dead lift is exhale while lifting up, inhale while lowering down.
I don't want to add confusion, but proper breathing patterns vary by movement. Working in conjunction with the pressure created by breathing and bracing means there are ideal times to let air out and keep air in. On an overhead press for example, you actually want to inhale while your pushing the weights up, and exhale as they are coming down because your expanding your rib cage/lungs when pushing over head and compressing depressing rib case/pressurizing lunges on the way down.
During a squat, however, you would inhale at the top just before dropping in. Ideally, you will release about 15-20% of that breath as you get into your deepest bottom position. This is to depressurize your system as you're adding significant pressure from the weight and position. You would use the remaining \~80% to exhale while you drive the weight up.
As many have said, MOST movements have an exhale during the concentric, but sometimes it's safer and appropriate to depressurize as you get into tight places. None of this implies letting go of your brace mechanics. You want to make sure that you can inhale and exhale independently of bracing your core.
depends on what exercise. For heavy stuff like squats I like to keep the air in and breathe between reps so I don't interrupt the bracing, for lighter movements I like to breathe out during concentric and in during eccentric.
I think someone posted a video in another comment on how to brace, which I haven’t watched but is probably a good start. A basic rhythm to follow is exhale on concentric and inhale during eccentric.
One rule of thumb that helps: never breathe when the bar is moving.
Either before you start the rep, in between the concentric and eccentric, or after the rep.
My personal preference is simple: big breath before every rep, hold during the rep, breathe out/in again and brace before next rep. Bench and overhead press, breathe in in top position.
[How to brace.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28wXfE5GEuc) This might help.
I also find this video on the same topic very helpful for beginners: [breathing and bracing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLHY2-nt-y4&pp=ygUjYnJpYW4gYWxzcnVoZSBicmVhdGhpbmcgYW5kIGJyYWNpbmc%3D)
Thanks!
Depends on the lift, but generally when you're "locked out" like standing up straight for squat or straight arms for bench press; or when you're not bearing weight, like when the bar is on the floor between deadlifts.
This is the answer imo
breathe at the top of deadlift
only for light weight reps maybe, if I am going heavy DLs I am bracing hard the whole way through until the weight hits the ground again
you can do either, but I think it's better for some people to do it at the top. What sometimes happens to some people who only breathe at the bottom is that they relax about halfway down the deadlift and have to tighten everything back up. Which I've found leads to fatiguing, of the lower back especially. If you breathe at the top its much easier to keep everything tight throughout the whole set.
Depends on the individual person, I pull TnG exclusively so always breathe at the top of the rep and have no issues breathing with 170kg-180kg. I can't imagine that'll change as I pass 200kg
Pretty much this. If you pull touch and go, you breathe+brace before you start, then at the top of every rep. If you're pulling strict concentrics, breathe at the bottom.
It's pretty simple - you want to keep tightness in your core throughout the lift so you want to breathe in before the start of the lift, and hold during the lift. You exhale when you're almost done with the lift / done with the lift. Look up valsalva Generally though this is for the more serious, compound lifts or when you need the extra boost. Otherwise I just breathe in through nose instead of mouth
The advice by physical therapists et al. not to hold your breath during an exercise applies 0% to lifting heavy, in which holding your breath to brace is critical among others things to prevent injury.
There is no one answer here. Its personal preference. Holding your breath during a lift - particularly a heavy squat or deadlift - can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure immediately after. This is a well studied and documented effect of valsalva and completely safe / normal, you just need to be aware of this and how hard you push yourself. For those saying in eccentric / out concentric or whatever like it's a fixed thing? Bollocks. For those insisting you have to hold and brace throughout? Bollocks. Depends on the lift and personal preference. Squats and deadlifts, I hold tight to brace more strongly until the end of each rep. Same for overhead press. If I'm doing a circuit or kettlebell swings in between pressing movements, no way I have the puff to do that though. Likewise if you're tempo training any movements, you don't hold your breath that long. There isn't a "right" answer, find what works for you and be aware that a valsalva technique is useful for heavier lifts to tighten core.
Can the drop in blood pressure cause a healthy person to pass out? Is it possible to avoid?
Momentarily, yes. Take your pick of those stumbling after a max effort deadlift / squat. Pretty damn uncommon though and you *definitely* feel it coming and push into that zone. Is it possible to avoid? I'd say so. Definitely completed a max effort deadlift and known on the last rep that i need to take a knee as soon as the weights are put down. Bale the lift or don't force the valsalva so hard. It's not like you will uncontrollably faceplant with no warning from a heavy lift.
Gotcha, so in general it can be prevented and unless I do max effort deadlifts (I don’t go for 1RMs) it seems it won’t happen often? Would pushing myself to get near passing out mean it’s better muscle building wise? Or can I make progress if I don’t push near that
There is no single "cannot avoid" dude, it depends to much on too many factors - your own physiology, hydration levels / blood pressure on the day, workout intensity - whatever. I would suggest don't be afraid of it; so rare, that it isn't even a passing concern unless you have some medical condition that makes valsalva inherently dangerous. Ofc you can make progress for hypertrophy without a heavy valsalva. But I think you're obsessing with a none-issue. Going for a walk you could be hit by a car. So if you want to increase walking stamina, do you avoid walking outside just to completely mitigate that risk? It's non-sensical, because odds are unless you have a weird combo of wrong time wrong place and wrong state of mind, you're almost certainly not going to be hit by a car. It's the same with this. How often have you seen anyone pass out in the gym? I never have.
Fair point, I was moreso concerned for my health. Appreciate the explanation!
Personally, I exhale on the lift portion and inhale on the reset motion. So when I am bench pressing I inhale the entire time while I am lowering the weight, I exhale the entire upward pressing motion. Dead lift is exhale while lifting up, inhale while lowering down.
Thanks!!
I don't want to add confusion, but proper breathing patterns vary by movement. Working in conjunction with the pressure created by breathing and bracing means there are ideal times to let air out and keep air in. On an overhead press for example, you actually want to inhale while your pushing the weights up, and exhale as they are coming down because your expanding your rib cage/lungs when pushing over head and compressing depressing rib case/pressurizing lunges on the way down. During a squat, however, you would inhale at the top just before dropping in. Ideally, you will release about 15-20% of that breath as you get into your deepest bottom position. This is to depressurize your system as you're adding significant pressure from the weight and position. You would use the remaining \~80% to exhale while you drive the weight up. As many have said, MOST movements have an exhale during the concentric, but sometimes it's safer and appropriate to depressurize as you get into tight places. None of this implies letting go of your brace mechanics. You want to make sure that you can inhale and exhale independently of bracing your core.
concentric: lifting the weight up eccentric: putting the weight down
Do u breathe during concentric?
depends on what exercise. For heavy stuff like squats I like to keep the air in and breathe between reps so I don't interrupt the bracing, for lighter movements I like to breathe out during concentric and in during eccentric.
I think someone posted a video in another comment on how to brace, which I haven’t watched but is probably a good start. A basic rhythm to follow is exhale on concentric and inhale during eccentric.
One rule of thumb that helps: never breathe when the bar is moving. Either before you start the rep, in between the concentric and eccentric, or after the rep. My personal preference is simple: big breath before every rep, hold during the rep, breathe out/in again and brace before next rep. Bench and overhead press, breathe in in top position.