Power Breathing

[samurai69]

Power Breathing

Before using power breathing techniques in your routines it would be advisable to consult a doctor and find out what's best for you.

When you take in a breath and hold it whilst maintaining maximum tension (see high tension techniques) you create pressure on the inside of your body which translates directly into power. When using power breathing techniques it amplifies your strength, martial artists have known this for years which is why at the connecting point of strike you will hear them exhale the air inside of their body forcefully to amplify their power on impact.

In order to use power breathing to our advantage we obviously have to synchronize the breathing with any of our chosen exercises.
How might we do this people ask? simple, we hold our breath!

There are many people who will warn you not to hold your breath whilst lifting as it can cause serious injury or even kill. This is a myth, it has been researched by a number of professors and medical researchers.

Here is what Prof. Verkhoshansky and Dr Siff had to say: "Many medical and other authorities state that one should never hold the breath when training with weights. This well-meaning but misinformed, advice can lead to serious injury. The breath-holding (or Valsalva) manoeuvre increases the pressure in your abdomen and supports your lower spine. Without breath-holding far greater pressure is exerted on vulnerable structures of the lumbar spine, in particular the intevertebral disks and ligaments. Prolonged breath-holding (of more than a few seconds) causes a dramatic increase in blood pressure, followed by a sudden drop in this pressure after exhalation, so it is definitely not advisable for everyone, particularly older folk and those with a cardiovascular disease."

If you have consulted you GP and he says no to breath-holding then ask him if you can try this as an alternative.
When you are driving the weight up at the same time you forcefully exhale the air inside in a high pressured manner, just as you get past the sticking point of the lift open your mouth wide and empty your lungs as quickly as you can. Always make sure that you save a little air in the body to stabilize your spine.