Breathing during strength exercises. Proper breathing - running, strength training, swimming. Why strength exercises are performed "on the exhale"

Usually we do not think about how we breathe, do not track the depth and rhythm of breathing. However, it is of great importance during strength training. Proper breathing allows you to increase the stabilization of the spine, normalize pressure and provide the muscles with enough oxygen.

So what's the right way to breathe? To begin with, we will analyze the method of breathing itself, and later we will talk about continuity and delays.

Diaphragmatic breathing

One of the mistakes that prevents you from practicing and getting excellent results, - fast shallow breathing.

To check if you are breathing correctly, do a little test. Stand up straight, put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, and calmly take a few breaths in and out. Under which palm is movement felt? If the stomach rises, you breathe deeply, using all the lungs, if the chest - shallow breathing. Deep breathing is also called.

The diaphragm is a muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities and serves to expand the lungs. It accounts for 60 to 80% of the ventilation work.

In childhood, everyone breathes deeply. Because of sedentary work, stress, uncomfortable clothing, breathing changes with age, becomes superficial. During such breathing only top part the lungs are filled with air. Since there is less air coming in, breathing quickens, pressure on the neck and shoulders increases, which are already loaded in people with sedentary work.

The diaphragm, on the contrary, becomes weaker, because of which sufficient intra-abdominal pressure is not created, a bad one is formed - the center of the abdomen falls inward, bringing the lower ribs and pelvis together.

In addition, during rapid, shallow breathing, you are forcing your body to work harder to get the same amount of oxygen as you would with calm, deep breathing. This reduces the economy of your movements - you expend more strength, although this is not required.

Therefore, it is worth working on breathing at least during the exercise. Try to breathe deeply and evenly. When inhaling, the stomach should inflate. Yes, you will have to concentrate more on your body, but for the sake of good posture, relieving tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders, and more economical movement, it is worth it.

To set yourself up for strength training with proper breathing, pay attention to how you breathe, already during the warm-up. Try to perform all exercises with rhythmic deep breathing. So you will quickly learn how to breathe correctly.

Exhale for effort, inhale for relaxation

This is the most popular breathing advice heard in and out of the gym: inhale when you do the easy part of the exercise, exhale when you do the effort.

Strong and safe movement is possible only with a rigid spine, which transmits force from large groups muscles. The spine is strengthened with the help of core muscle tension - rectus and oblique abdominal muscles, muscles pelvic floor, back. During inhalation, it is impossible to strain other muscles of the core well, which means that it is difficult to provide the spine with the necessary rigidity.

When exhaling, on the contrary, it is quite simple to tighten the muscles of the core. Breathing affects them reflexively, through nervous system. The muscles tighten, fixing the spine and helping to develop maximum strength. That is why the effort must be performed on the exhale.

If you pay attention to your breathing during heavy exercise, you may notice a brief cessation of breathing at the moment of maximum effort. This is quite natural. A short breath hold is used by experienced powerlifters and weightlifters to lift big weights. This breathing technique is called the Valsalva maneuver, but it should be used very carefully.

Is the Valsalva maneuver dangerous?

The Valsalva maneuver is a procedure that creates high pressure in the middle ear, thoracic and abdominal cavities. It is used in otolaryngology to test the patency of the Eustachian tubes and in cardiology to detect heart pathologies. This maneuver is also used in powerlifting and weightlifting and helps athletes to lift a lot of weight.

The Valsalva maneuver used in power sports, looks like this: a person takes a deep breath (about 75% of the maximum possible), and then, at the moment of maximum effort, holds his breath for a few seconds and tries to exhale the air through a closed glottis. Breathing is held throughout the repetition, exhalation occurs after the end.

The Valsalva maneuver increases the pressure in the chest. Through the diaphragm, it is transmitted to the abdominal cavity, which creates good support for the back and helps to resist the forces that tend to move the spine. As a result, the athlete can lift more weight, and the risk of injury is reduced.

