Breathing during Strength Training

Topic 14

Gerald Dixon, Diploma in Exercise Science (NZ) and Medical Strengthening Therapy (FL) Kieser Training Melbourne, Australia

Have you ever wondered why instructors at Kie- ser Training promote “natural breathing”? It’s to avoid a common problem during strength trai- ning, the Valsalva maneuver.

A Valsalva maneuver is any attempted exhalation against a closed glottis or against a closed mouth and nose, i.e. holding your breath. It occurs during strenuous exercises, especially during the lifting part of the movement. It is counterproductive to training and sometimes dangerous.

It is named after Antonio Maria Valsalva, a famous Italian anatomist whose initial intention for the ma- neuver was as a method of expressing pus from the middle ear!

Valsalva can lead to ocular hypertension, which is the most important risk factor for glaucoma. The good news is that strength training with regular breathing actually positively influences intraocular pressure.

Valsalva also causes a drastic increase in pressure in the thoracic cavity and in the blood vessels. Depen- ding on its length, oxygen delivery to the body slows down and carbon dioxide levels in the blood increase due to poor venous return. Conse-quently, the body can also start to hyperventilate to correct the imba- lance. Valsalva and hyperventilation create symptoms of light headedness and dizziness and limit your performance during exercise. In extreme cases fainting and cardiac problems can occur. Avoid these problems by breathing out slowly and deliberately during the strenuous phase of movement. This will stop the counterproductive increase in pressure.

Your rate and depth of breath will naturally increase during exercise, but this is quite different from hy- perventilation. It normally starts toward the end of the first exercise and will continue until the end of your workout, but try and avoid the sudden rapid increases in breathing that can occur when you an- ticipate the strenuous lifting stage.

It’s easy to check whether you’re doing it correctly. If you’re not, you will be making a lot more noise during each repetition as a result from holding your breath in and suddenly “letting it out” and hyperven- tilation also causes very loud breathing.

By maintaining a consistent and controlled breath- ing rate you improve your performance and increase the level of safety from your workout, making your workouts even more beneficial.

What a breath of fresh air!

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