lifting question

[Obsessed]

I'm pretty sure all of learned at some point that when lifting, we should exhale during the exertion/contraction phase of the rep, and inhale during the opposite movement. Now, those of you who have read Starting Strength know that Mark Rippetoe advocates inhaling prior to the rep and holding your breath during the rep (the "Valsalva maneuver"). In fact, he pretty much calls anyone who advocates the traditional breathing method an idiot. People who advocate the traditional breathing method, on the other hand, think that the Valsalva maneuver is a dangerous technique that raises blood pressure and increases the risk of a variety of negative health effects.

I like a lot of the technique advice in Starting Strength, but the Valsalva maneuver makes me a little nervous. What do you guys think?

[RichGem]

I'm pretty sure all of learned at some point that when lifting, we should exhale during the exertion/contraction phase of the rep, and inhale during the opposite movement. Now, those of you who have read Starting Strength know that Mark Rippetoe advocates inhaling prior to the rep and holding your breath during the rep (the "Valsalva maneuver"). In fact, he pretty much calls anyone who advocates the traditional breathing method an idiot. People who advocate the traditional breathing method, on the other hand, think that the Valsalva maneuver is a dangerous technique that raises blood pressure and increases the risk of a variety of negative health effects.

I like a lot of the technique advice in Starting Strength, but the Valsalva maneuver makes me a little nervous. What do you guys think?

I've always heard that holding your breath can be dangerous: raises BP, deprives you of oxygen, and is just generally bad.... can lead to light headeness, over exertion, passing out, etc. I tend to believe this. My lifts are best when I breathe properly... inhale before the rep and exhale during exertion.

[luvmysuper]

Having suffered a collapsed lung while holding my breath during a lift a few years ago (ok, it was suitcases, but you get the idea) I did some research, and holding the breath while exerting on a lift is more often associated with spontaneous pneumothorax than lifting while breathing.

There are other risk factors, and this was just one, but it was one nonetheless.

[Pebcak]

If Rip says to hold your breath I'd say its a good idea to test for yourself. The Valsalva maneuver works and is a good idea, it however doesn't mean you don't ever breath. I think a lot of new starters to the Valsalva maneuver make this mistake hence the injuries etc.

Take squatting for example, unrack the bar, step back, big breath that you hold tight, squat, breath, big breath you hold, squat, breath, repeat. I'm willing to beat too many new folks think they're to hold it for their entire set.

[azmark]

And that is the reason I chose to avoid heavy lifting

[professorchaos]

Is there a compelling reason he advocates what is generally known to be an unsafe practice? I'm a pretty accomplished lifter and I got where I am by dint of hard work, commitment and normal breathing.

[Obsessed]

Is there a compelling reason he advocates what is generally known to be an unsafe practice? I'm a pretty accomplished lifter and I got where I am by dint of hard work, commitment and normal breathing.

Here's a video of him discussing it:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkeN_fkXrdE[/YOUTUBE]

[noahpictures]

I tried it years ago and I've never heard of of Rippetoefootkneeshin guy. It doesn't feel right because it is not safe. I tried it while doing curls standing up. Exhaling during exertion/contraction protects the back by tightening up the abdominal muscles. When I held my breath, it felt less safe. I think it increases the chance of back injury and possibly passing out.

[Stubblefield]

I like a lot of the technique advice in Starting Strength, but the Valsalva maneuver makes me a little nervous. What do you guys think?

Pavel also recommends it, and I think Oly lifters use it when coming out of the hole. I think Louie Simmons might even have his crew do it. But it doesn't mean you never breathe during the lift.

The bit about it causing heart attacks, similar to the common warning that squats are bad for your knees, is not founded on any data, I believe.

[Obsessed]

I'm willing to beat too many new folks think they're to hold it for their entire set.

But it doesn't mean you never breathe during the lift.

I didn't think he meant to hold your breath for the entire set; I read it as meaning

-inhale, hold breath
-rep
-exhale, inhale, hold breath
-rep
etc.