Effects of the Valsalva maneuver on the body

However, the Valsalva maneuver is often criticized because it increases the already high pressure during strength training, which can lead to.

Opinions on this issue differ. Dr. Jonathon Sullivan, a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University, says the Valsalva maneuver should only be used by those with pre-existing cardiovascular problems.

In another study Effects of Weightlifting and Breathing Technique on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate . it has been found that using this technique to raise a one-time maximum causes only minor changes in blood pressure. The Valsalva maneuver is only suitable for lifting really heavy weights with low reps.

Using the Valsalva maneuver for multiple reps with light weights can cause dangerous rise blood pressure, rupture of blood vessels in the eyes and face, headaches, temporary blurred vision, may cause fainting or leakage of cerebrospinal fluid.

The last problem was described in the article Don't Hold Your Breath. Vishal Goyal and Malathi Srinivasan, MD, UCLA Department of Medicine.

A 50-year-old patient complained of headaches in the projection of the nose, continuous coughing and persistent unilateral discharge from the nose. As a result of the tests, the doctors found a leak of cerebrospinal fluid and damage to the nasal ethmoid bone. It turned out that the patient performed a chest press every day with a weight of 90–136 kilograms. At the same time, he held his breath during the bench press.

Doctors suggested that the patient's problems arose precisely because of the Valsalva maneuver. Training raised pressure, destroyed the meninges, which caused meningocele and rhinorrhea of the cerebrospinal fluid.

The Valsalva maneuver does help lift heavy weights, but it should not be used if:

you are a beginner who does not have a set technique and a trainer who can follow correct execution the Valsalva maneuver;
Do you prefer light weight exercises? big amount repetitions;
you had problems with the cardiovascular system;
you have had problems with intracranial pressure.

Fixation of the body and continuous breathing

For medium loads, it is worth using continuous breathing without delay - exhale for effort, inhale for relaxation.

Start exhaling a little earlier, a moment before the maximum effort. So you can do more.

Breathing should be smooth and rhythmic. Don't stop at extreme points. Immediately after inhalation, exhalation follows without short delays.

For maximum case rigidity, try using the pinning method. The term was first used by Dr. Stuart McGill, a specialist in trauma and rehabilitation of the lumbar spine. Pinning is the activation of all core muscles, which allows you to create a rigid middle part of the body, provide stability to the entire body and reduce the risk of injury.

Before lifting the weight, imagine that you are about to be punched in the stomach. Tighten your abdominal and back muscles. This will create a rigid corset that must be held throughout the exercise. At the same time, breathe continuously, exhaling with maximum effort and further strengthening the body.

There is another theory about breathing during. Dr. Stuart McGill and Dr. Mel Stiff believe that correct technique exercise will automatically make the body breathe correctly, your control is not required.

But this is true only for ideal technology. If you can't boast of one, work on your breathing as well as your technique.

Results

Try to develop diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe like this during the warm-up to get used to and tune in.
Use the Valsalva maneuver for only a few max weight reps.
For exercises with a high number of repetitions, use continuous smooth breathing with inhalation on the easy part of the exercise and exhalation on the maximum effort.
Along with continuous breathing, use the core tension to stabilize the core during exercise.

If you have any breathing tips during strength training, write in the comments.

Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth - right? Correct, but not always. Breathing plays an important role in sports, because if you breathe incorrectly, you lose oxygen, and therefore strength. My fitness coach at each class repeats over and over again, like a mantra: “Remember to breathe! Breathe out through your mouth! For those exercises that we perform at this time, this is correct. But such a rhythm is absolutely not suitable for, for example, running or yoga.

Each exercise has its own rhythm and depth of breathing, which fills our lungs with oxygen, and the body with the energy necessary for training.

So, inhale for "one", exhale for "two-three-four"?

Run

Recent studies have shown that proper breathing technique has a positive effect on speed and performance. So the chances of reaching the finish line first increase if you breathe correctly.

