Hi,

Got a quick question about breathing while doing the bench press. I've read of 2 different methods:

1) to take a deep breath and hold it in your stomach , do the press up and down, then back at the top breath out and repeat

2) to inhale as you come down and breath out as your pushing up

Does it matter which technique is used?

I've been told to do number 2 by someone who had a personal trainer. However, experts we are not.

You can do either.

You can use #2 for warm-ups of anything that is not that challenging of a weight.

I use #1. You stay a lot tighter that way and you have a better base to push off of.

Pick one and use it so that you are used to it when you are doing a heavy weight.

Iv never thought of #2 actually, but yea i can see how it would help with greater weight as i find it harder to do #1 when benching a heavier weight. looks like ima try #2 see if its better whilst doing heavier.

I've always done #2 and I've always heard that is the "correct" way. I don't think it's a good idea to hold your breath, it makes your blood pressure spike for one thing. Also exhaling is supposed to make your movement more powerful, that's why martial artists yell or exhale forcefully when delivering a blow

If you lift bigger weights you have to hold your breath. The amount of increased stability in the core is well worth it.

That is true. There is no danger with the increase. It is your bodies natural response.

Martial arts and weightlifting are not the same thing. The techniques used to increase strength and power are different.

If you read about "weightlifter's hemorrhoids" holding your breath and building pressure in your blood vessels is often blamed. I don't want to find out Maybe it's necessary with powerlifting, I don't know. I stick to between 8-12 reps.

Yes. Flexing muscle occludes blood flow as well, increasing blood pressure some, regardless of breathing.

I can't say that I have not seen blown blood vessels in the nose and eyes before. Because I have. It is pretty funny. I have never blown my eyes before. I have blown the nose. (Though I have never seen either of these things happen with the use of less than 700lbs)

I have to agree that for most people it really does not matter how they breath. Only that they are comfertable with what they are doing.

I have to say. I have been in the game a long time and never heard of this, or known anyone who has had such a thing.

There is no danger to using the valsalva maneuver. It seems to be a superstition of some sort.

The answer remains the same. Either style of breathing can be done.

Im quoting myself here as i jus realised i put it the wrong way down. Its #2 i use, whilst im gonna try #1 just to see if it differs

If you have a heart condition or something like that, holding your breath is not a good idea, but if you have a heart condition, you also need to get off the bench and go see a doctor.

The reason martial artists yell KIAAA when they attack is not because yelling makes you more powerful, it's because it increases the intra abdominal preassure. A "KIAAA" is almost like a caugh, the adams apple closes the "vent" and builds up preassure then releases it quickly to caugh or make a KIAAA. This preassure is the intra abdominal preassure, which stabilizes the spine which in turn allows your body to produce more force. Now, why do martial artists let this preassure out? (The way I see it, when you actually throw the punch (the rotation at the hips, etc) ou hold your breath, and release it in a KIAA after the punch has "left your hips" but before your fist hits the oponent) This is because if you get countered it's better to not be full of air, you are more compact that way.

That's how I see it.

FWIW, my PT also has me exhale while pushing.

Before I built my dungeon a guy at the gym where I belonged had breath so bad he earned the nickname "Breath Weapon" I spotted for him once or twice and I wish he had held his breath

As with almost everything else, it depends.

If you are an average, middle aged person, with somewhat of a risk for heart issues (age/weight/fam hist/fitness level) who's gotten 'soft around the middle' and looking for general fitness gains, then no, the valsalva maneuver isn't for you.

If you are a big strong meat-head who can bench press the middle aged guy, then it probably won't be a problem.

I read to hold your breath as you take the bar off the rack. As you begin to lower the bar, breath in deeply to your belly. Hold your breath at the bottom, as you change direction, and start back up until you get thru the sticking point, then breath out.

I just tried both methods for my workout, and the one where you to inhale as you come down and breath out as your pushing up worked best for me in all cases.