Breathing Technique for Effective Strength Training

It’s something we do 28800 times every day involuntarily, yet most of us have a poor breathing technique, we’ve become lazy when breathing. We tend to expand our chest cavity, puffing our chests out and up as we inhale but this is a highly inefficient way to breathe which only fills the top of the lungs with air and does not utilize full lung capacity. For improved technique try focusing on filling the lower level of the lungs with air. Firstly push the diaphragm down and force the abdomen out (like a pot belly). Then fill the middle portion of the lungs by expanding the chest cavity and raising the rib cage, finally, fill the upper level of the lungs by raising the chest and shoulders slightly. To exhale pull the abdomen in first and then lower the shoulders and chest. Practice correct breathing a few times a day in order to re-train your autonomic nervous system. You’ll also find that 10 correct breaths is a great way to de-stress and pause for thought during a hectic jam packed day!

Breathing when we are strength training is, however, a different ball game. There are many articles which contradict one another with regard to the correct breathing technique to use during strength training, but what I am about to tell you is widely accepted as the safest and most effective method and the one used by most health professionals today. I like to call it the draw in and brace method. This technique will involve holding air in through forced exhalation which is more commonly known as the Valsalva Manoeuvre. The Valsalva Manoeuvre should not be attempted by people with hypertension (high blood pressure) who should seek medical advice first. You have all performed the VM before when pinching your nose and clearing your ears during a flight. Have a go if you’ve forgotten. So, to draw in and brace think about sucking in your navel, drawing it in closer to your spine, making your waist line smaller (but not breathing in). Then once you’re stomach is drawn in perform the VM but instead try to push the air down not up thus placing pressure on the abdomen and, as it tries to stick out, maintain the drawn in navel. If you’ve done it correctly you’ll find that your abdominal region has become rigid and strong like a trunk. However if you are struggling it may take time to gain full control on the abdominal muscles to correctly draw in then brace. As with most things in life, especially in exercise, practice makes perfect so try to be patient and it’ll come. To help we’ll be releasing videos on breathing soon.

We’re now ready to look at using that method during a movement. Say for instance you are going to perform a back squat. You’re standing vertically ready to flex at the hips, knees and ankles and lower yourself to the floor. By now your abdomen should already be activated and stabilising your torso otherwise you would crumple to the floor like a concertina. But before you begin to move downwards suck in your navel, take a breath and brace, hold your breath as you go down, at the bottom of the rep exhale a small amount of air in a short, sharp burst, continuing to draw in and brace, then begin the upwards phase of the squat, only when you have completed the full movement do you release the rest of the air, then, straight away suck in new air keeping your abdomen drawn in and brace before performing the next rep.

Look out for our upcoming videos on breathing which will be on the Phoenix Pro Fitness Blog at phoenixprofit.blogspot.com and YouTube.

Matt Jordan
Phoenix Pro Fitness Coach