There is no “golden rule” that is perfect for all runners. Alison McConnell, breathing expert and author of Breathe Strong Perform Better, says many people prefer the two-kick-one-breath option. That is, one inhale for two steps and one exit for two steps - a 2: 2 rhythm.

McConnell also recommends breathing through the mouth, as breathing through the nose during running is difficult. Some do not agree with it and give their arguments in favor of breathing through the nose. Dr. Roy Sugarman believes that breathing through the nose increases CO2 concentration in the blood, which creates a calming effect. In addition, breathing through the nose in cold weather warms the cold air and reduces the likelihood of catching a cold, as well as reduces the amount of allergens that enter the body with inhalation.

Therefore, you can try breathing through your nose and through your mouth and choose the option that is easiest to run with. If you still breathe through your mouth, in cold weather you need to slightly raise your tongue to the sky during inhalation: in this way, cold air will not immediately enter the throat.

Football, basketball and other team games

The rhythm of breathing during active team games, such as football or basketball, is very different from the measured rhythm during the run, which you choose for yourself. During these games, you not only move in jerks, but also get a decent dose of adrenaline, which makes your heart race, which in turn affects your breathing.

McConnell says the muscles that we use to inhale and exhale are an integral part of the main stabilizing and postural control system. This means that you intuitively take a deep breath and tense your core when you expect a hit or a big load. This not only helps to resist, but also protects the spine.

While running on the field, you should breathe through the diaphragm (the most efficient muscle for breathing), and not through the chest. Your rib cage should move from the bottom up, from the back to the chest and to the sides, says physiotherapist Anna Hartman. In addition, deeper breathing calms, provides the necessary fuel for the muscles and, accordingly, an advantage over rivals.

Power training

Proper breathing is important not only during aerobic exercise. Anyone who has done strength exercises with weight lifting at least once knows that if you breathe incorrectly or even hold your breath, you get exhausted very quickly.

The standard is one breath per effort, and then exhalation. This rhythm helps the body gather before lifting weights and insure lumbar spine. How to breathe while bench press? Deep and long exhalation while lifting the weight, then inhale in the top position or when lowering the weight to the chest. Remember that when the weight is lifted, it does not disappear anywhere and the body must be kept in constant tension. This mechanism is a bit like the one that turns on during contact sports, and it is insurance for your spine.

And don't forget to breathe! Holding the breath increases the pressure in the chest. This is good for maintaining a stable position, but if you do not breathe for too long, blood flow to the heart will decrease, which can lead to high blood pressure.

During FT exercises, our standard breathing pattern is to inhale on the chest press and exhale on the chest press. Moreover, inhalation and exhalation are done as much as the counts last for the bench press.

Yoga

It's time to relax and do yoga. Breathing plays a very important role in yoga practice. Everything is tied to him. There are several ways to relax with the breath.

1. Sama Vritti or equal breath. This is breathing during which the inhalation is equal in duration to the exhalation. This style of breathing calms the nervous system, lowers blood pressure and relieves stress.

2. Ujjayi (victorious spirit). During this breath, you will make a slightly hissing sound (almost like Darth Vader). During this breath, you inhale and exhale through your nose, while slightly squeezing your throat.

What should not be done? When it comes to positions that are difficult to balance or stand for long periods of time, we tend to start holding our breath. Under no circumstances should this be done. Just take it as a sign of your tiredness and take a short break.

Yoga has a wide variety of breathing practices and if you have chosen a good instructor, he will definitely tell you how to do it right. Just remember that you cannot hold your breath during the exercises, unless the trainer tells you to.

I hope this short review will help you achieve best results in training and point to weak spots. This is especially true for running, as it often happens that the legs would still run and run, but breathing no longer allows.

