To hold your breath or not?

[5kgLifter]

I figured, it might be good to start a thread for people to discuss this, instead of further clogging Jen's journal

Is holding your breath in the squat the only way? The right way? the safest way? Feel free to expand the topic.




I generally hold my breath, though I have been known during a PB to exhale during the latter phase of a zercher squat; though, I'm not sure it would be considered as merely breathing out, since the abs were still rock solid and it was a forced "argh!!!" type exhale with a whole body tightness and certainly not a relaxed gentle breathing.

Everything was fine and I felt it added the necessary power to complete the end of the lift, on that occasion, but it also felt like a natural thing to do, not something that I'd considered doing or even thought about.

[miked96]

I was originally taught to breathe out on the concentric phase of the squat, bench, or dead lift. I have also been told that its wrong because you lose tightness when you dont hold your breath. I prefer to breathe out (even in gear) because it does seem to help me push through the middle portion of the lift. A lot of the guys I see hold their breath stall,shake, turn beet red, and usually miss if they stall. I understand both camps but thats my opinion from my own personal experience.

[BendtheBar]

I usually expel halfway through a lift, probably at the maximum exertion point.

I need to hold it during eccentrics. Keeps me tight.

[Fazc]

Same as Mike and Btb, I keep the air in on the way down but as I come up I prefer to exhale around halfway up.

[IronWill]

Kee-rist! let it die already.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by IronWill

Kee-rist! let it die already.

I wanted to add to it but didn't feel it right to further derail Jen's journal with an addition from me; that's the only reason the thread is here.

[IronManlet]

I always take a deep breath in before starting a movement to keep myself tighter; when to expel the air varies. With squats, it's generally right out of the hole.

For example, what I've found helps with my deadlifts is to slowly let out air right after I start the pull. The reason being is that I've found that too much internal pressure before the lift causes me to slow off the floor. If I let out some air, I can get it up to my knees much more easily. I also have a very strong lockout and short shins. The result: basically no sticking point. If I fail a weight, it's because it's too heavy to budge.

The point is that experimentation helps. I had to figure that out on my own, while noting my own strengths and ways of pulling; and it took me a while. You always want to tinker to find what works for you.

[JacktheThriller]

Hold during hardest portion of lift in the stomach. Don't hold breath in your lungs/face.

[Off Road]

Yes, I hold my breath. I exhale twards the top of the lift and fill my lungs before I start the next rep. Doesn't everybody?

[bruteforce]

Guess I'm about the same. Hold on the way down, exhale some when I hit the sticking point, and inhale and re-tighten before the next rep.