Why do we encourage breathing out during exertion? Breathing out during the hardest part of the exercise (exertion) pulls your ribs towards your spine, engaging your abdominals and stabilizing your back. It also prevents build up of blood pressure in the vessels.
There are a few exceptions where temporary breath holding (2-3 sec.) is necessary to keep the spine stable. This typically happens during HEAVY resistance exercises such as Squats and Deadlifts.
Not sure if you’re breathing right during your lifts? Have your coach spot you during your next training session. They’ll be able to tell you if you’re breathing optimally.