Everyone knows how to breathe properly. On the one hand, this is not so difficult, but on the other hand, it is not a secret. Physical education teachers and children's trainers clearly work out their bread - they immediately explain that you need to exhale at maximum effort (when lifting or pushing away), and inhale on the reverse movement. These are truisms. But for some reason, I personally ignored them. Not completely, but didn't pay enough attention. We often ignore something necessary and correct. We simply consider it banal, and, therefore, not worthy of attention. And very in vain.

I'll tell you with my own example. And then we move on to practical recommendations. I'll try not to be boring and not load theory.

Since my passion for mixed training (CrossFit,) in which you need to work for a specific result (time or amount) and constantly beat your records, I began to notice that I always “can do better”. But for some reason it doesn't work. muscle failure No, fatigue is also not so strong. But at some point I “die” in training and that’s it.

I was suffocating, and I started having panic attacks: “That's it! Ass! I can not anymore!" Only by an effort of will I forced myself to complete the training. And the results, as I said, were not encouraging. And there was no feeling that I did everything I could. Of course, it was obvious that this was a weak “breather”! You can, of course, wait until it gets better by itself. But this state of affairs did not suit me.

BREATH CONTROL during training is one of the key factors affecting the result.

Pay attention to the word "control". There are two points why it is so important - physiological and psychological (motivating). The second aspect is secondary, but no less useful.

Physiological aspect of breath control

If breathing during training is not controlled, then it will go astray. Do not believe those who say that you yourself will adapt to breathe correctly when physical activity in a natural way . This misconception is due to the fact that many champions may state, “I don't think about breathing. I only think about how to win!” The fact is that a champion became a champion because he brought proper breathing to automatism. And in order to do this, you must initially breathe correctly. And control your breathing from the beginning to the end of the workout.

I will try to explain on the fingers.

Oxygen is one of the sources of energy for our body.
The more intense and longer we move, the more we need it.
The more it needs the more we want to make a major mistake- start greedily grabbing air with your mouth, hoping to get oxygen as much as possible and as quickly as possible.
The more often we inhale and exhale, the LESS we get oxygen - it does not have time to "absorb".
The less oxygen we get, the faster we get tired and fail.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that other body systems (for example, muscles) can continue to work, but are forced to stop until the necessary oxygen consumption is restored. All of this is terribly slow. not only the result of a specific training (volume or time), but also external results - muscle growth or fat burning. They just don't get in line!

Now let's talk about what we kind of know everything from childhood - how to breathe properly:

You need to exhale at maximum muscle effort.. This applies mainly to strength training. For example, in squats and push-ups, you need to exhale when lifting, and inhale when lowering down.
Never hold your breath. Very common mistake. It leads to an increase in pressure in the body. Which in turn can lead to loss of consciousness. In the best case, the breath will simply go astray and it will be difficult to restore it.
Inhale should be deep and exhale full. For this, it is advised to breathe bottom belly (although it is correct to say "diaphragm"). That is, inhale as if you are filling the stomach with air, and not the lungs. And exhalation is advised to do more or less sharp.
Breathe rhythmically. That is, to follow a certain pace. For running, for example, you can inhale for 2-3 steps, and exhale for 1 step. If breathing becomes difficult, then the pace of the exercise is recommended to be reduced. Breathing at some point may become frequent, but should not become intermittent.
Get your breath back. If your breathing is out of whack and becomes irregular, take a break. If the pause is planned (between exercises and approaches), then also restore breathing. To do this, you need to breathe deeply and rhythmically (see paragraphs 2, 3 and 4).

In addition, it is often advised inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Sometimes even breathe through your nose. This is optional, but desirable - passing through the nose, the air is "filtered" and heated (important when training outdoors in cold weather).

There is also such a useful recommendation that will help you follow all the rules - focus only on exhalation! Effort - exhale. As fully as possible - exhale. Rhythm - on exhalations. In pauses - exhale everything from the lungs! They say that if you breathe out correctly, then you will also breathe in the right way.

