Breathing During Weight Training - A How to Guide

A lot of beginner weight trainers neglect proper breathing during weight training. It seems like something so simple that you may wonder why we have a whole article dedicated solely to proper breathing while weight lifting.

Breathing properly while lifting weights can help you:

• Lift heavier weights more comfortably

• Make your exercises more efficient

• Help prevent injury

Seems like some pretty good benefits just from breathing right. So what's the right formula. Make sure to exhale when you exert yourself and inhale when you are not exerting yourself.

The point at which you stick your exercise is when you should exhale - i.e. the highest point of your bicep curl. When you are coming down from this point, you should start inhaling to set up for the next rep.

Most persons tend to hold their breathe when they exert themselves. This is true of all sports, not only weight lifting. It is often why martial artists yell when they punch or kick. This way they are reminded to breathe and rewarded with a much stronger strike.

The same will happen for your muscles. You will be able to lift heavier weights by only added a strong exhale at the peak of your rep.

Not only does breathing help you lift heavier weights more comfortably, it also helps with blood circulation in your body. Holding your breathe can decrease blood flow leading to dizziness. A decrease in blood flow leads to an increase in blood pressure which puts extra stress on your heart.

So do you body good and remember to breathe with each rep.