How Do You Breathe When You Workout?
I get this question all the time, in relation to specific exercises. When am I supposed to inhale and when am I supposed to exhale?
As a trainer, I love this question. What it shows to me is a greater understanding the person working out has about the power of exercise as well as a willingness to learn about said power. It also shows me that the person is wanting to make sure that what they’re doing is effective.
Here’s your technical fancy answer: for working out you should be inhaling on the eccentric phase of the exercise and exhaling during the concentric phase of the exercise.
I know, you’re like eccentric? What the HECK is that? The eccentric portion of an exercise is when your muscle is lengthening under load. The easiest way for me to think of this is when you straighten out your arm in a bicep curl. That’s when you inhale. It prepares the muscle for work. Lengthening the muscle helps with muscle repair and increasing metabolic rates.
Conversely, concentric action of the muscle is when the muscle is contracted. Like the top of a bicep curl. That’s the actual work. When the muscle is shortened, it generates enough force to move an object. The concentric movement is when you exhale. Without getting too deep into the fancy science behind filaments and tendons, the exhale helps the work seem easier.
Ultimately, the breath works with the length of the muscle so you get maximum results. Really that’s what you want right? To make sure you’re getting the best results and the most effective workout in the short amount of time you have in your day TO workout.
While all this depth of understanding is awesome, and definitely knowledge you should be aware of when you’re working out, at the end of the day, it’s not the primary focus for me. The primary focus for me is that you’re moving your body and taking time out for yourself, doing something that will more actively move you towards your goals.
It’s definitely something you should be practicing and while you need to have this awareness and be mindful of it while you’re working out, if it’s not being used with every single rep of every single exercise, it’s not the end of the world. Just make sure you’re breathing while you’re working out and you’re good. All those details will come with time and practice.
All you need are some weights for these time efficient workouts that are sure to make you sweat!