Related video (doctor, chiropractor, athlete German Tyukhtin):

If you focus on following these rules, then this will be breath control during exercise. Personally, this control began to bear fruit for me at the very first training session in which I applied it. But it's not just about physiology...

The psychological aspect of breath control

Simple breath control will not make you a record holder right away - breathing will go astray one way or another, and it will still be hard to train. Just with control, you will train much more efficiently. But cardio-vascular endurance (“breathing”) can be trained like any other system of the body. So practice proper breathing, try to keep it as long as possible and gradually become stronger and more resilient. But there is one interesting point.

When you focus on your breath, you become more mentally stable. What does it mean. Your brain is busy with breathing and exercise technique. And he does not pay attention to the “extra” signals of the nervous system, which just encourages us to stop mocking ourselves. Everyone is familiar with these petty thoughts:

Something hard is coming today.
Damn, this is just the beginning!
I will finish now, but then I will definitely do more.
Maybe the hell with him - with a record?
I don't seem to be able to anymore...
etc.

But if you are focused on breathing, then such thoughts will not be frequent guests in your head. Resources are occupied by others. A you are a machine that knows no fear and weakness. No wonder they say to pregnant women: “Breathe!”.

Remember what I said about my panic attacks? They disappeared under breath control. Yes, things don't always work out as planned. But now I'm sure that I'm doing what I can at the current time. I'm wrong. But not because I give up morally. This is an important point.

So, even if you consider yourself a sports guru, try focusing on your breathing in one workout. Observe, correct if necessary, hold the same rhythm for as long as possible. And look at the results. More than sure that they will pleasantly surprise you.

Proper breathing will help you increase the effectiveness of strength training and reduce the risk of injury. A few simple rules.

Want to get the most out of it and reduce the chance of injury? These five tips will help you safely lift more weight with maximum efficiency.

Unless you are a swimmer or freediver, you are unlikely to focus on your breathing. And when doing a strength exercise, you are likely to make unforgivable mistakes.

When performing each rep, people either inhale and exhale powerfully, or take in as much air as they can physically before sinking to the bottom during the squat or lowering the barbell to the chest during the bench press.

But there is a much better way.

The thing is that breathing plays an important role not only with aerobic exercise, but also with anaerobic exercise.

It is important to remember that cardio loads are different from strength exercises, so breathing should be different. strength training requires more control.

Of course, breathing alone will not save you when doing squats with a barbell - technique is still needed here. Before you focus on breathing, you need to concentrate on the main features of the exercise - correct positioning of the legs, grip, location of the bar, amplitude, starting position, movement down and up. If you start with breathing, then this will distract you, and you risk injury, as the technique of the exercise itself will be lame. As soon as you work to the automaticity of the movements that are the foundation of each exercise, proper breathing will come by itself. The main thing is to follow a few simple rules.

Here are some important tips to help you improve your breathing while doing strength exercises.

1. Take control of your breathing before exercising.

30 seconds before the approach, normalize your breathing. If it's too frequent, give yourself some more time. Calm down, relax your body, tune in to the approach. To saturate the muscles with oxygen, it is necessary to slow down the heart rate. Some try to fire up their nervous system with sharp and rapid breathing, as if they are preparing to set a dislocated shoulder.

If you deplete your oxygen supply and make your heart beat faster before you take heavy weight, you will not be able to reach your potential when doing the exercise.

Before the approach, this type of breathing is unproductive.

Useful article: The right set of muscle mass - 10 common mistakes

2. Any exercise consists of two phases: eccentric and concentric. In the first phase, the muscles are stretched, and in the second phase they are contracted.

Let's take the barbell squat as an example. To train breathing techniques, it is enough to use an empty bar. After you figure out the breathing, you can already proceed to the warm-up, and then to the working weights.

Grab the bar and return to the starting position. Before starting the eccentric phase, take a calm breath in and out to fill the body with oxygen. Avoid too sharp and strong breaths.

Inhale and, holding your breath, begin to descend down to the lowest point. Returning to the starting position, exhale in the most difficult phase of the lift.

