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Kyle Aaron
Active member
NPR
Member
What I have described above is known as the Valsalva or Partial Valsalva maneuver. Its designed to increase intra-abdominal pressure and protect the spine (mainly). It will also raise blood pressure, thats the vein making an appearance. Unless you have existing blood pressure issue dont worry about it.
If you let the air out half way through a rep you lose the pressure, negating the point of the manouver in the first place and placing your spine at greater risk.
If you can master this you'll be surprised at the extra amount of weight you can move too.
If you let the air out half way through a rep you lose the pressure, negating the point of the manouver in the first place and placing your spine at greater risk.
If you can master this you'll be surprised at the extra amount of weight you can move too.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Your lungs will not burst, you cannot generate enough pressure for that by yourself, you need a tyre pump or something for that 
It's just very uncomfortable. I have this instinct against doing things involving heavy weights which make me feel uncomfortable... like thumbless bench press grips, behind the neck presses, and holding my breath while squatting. These are all things which work for many people, but...
It's just very uncomfortable. I have this instinct against doing things involving heavy weights which make me feel uncomfortable... like thumbless bench press grips, behind the neck presses, and holding my breath while squatting. These are all things which work for many people, but...
Kyle Aaron
Active member
You'd think so, but I've never heard of it actually happening. The guys who are comfortable doing it seem to be quite safe with it.
Bench bar drops (I don't mean failure on a rep, but an actual drop) that cause injury to the lifter mostly happen in the re-racking, the person fails to lock out on their last rep, and tries to bring a heavy weight across their neck and head with their arms half-cocked while they're fatigued at the end of the set... ow.
The other drop is when just one side fails on the lift and the plates aren't collared, dink-clunk-thump on one side, dink-CLANG on the other, it can get messy, but usually won't cause actual injury to the lifter, except maybe a pulled muscle - though it may cause injury to anyone nearby
But anyway, I've never heard of a bench bar slipping out of someone's thumbless grip. Doesn't mean it's never happened, of course. Some people can manage it, it seems.
Anyway, if it feels comfortable it's probably alright, if it's not then you have to look at it again, alter slightly how you do it, or don't do it at all. That's why I want to hear more about the breathing thing - it could be that the exact timing of when you start the breath is really important, or something like that.
Bench bar drops (I don't mean failure on a rep, but an actual drop) that cause injury to the lifter mostly happen in the re-racking, the person fails to lock out on their last rep, and tries to bring a heavy weight across their neck and head with their arms half-cocked while they're fatigued at the end of the set... ow.
The other drop is when just one side fails on the lift and the plates aren't collared, dink-clunk-thump on one side, dink-CLANG on the other, it can get messy, but usually won't cause actual injury to the lifter, except maybe a pulled muscle - though it may cause injury to anyone nearby
But anyway, I've never heard of a bench bar slipping out of someone's thumbless grip. Doesn't mean it's never happened, of course. Some people can manage it, it seems.
Anyway, if it feels comfortable it's probably alright, if it's not then you have to look at it again, alter slightly how you do it, or don't do it at all. That's why I want to hear more about the breathing thing - it could be that the exact timing of when you start the breath is really important, or something like that.
NPR
Member
Please dont compare the breathing manouver I have explained to the moronic process of suicide grip on the bench. I have personally seen a bar come out of somones hands with 150kg and send them to hospital. The Valsalva will do no harm, it will in fact protect your spine (something I gather you could benifit from a lot kyle) and the rest of your body.
Sure it might not feel comfortable the first few times but it will become natural.
Sure it might not feel comfortable the first few times but it will become natural.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
Okay, I'll give it a go.
Kyle Aaron
Active member
To be clear, I meant that I would give the breath-holding a go
tonyharrison
New member
trofius
Member
I usually breath in as i lower the weight, and out as I get near the top, of the lift. For heavier weights i do hold my breath for most of it, i take a deep breath in before i lower it, and breath out as I nearly complete the lift. The heavier weights usually are a much slower rep.
J
Josh_GTiR
Guest
I take a breath before the press and do not exhale until the press is over and I am about to do another one. It's amazing how something as simple as breathing can really help increase your lifts.
Fadi
...
Just concentrate on your lifting and let your body take care of the breathing. If whatever reason you get it wrong, your body will sooner then later correct it.
In 29 years of lifting, I haven't once been told or told anyone to correct their breathing pattern.
It's like a newborn baby suckling from its mother's breast; no instructions there, just pure instincts.
Fadi.
In 29 years of lifting, I haven't once been told or told anyone to correct their breathing pattern.
It's like a newborn baby suckling from its mother's breast; no instructions there, just pure instincts.
Fadi.
T
Tekkerz
Guest
It's all about control. Breathing is one of the most fundamental bodily functions and yet most people cruise through life, and even through workouts without paying their breath any mind at all.
If you can be aware of and acutely in control of this most basic of bodily functions throughout you daily life and especially when exercising you may find that you have much more control of the more complex functions you perform during your exercise such as deadlift/benchpress ect...
As for when to breathe in/out, Id recommend breathing in when you are relaxed and breathing out when you exerting yourself as a general rule...
I also recommend abdominal breathing in between exercises to restore energy and even out the heart rate.
If you can be aware of and acutely in control of this most basic of bodily functions throughout you daily life and especially when exercising you may find that you have much more control of the more complex functions you perform during your exercise such as deadlift/benchpress ect...
As for when to breathe in/out, Id recommend breathing in when you are relaxed and breathing out when you exerting yourself as a general rule...
I also recommend abdominal breathing in between exercises to restore energy and even out the heart rate.