How do you breathe?

[McKwl]

Yeah, haha.

For the big three, I mean. What's the best, most effective, safest way to breathe during each of the big three powerlifts?

I think I know this already (and I hope so!) but shit, the more you read - on the internet - the less you know, y'know?

 

[Sticky]

Valsava.

Never breathe and move at the same time.

Hold your (VERY DEEP) breath.

 

[Jungnaut]

So for squats, take a deep breath and hold it before going down? Thats how I do it nowadays, but a PT once told me after observing me do this, to breathe in on the way down and exhale on the way up. This had me rather confused.

 

[Sticky]

The PT is wrong.

 

[D1cko]

Haha...PT's crack me up, what is it like a 2 day course or something!?
I couldn't imagine being able to hold tightness if I breathed through the rep...

 

[Big Mick]

Valsava.

Never breathe and move at the same time.

Hold your (VERY DEEP) breath.

This is the one.

So for squats, take a deep breath and hold it before going down? Thats how I do it nowadays, but a PT once told me after observing me do this, to breathe in on the way down and exhale on the way up. This had me rather confused.

Yes and they wonder why they injure themselves, you need to hold your breath to tighten your core and lock everything in.

 

[RyanF]

So for squats, take a deep breath and hold it before going down? Thats how I do it nowadays, but a PT once told me after observing me do this, to breathe in on the way down and exhale on the way up. This had me rather confused.

PT's generally deal with general populations, not with strength athletes. From a cardiovascular perspective, breathing throughout the rep is safer, however this kills tightness and intra-abdominal pressure, reducing the ability to apply strength with structural safety, so it's generally not appropriate for strength athletes. This is not a sleight against PT's or their clients, but the average PT client thinks that a 100kg squat is a big deal, and a 140kg squat is pure madness. They're not looking to be Goku; they're probably not even looking to be Yamcha, so the loads at which the Valsalva maneouvre becomes highly valuable are loads that they have no intention of approaching anyway. Structurally, so long as they can otherwise maintain good spinal alignment and get their transverse abdominis activated, they're safe. Meanwhile, as most PT clients are middle-aged and have been sedentary for the last 20 years while eating a diet of strict poison, it's pretty common for PT's to be dealing with clients who are hypertensive and have the cardiovascular systems of fecal matter, to the extent that most institutes that train PT's train them on breathing as if to assume that everyone has 160/95 blood pressure.

Haha...PT's crack me up, what is it like a 2 day course or something!?
I couldn't imagine being able to hold tightness if I breathed through the rep...

In Australia, PT is a Cert III+IV in Fitness + CEC's. CEC's are usually 1-2 day courses; Cert III+IV is usually 1-2 semesters of full-time study, or 2-4 semesters of part-time study (duration varies depending on institution -- TAFE's and IT's are usually on the long end of duration; private colleges are usually on the short end).

 

[McKwl]

This is good. I feel both relieved and vindicated, as Valsalva is exactly what I've been doing since starting.

Thanks for clearing that up for absolute certain. Hate that little niggling doubt, when you read or hear something contradictory about lifting, diet, whatever. Could just be me though . Gotta stop reading that crap, and listening to some kinds of people at the gym at all...

 

[Jungnaut]

Yes and they wonder why they injure themselves, you need to hold your breath to tighten your core and lock everything in.

Yes well I was the one that eventually got injured under said PT. Nuff said I guess lol.

Meanwhile, as most PT clients are middle-aged and have been sedentary for the last 20 years while eating a diet of strict poison, it's pretty common for PT's to be dealing with clients who are hypertensive and have the cardiovascular systems of fecal matter, to the extent that most institutes that train PT's train them on breathing as if to assume that everyone has 160/95 blood pressure.

Haha, funny but true though, I can't imagine half the fat bastards going to the gym for a 'health kick' training with a PT will fare well if they tried the Valsava manoeuvre in their first session..

 

[Bench Polkov]

Hold your breath and punch PTs in the cock.

 

[The Hamburgler]

Lol ^

If you have a monolift you have an advantage as well cos you can take your breathe before you unrack the bar and hold it.
With a plate I can get through 5-6 reps this way before I feel like I'm going to pass out