Proper (and Safe) Breathing During Weight Training

by Maia Appleby

Weight plate goes up. Weight plate goes down. When do you inhale and exhale throughout all this? Why does it even matter? Read on for answers:

When I begin to work with someone who has never used weights before, I always give them light weights -- sometimes ridiculously light. One of the dumbest things you can do is to pick up heavy weights when you’re not sure what you’re doing. If you’re just beginning a weight training program, go ridiculously light and perfect your form and breathing.

Form varies from one exercise to another. In general, you want to keep everything smooth. Never lock your knees or elbows. Never let weight plates collide. Do everything slowly, controlling your motions with the muscles you are working, rather than letting momentum or gravity take control. Keep your back straight (unless you’re doing back exercises) and your neck relaxed. I could go on and on. Form is very important.

Another thing that beginners must learn is how to breathe. It may seem like a piddly little thing to worry about, but it really is crucial.

First and foremost, never hold your breath when you lift a heavy weight. This could cause a heart attack, a hernia or a stroke, not to mention dizziness and fainting. When you strain and hold your breath, your chest is put under so much pressure that the blood in your veins can’t return to your heart. You should apply this to your life, as well, when you’re moving furniture or whatever else. Always breathe!

The best way to protect your heart from undue strain is to breathe out as you lift the weight. I tell my people, "Exhale when you exert." On weight machines, any time the weight plates go up, you should be breathing out. The only exception to this is when you’re lifting something up over your head. Many weight trainers feel more comfortable inhale while doing shoulder presses and things like that. You can breathe either way you prefer, in this case.

I have actually seen articles on "fitness" websites telling people to hold their breath while lifting the weight, because it increases the amount of force you can exert on the lift. How irresponsible! These are the guys who take all the supplements and steroids for the sake of getting bigger. This type of self-destructive narcissism is just as dangerous as anorexia nervosa. I don’t consider being unable to scratch one’s own neck a signal of great health. Believe me -- breathe properly.

Just the same way, don’t hold your breath when you stretch, either. Stretching should be a relaxing activity at the end of your workout. I often call it the "dessert", to the delight of my fatigued clients. Hold each stretch for ten to twenty seconds and breathe steadily throughout them, preferably in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Keeping a healthy flow of oxygen in your bloodstream is one of the biggest favors you can do for your body. It improves your body’s ability to function in many ways, ultimately helping you to lose weight. If you make a habit of breathing the right way from the onset, you’ll maximize the benefits you get from weight training