If you are new to lifting it can be hard to remember all the cues. Some lifts are very complex but we do try to make it as simple as possible. One thing that most people will forget about when lifting is proper breathing patterns. This has two consequences:
1: During high rep lifting you will fatigue quicker which means you will slow down or having to stop your set early. This will hurt your rhythm and your ability to move a lighter load for a big set.
2. During heavy lifting you will lose the ability to stay tight through your core and you will miss the lift.
Fixing the Problem:
When lifting with lighter loads you have two main options. The first one is to time your reps with your breathing and get one rep per breath. Inhale when you are resetting for the next rep and exhale when you are lifting the weight. This pattern will allow you to do big sets without fatiguing earlier than expected. one thing to point out though, if you are forcing yourself to do faster reps and thereby taking shallower breaths that could be fatiguing in itself, make sure these breaths are at an optimal depth.
Your other option is to take an extra breath between reps this would be done if the weight is getting heavier or if you are fatiguing but still feel you can finish the set. You would exhale as you are lifting the weight but at the top of the rep you will hold the weight take an extra full breath cycle and then inhale to reset. The depth of this extra breath cycle will depend on your ability to hold the weight in position. That would be a tactical decision to make at the time.
When lifting heavy weights breathing becomes even more important. You want to fill your lungs with air right before you lift or as you are resetting to lift. Filling your lungs with air improves your ability to tighten your core during a lift. The way I see it is when your muscles are in their weakest position during a lift I.E. start of a deadlift, Bottom of the squat etc you need something else to be at its strongest and a tight core is your only option (other than a strong mind but that is for another blogpost). Take a deep breath hold it as you are loading the movement I.E. setting up to deadlift or lowering the bar in a squat, and as you are lifting the weight exhale slowly.
I hope this little explanation helps you. Start thinking about how you breath during your lifting be in high rep or low rep work. Reach out to us if you need more help with this during lifting.
Christian
Friday 29/9/10
Chipper:
50 KB Swings 24/16kg
50 Walking Lunges
50 Sit ups
35 KB Swings
35 Walking Lunges
35 Sit Ups
15 KB Swings
15 Walking Lunges
15 Sit Ups
