Proper way to breathe

r0dxx · 11-05-2007, 06:08 PM

I know this sounds kinda weird, but what is the proper way to breathe when lifting? I realized after hitting the heavy weights for 4-5 years now, I still don't breathe properly. I noticed it after someone spotted me and kept telling me to breathe. I seem to breathe a little, but once I start struggling or on my last few reps, I start to hold my breath.

Does anyone know the proper technique? I read conflicting things online. Some people actually hold there breath during a lift for maximum strength (not healthy)

Recently (the past month or so) I've been real concious of my breathing and have been breathing in threw the mouth on the negative, and blowing out through my mouth on the positive part of every lift. Am I suppose to be going through mouth both ways, or should I use my nose?

Also I've been thinking about it so much lately, that now I think I may actually be hyperventilating, as I stand up and I'm dizzy/lightheaded for 2-3 sec.

Thanks guys.

fUnc17 · 11-05-2007, 09:11 PM

Tense your abs before every lift, THEN breathe and perform a rep, let out air as you perform the rep. The 'sss' sound boxers make is what you should hear. Its air leaving the mouth. Definately don't hold your breath, ever. And always brace your core. Especially for things like squats and deadlifts

Do not breathe through your mouth. Breathe through your nose

r0dxx · 11-05-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fUnc17

Tense your abs before every lift, THEN breathe and perform a rep, let out air as you perform the rep. The 'sss' sound boxers make is what you should hear. Its air leaving the mouth. Definately don't hold your breath, ever. And always brace your core. Especially for things like squats and deadlifts

Do not breathe through your mouth. Breathe through your nose

Through my nose? For the past few months I've been doing mouth.

vortrit · 11-05-2007, 09:27 PM

I generally breath in my nose and out of my mouth while lifting.

DOMS · 11-05-2007, 09:29 PM

Here's a little incentive to breathe properly: People have held their breath while benching. They blacked out and had the bar fall on them.

danzik17 · 11-05-2007, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOMS

Here's a little incentive to breathe properly: People have held their breath while benching. They blacked out and had the bar fall on them.

Culminating in who we know as 'danny81'

KeenanB13 · 11-05-2007, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vortrit

I generally breath in my nose and out of my mouth while lifting.

Basically I don't know how knowledgeable you are about jogging, but it's the same thing as what vortrit mentioned here, you are supposed to breath the weight in (breath in with your nose) and blow the weight away from you (release the air with your mouth, blowing away). Same thing goes with jogging, you take air in with your nose as it pulls up on your lungs and blow it out, that compresses and pushes down on your lungs. Hope this helps, goodluck.

highpockets · 11-06-2007, 06:54 AM

In through the nose, out through the mouth!

Witchblade · 11-06-2007, 08:40 AM

There's no correct answer.

For me, it depends on the lift.

vortrit · 11-06-2007, 09:40 AM

I think as long as your breathing, though, you are good. I just personally like breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth because of the reasons listed above.

Big G · 11-06-2007, 10:09 AM

I have a tendency to hold my breath too, although these days I'm more conscious of breathing out as I near the top of my last few reps (i.e. when I'm struggling) or if I'm doing a particularly heavy lift.

Does that sound OK, or am I supposed to be blowing out throughout the entire lift?

w/thx,
G.

AKIRA · 11-06-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Witchblade

There's no correct answer.

For me, it depends on the lift.

Ditto.

I hold my breath on a certain part of a lift, then exhale. I use both my mouth and nose.

KeenanB13 · 11-06-2007, 01:38 PM

The only time I believe you should hold your breath is at the pause of a rep, for instance bench press, when you have the weight fully extended, and then ofcourse you inhale with the nose on the way back down, then blow the weight away like I said before with your mouth. Pausing and holding your breath like I said above, I think would be alright, but not in the middle of a rep....

Pr0blemChild21 · 11-06-2007, 09:24 PM

inhale through your nose prior to the lift and exhale through ur mouth on completion of the lift. works for me..

Hoglander · 11-06-2007, 10:02 PM

I agree with diff exercise diff breathing. Dumbbell pullovers are top rated for breathing, IMHO. The movement expands your chest(breath in through nose) and collapses your chest(out through mouth). If you don't know what I mean you owe it to yourself to do some sets. They are very relaxing because of the natural controlled breathing associated with them. It's hard to get the breathing wrong. If you get it wrong you will hate them. Get it right and you may love them.

r0dxx · 11-07-2007, 12:25 AM

I've always sucked the air through my mouth, and blew it out through my mouth

fUnc17 · 11-07-2007, 06:57 AM

Power Breathing and Growth Hormone: A Strength Training and Powerlifting article from Dragon Door Publications

rmcfar · 11-07-2007, 09:43 PM

breathe in during the eccentric and out during the concentric. weither you breathe through your nose or mouth just depends on if you are moving enough air.

Oh also if you have horrible breath you should stick to the nose because there is nothing worse then spotting someone and they blow a big cloud of hot garlic breath right into your nose.

