3 Effective Breathing Techniques To Improve Strength Training

Did you know by harnessing the power of your breath and channeling it to physical activity, one can enhance their endurance and strength? This is more so in strength training. In fact, for people who are into strength training, learning the correct techniques to breathe must be a priority. By breathing right, you will have better stability, improved focus, and more strength while performing your exercises. Let us look at three breathing techniques you can implement to improve your strength training workouts.

Technique 1 – Preparing Yourself Before a Workout

Correct breathing can have a significant impact on your performance. Before you begin your workout, warm up your body with stretches and practice deep inhales and exhales. Deep breathing can boost activity in the parasympathetic nervous system. This calms your fight or flight response and soothes your demeanor. To ensure that you are breathing deeply, your abdomen should rise before your chest while inhaling. This way you know you are taking proper, deep breaths.

Technique 2 – Breathing During Heavy Strength Training

The thumb rule for strength training is to exhale as you lift or push weights. To make sure you have the right breathing technique, inhale deeply and start exhaling the moment you lift the weights. Exhale for as long as you can while performing your exercise. While lowering the weight, inhale through your nose.

Avoid breathing through your mouth as it results in quick and shallow breaths. Take long, slow breathes through your nose. If your breathing is done correctly, you can use your breath to do more reps and strengthen your muscles.

Technique 3 – Breathing To Create Stability

After mastering the above breathing technique, the next step is to create stability. Also known as the Valsalva Maneuver, you can use this breathing technique to avoid feelings of unsteadiness and increase your performance during exercises.

After you inhale, hold your abdomen before performing the exercise. This makes your core muscles tensed up which in-turn stabilizes them to help you perform tough moves. Once you reach your limit, steadily release your breath through your nose.

It is advisable to practice this breathing technique under a fitness trainer as it is an advanced technique and should not be carried out by beginners. Overdoing could lead to nausea or dizziness.

By implementing the above-mentioned breathing techniques, you are bound to see a notable difference in the performance of your strength training workouts. All it takes is some determination, proper guidance under a trainer and reliable fitness machines from expert gym equipment manufacturers.