Why You Should Breathe While Weight Lifting
Today, while responding to an inquiry by a reporter, I remembered an experience I had as a new trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, years ago:
I was a newly certified personal trainer with very little experience when my managers at 24 Hour Fitness asked me to lead a group weightlifting instruction class. Everything was going smoothly until I mentioned "feeling the burn" and two men in their late 20's told me that they'd never felt a burn despite weightlifting for years. They also told me that they weren't making gains or seeing any improvement in their workouts.
I was baffled. What in the world would cause these men to plateau so miserably and to never even feel a burn while lifting the most weight they possibly could? I didn't know what else to say or do, so I asked one of them to demonstrate how he completed a weightlifting set. His form was great, he was lifting a decent amount of weight, and everything looked fine- except that he was holding his breath.
I explained to him the importance of getting oxygen to the muscles during an exercise, and I had him repeat the set while breathing correctly. Suddenly the weight was too light for him. He could lift much more weight, still with good form, and he felt a "burn" for the first time in his weightlifting life!
Holding your breath during exertion is called the "valsalva maneuver." It's generally considered to be a bad idea, as far as strength training is concerned. Instead, breathe out during the exertion, and inhale during the easy part.
For a push up, this would mean that you breathe in as you lower yourself toward the ground, and you breathe out as you push yourself up.
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