11-05-2007, 06:08 PM	#1
r0dxx Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 584	Proper way to breathe BODYBUILDING SUPPLEMENTS High Quality Supplements For Bodybuilders and Athletes. www.ironmaglabs.com I know this sounds kinda weird, but what is the proper way to breathe when lifting? I realized after hitting the heavy weights for 4-5 years now, I still don't breathe properly. I noticed it after someone spotted me and kept telling me to breathe. I seem to breathe a little, but once I start struggling or on my last few reps, I start to hold my breath. Does anyone know the proper technique? I read conflicting things online. Some people actually hold there breath during a lift for maximum strength (not healthy) Recently (the past month or so) I've been real concious of my breathing and have been breathing in threw the mouth on the negative, and blowing out through my mouth on the positive part of every lift. Am I suppose to be going through mouth both ways, or should I use my nose? Also I've been thinking about it so much lately, that now I think I may actually be hyperventilating, as I stand up and I'm dizzy/lightheaded for 2-3 sec. Thanks guys.
r0dxx Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 584

11-05-2007, 09:11 PM	#2
fUnc17 Drop and give me 100 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Jersey Shore BJJ Posts: 1,862 Photos: 12	Tense your abs before every lift, THEN breathe and perform a rep, let out air as you perform the rep. The 'sss' sound boxers make is what you should hear. Its air leaving the mouth. Definately don't hold your breath, ever. And always brace your core. Especially for things like squats and deadlifts Do not breathe through your mouth. Breathe through your nose
	Strength Edge

11-05-2007, 09:27 PM	#4
vortrit Bulk. Cut. Repeat. Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Missouri, USA Posts: 2,652 Blog Entries: 1 Photos: 5	I generally breath in my nose and out of my mouth while lifting.
	My Journal!

11-06-2007, 08:40 AM	#9
Witchblade Succinct Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Holland Posts: 4,269 Photos: 2	There's no correct answer. For me, it depends on the lift.
	My Linkdump [LSFW] IM Official FAQ [WORK IN PROGRESS]

11-06-2007, 09:40 AM	#10
vortrit Bulk. Cut. Repeat. Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Missouri, USA Posts: 2,652 Blog Entries: 1 Photos: 5	I think as long as your breathing, though, you are good. I just personally like breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth because of the reasons listed above.
	My Journal!

11-06-2007, 06:54 AM	#8
highpockets STILL workin' it! Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 66	In through the nose, out through the mouth!

11-06-2007, 10:09 AM	#11
Big G Gettin' Diesel. Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cols,OH. It sucks. Posts: 1,212 Photos: 1	I have a tendency to hold my breath too, although these days I'm more conscious of breathing out as I near the top of my last few reps (i.e. when I'm struggling) or if I'm doing a particularly heavy lift. Does that sound OK, or am I supposed to be blowing out throughout the entire lift? w/thx, G.
	Goal...... DL:500lb, Sqt:400lb, Bnch:300lb Current.. DL:375lb, Sqt:335lb, Bnch:260lb Weight: 185lb (up 25lb), bf=15%ish Age:35 Training since 11/06 journal

11-06-2007, 01:38 PM	#13
KeenanB13 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: West Va. Posts: 125 Photos: 8	The only time I believe you should hold your breath is at the pause of a rep, for instance bench press, when you have the weight fully extended, and then ofcourse you inhale with the nose on the way back down, then blow the weight away like I said before with your mouth. Pausing and holding your breath like I said above, I think would be alright, but not in the middle of a rep....
	www.myspace.com/121389j

11-06-2007, 09:24 PM	#14
Pr0blemChild21 newb Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: STRONG ISLAND Posts: 42	inhale through your nose prior to the lift and exhale through ur mouth on completion of the lift. works for me..
	"LIGHT WEIGHT BAYBAY! BOOOOOOOO! YEP! AHHHHHHH! corn bread good ol corn bread. its hot in here, record breaking temperature"

11-06-2007, 10:02 PM	#15
Hoglander Cleaner Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Washington Posts: 1,073 Blog Entries: 1 Photos: 10	I agree with diff exercise diff breathing. Dumbbell pullovers are top rated for breathing, IMHO. The movement expands your chest(breath in through nose) and collapses your chest(out through mouth). If you don't know what I mean you owe it to yourself to do some sets. They are very relaxing because of the natural controlled breathing associated with them. It's hard to get the breathing wrong. If you get it wrong you will hate them. Get it right and you may love them.

11-07-2007, 12:25 AM	#16
r0dxx Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 584	I've always sucked the air through my mouth, and blew it out through my mouth
r0dxx Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 584

11-07-2007, 06:57 AM	#17
fUnc17 Drop and give me 100 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Jersey Shore BJJ Posts: 1,862 Photos: 12	Power Breathing and Growth Hormone: A Strength Training and Powerlifting article from Dragon Door Publications
	Strength Edge

11-07-2007, 09:43 PM	#18
rmcfar i love cutting Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 266	breathe in during the eccentric and out during the concentric. weither you breathe through your nose or mouth just depends on if you are moving enough air. Oh also if you have horrible breath you should stick to the nose because there is nothing worse then spotting someone and they blow a big cloud of hot garlic breath right into your nose.
rmcfar i love cutting Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 266	"When i was 15 years old, i took all of my clothes off and looked in the mirror. When i stared at myself naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need 20 inch arms to match the rest of me." -Arnold

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