Many athletes make the big mistake of exhaling too early. Meanwhile, early exhalation not only exhausts the reserve of strength, but also has a negative effect on the spine and lower back, because after exhalation you can no longer maintain the necessary intramuscular tension. Consequently, the load will fall on the spine and lower back, which are very easy to injure.

Imagine that you are holding your breath underwater: there you will only be able to breathe when you reach the surface and emerge. In our case, the water surface is the moment when you exit the most difficult phase of the squat.

3. Change Your Breathing Technique When Performing Deadlifts.

The deadlift has a different nature of movement, and therefore requires a different approach.

You will immediately experience tension as soon as you start lifting the barbell off the floor. Therefore, before starting the concentric part of the movement, concentrate, strain your whole body, pulling the bar slightly towards you, take a breath and, holding your breath, begin lifting the bar up. After the end of the concentric phase, begin to exhale as you lower the barbell.

Useful article:

4. Thinking that during strength training you need to inhale deeply and exhale sharply, you are mistaken. You don't have to imagine that you are blowing out the candles on the cake. You are not at a birthday party, but at a training session!

Do not swallow air, but take short breaths and exhalations.

Large breaths reduce your intramuscular tension, which can increase your chance of injury.

5.If you feel like you need more air, breathe in the eccentric phase.

There is nothing wrong with doing a multi-rep set when you feel like taking an extra breath. Just do not inhale in the concentric phase, it is better to take the desired portion of air in the eccentric.

By following these simple tips, you will increase your efficiency in training and reduce the risk of injury.

Inhalation-exhalation is such a natural, and at the same time important process for the whole organism. Often we breathe without thinking. But it is worth blocking oxygen - life slows down.

At the same time, most people breathe correctly only during sleep, in a state of complete relaxation, when breathing is controlled unconsciously. During wakefulness, breathing gets confused and sometimes delayed, which can cause serious disorders in such important organs as the heart and brain.

Meanwhile, having learned to control your breathing, you can not only maintain health for a long time, but also live much longer. Proper breathing during fitness classes will significantly increase the effectiveness of training, because then the muscles will recover better, you will become less tired and will be able to achieve the desired result faster.

Proper breathing during training depends on what kind of exercises you perform.

Flexibility exercises. Inhalation should be done in positions that promote the expansion of the chest, and exhalation - when it contracts. For example, when bending forward, touching the floor with your hands, inhale should be done in a position where the torso is straightened, arms are lowered and slightly laid back. And the exhalation is done by leaning forward: the chest and stomach are compressed at this moment, which helps to more fully expel the air.

Strength exercises. It is recommended to exhale at the moment of the greatest muscle effort, and inhale when the muscle tension is the least. For example, lifting your legs up from a supine position. Inhale - while lifting the legs, and exhale - at the moment of lowering them down, when the tension of the abdominal muscles is greater. Another example: when pushing up from the floor in a prone position: bending your arms, inhale, straightening - exhale.

Always remember that during training you can not hold your breath, try to breathe freely. If you notice that you are holding your breath, this means that the exercise being performed is too difficult for you, and it is worth weakening the intensity of the load.

Cyclic exercises. While walking, running, cycling, swimming, when the body's need for oxygen increases several times, proper breathing is especially important. When running, first of all, the rhythm and frequency of breathing coordinated with the movements of the body are needed. Random, with pauses or, on the contrary, too frequent breathing disrupts the rhythm of running, makes it difficult to coordinate and does not provide sufficient ventilation of the lungs. For example, when running slowly, there should be three or four steps for each inhalation and exhalation, and when moving with average speed, for each inhalation and exhalation - one or two steps.

In swimming, breathing is dictated by style. If you are breaststroke, you can only inhale when you raise your head above the water; if crawl - then at the end of the stroke, when the face is turned to the side and the mouth is above the water. In other phases of swimming, you can only exhale air into the water.