When doing strength training, it’s common to focus so much on maintaining the correct posture that you forget to breathe properly. This is especially true for beginners who are so caught up in following the correct posture that they don’t have time to think about their breathing.

However, correct breathing during strength training is essential. To sum up the breathing method for strength training: you should inhale when relaxing the muscles, and exhale when contracting them. Let’s look at why breathing correctly is important during strength training and introduce appropriate breathing techniques for various exercises.

Importance of Breathing in Strength Training

Our bodies have various muscles, and strength training primarily works on skeletal muscles, which are attached to bones and help with movement. On the other hand, there are respiratory muscles used for breathing. It’s not possible to simultaneously exert force on both the respiratory and skeletal muscles. When you inhale (contracting the respiratory muscles), the skeletal muscles relax, and conversely, when you exhale (relaxing the respiratory muscles), the skeletal muscles contract.

The reason you exhale through the mouth when lifting your upper body in a sit-up is because your body is tense, and you’re engaging your abdominal muscles. Therefore, to properly develop skeletal muscles through strength training, it’s essential to breathe correctly according to your posture. Additionally, improper breathing during strength training can lead to insufficient oxygen supply to your body, causing you to get out of breath quickly and possibly leading to headaches.

Correct Breathing Methods for Strength Training

The correct breathing technique for strength training involves inhaling when relaxing the muscles and exhaling when contracting the muscles.

This breathing method might seem simple, but it’s actually not that easy. Naturally, the human body tends to hold its breath when muscles contract (when you exert force on them). You might have noticed that you sometimes hold your breath during strength training in when you should be breathing out, and vice versa.

So, just like you practice to get the right posture for strength training, you also need to consistently work on getting your breathing right. Training your breath is just as crucial.

Examples of Breathing in Strength Exercises

Squat Breathing: Inhale as you sit back, exhale as you stand up.

Leg Raises Breathing: Exhale as you lift your legs, inhale as you lower them.

Crunch Breathing: Exhale as you lift your upper body, inhale as you lower it.

Shoulder Press Breathing: Exhale as you push up, inhale as you lower back down.

Dumbbell Breathing: Exhale as you curl up, inhale as you lower the dumbbell.

For High-Intensity Exercise, the Valsalva Maneuver is Recommended

The Valsalva maneuver is one effective breathing technique that can be beneficial in certain high-intensity exercises. It specifically helps by applying pressure to the chest and abdomen to increase stability, enhance muscular strength, and prevent injuries.

Valsalva Maneuver

The Valsalva maneuver involves holding your breath with both mouth and nose closed while maintaining tension in the abdomen. This technique is particularly used during strength training when lifting heavy weights, as it involves holding your breath momentarily to perform the action.

How to Perform the Valsalva Maneuver

Benefits of the Valsalva Maneuver [1]

1.Improves Stability: Increases abdominal and chest pressure, enhancing bodily stability.

2.Increases Strength: Allows for more effective muscle engagement, boosting strength.

3.Prevents Injury: Heightens bodily stability during high-intensity exercises, reducing the risk of injury.

4.Enhances Functionality: Improves efficiency in power-required movements, boosting overall exercise functionality.

Indeed, the Valsalva maneuver isn’t suitable for all types of exercises. For instance, it’s not appropriate for aerobic exercises that require steady breathing. The Valsalva maneuver is best used for lifting heavy weights or performing exercises that require a lot of effort, and it’s recommended not to maintain it for too long.