This is still contrary to what most of us were taught.. That doesn't necessarily make it wrong, obviously. But to call everyone who thinks differently is an "idiot," as Rippetoe does, is pretty silly. It's not exactly counterintuitive to think that holding one's breath at the point of maximum exertion might not be safe. (Isn't that what happened to Elvis in a slightly different context?)

[ackvil]

Interesting -but I don't understand how this helps your spine.

I have often found myself holding my breath - but it was unintentional. I would love to see a medical experiment to see if it really raises ones blood pressure.

[Stubblefield]

But to call everyone who thinks differently is an "idiot," as Rippetoe does, is pretty silly.

That's just Ripp, he tends to be very crusty and short-tempered. He does know his stuff when it comes to lifting.

[Harvitz81]

Read enough about lifting and you will hear everything. Me personally, if I hold my breath while lifting instead of exhaling I find that it makes me light headed and puts a strain on my heart.

I was born with congenital heart disease (only found out a year ago), so because of this I've scaled back on lifting heavy and definitely breath normally.

Still lift pretty much 5-6 days/week, but I think holding your breath (especially when lifting heavy) is not a good idea. Then again, I don't have a doctorate in sports medicine or anything.

[The Nid Hog]

Interesting -but I don't understand how this helps your spine.

I have often found myself holding my breath - but it was unintentional. I would love to see a medical experiment to see if it really raises ones blood pressure.

I might be wrong, but as I understand his explanation, he argues that this keeps your core muscles engaged, creating a stable "cylinder" at the center of your body. So it's more than just holding your breath--it's doing that as part of the larger process.

[waitasecun]

I'm in a doctoral physical therapy program at NSU in south Florida. I asked my teacher about this. He stated that holding your breath will give you more strength by stabalizing your thorax which in turn means that less strength will be lost by your body's small movements or waivering. In physics lingo, you are creating a straighter and more direct vector for the energy that your muscles are creating to travel down. Basically, less energy is lost. But there is plenty of downsides such as dizziness, aneurysms, increase chance of herniation due to increased intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressures, etc. I don't think the benefits outweigh the costs. I will have my cardio-pulmonary class on this topic today and I will list anything else I learn. Hope that helps

[mkornecki]

I've worked out for a significant amount of time, and while I do not consciously try to hold my breath, it just seems to happen naturally during maximum exertion when doing heavy lifts.

I think I exhale during the last 10% of the motion during squats or bench or military press.

For things like curling, it does seem to be more natural for me to exhale during the entire curl tho...

Do people actually exhale during the entire contraction on things like pullups? That seems really unnatural to me.

[Obsessed]

That's just Ripp, he tends to be very crusty and short-tempered. He does know his stuff when it comes to lifting.

He clearly knows his stuff - I wish I had his advice on squats when I was in college. But the pysiological effects of various breathing techniques may be beyond his area of expertise. There is at least a chance that cardiologists know more than he does, although he'd never admit it.
Still, I'm lifting light enough now (I'm not doing the actual starting strength program) that I may give it a try. But it still makes me a bit nervous.

[p.m.a.]

I'm in a doctoral physical therapy program at NSU in south Florida. I asked my teacher about this. He stated that holding your breath will give you more strength by stabalizing your thorax which in turn means that less strength will be lost by your body's small movements or waivering. In physics lingo, you are creating a straighter and more direct vector for the energy that your muscles are creating to travel down. Basically, less energy is lost. But there is plenty of downsides such as dizziness, aneurysms, increase chance of herniation due to increased intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressures, etc. I don't think the benefits outweigh the costs. I will have my cardio-pulmonary class on this topic today and I will list anything else I learn. Hope that helps

Thanks for the professional input. I've got an inguinal hernia that pops through every so often w/ weight training. It's been much better since my PT informed me that holding any breath on the lift will aggravate the condition.

[DogHair]

I played around with this last night. I don't see how you could lift heavy without holding your breath. There is no way other to stabilize the core. I can mess around with warm-up weights breathing normally but throw some weight on the bar and you need to inhale and push.

[waitasecun]

The key concept is "Proximal Stability creates Distal Mobility". Stabilize your core/ trunk/thorax, and you get increased strength to your appendages via the more direct vectors causing less energy loss.