Mastering Breathing Techniques for Push-Ups and Other Exercises

Controlling your breathing during push-ups is crucial for maintaining endurance and stability. Here’s a simple guide on how to breathe effectively.

Effective Breathing During Push-Ups

Inhale on the Way Down:

As you lower your body towards the ground, take a deep breath in. This helps prepare your muscles for the exertion of pushing back up.

Exhale on the Way Up:

As you push yourself back up to the starting position, exhale forcefully. This helps engage your core and provides power for the movement.

Maintain a Steady Rhythm:

Aim for a consistent breathing pattern. For example, you might inhale for a count of two as you lower yourself and exhale for a count of one as you push up. Adjust the timing based on your comfort and fitness level.

Avoid Holding Your Breath:

Holding your breath can increase intra-abdominal pressure and may lead to fatigue more quickly. Focus on keeping a steady flow of breath.

Listen to Your Body:

If you find yourself getting out of breath, take a moment to pause and breathe deeply before continuing.

By incorporating these breathing techniques, you can improve your performance and make your push-up routine more effective.

Controlling Breathing for Maximum Strength Output

In general, we aim to increase stability during a set to maximize strength output. For instance, during a heavy back squat, we often use the Valsalva manoeuvre. Here’s how to execute it: Take a Deep Breath and Hold It:

Take a deep breath and hold it.

Do the Lowering Phase of the Square:

Perform the lowering phase of the squat with the breath held.

Start Squatting Up:

Once you reach the sticking point, you can exhale.

Repeat:

Repeat this process throughout the set.

This technique works well for low-rep sets. However, if you’re doing moderate to high reps, you can use the Valsalva manoeuvre at the end of the set. At the beginning, you can simply breathe in during the eccentric phase and breathe out during the concentric phase.

A General Rule of Breathing for Exercises

A good general rule is to exhale on the hard part of the exercise and to inhale on the easier part. For a push-up, the part that is more challenging is going down. Therefore, you should exhale during that part of the movement. Apply this general rule to your weightlifting exercises. It can help improve your performance and breathing control, enhancing your overall workout efficiency.

Remember, mastering these breathing techniques can significantly impact your strength, endurance, and overall fitness. Whether you're lifting weights or performing push-ups, paying attention to your breathing can be the difference between a mediocre workout and a highly effective one.