Breathing correctly while deadlifting is an important aspect of proper form and technique, as it can help you lift more weight and avoid injury. In this blog, we’ll explore why proper breathing is important when deadlifting, how to breathe correctly while lifting, and how to incorporate breath work into your deadlift training.
Why Proper Breathing is Important When Deadlifting
Proper breathing is important when deadlifting for a number of reasons. First and foremost, proper breathing helps you maintain proper spinal alignment and stability. When you inhale, your ribcage expands, creating space within your thoracic cavity. This expansion of your ribcage also creates intra-abdominal pressure, which helps to support and stabilize your spine. Conversely, if you don’t breathe properly while deadlifting, you risk collapsing your ribcage and losing the intra-abdominal pressure that supports your spine, potentially leading to poor form and an increased risk of injury.
Proper breathing can also help you lift more weight. When you inhale and create intra-abdominal pressure, you’re essentially creating a “pressure suit” around your body that helps to transfer force from your lower body to your upper body. This allows you to generate more force and lift heavier weights. Additionally, proper breathing can help you maintain focus and concentration while lifting, which can further improve your performance.
How to Breathe Correctly While Deadlifting
Now that we’ve established why proper breathing is important when deadlifting, let’s talk about how to breathe correctly while lifting. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:
- Inhale before you lift: Before you begin the lift, take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs and expanding your ribcage. This will create the intra-abdominal pressure we discussed earlier, which will help to support and stabilize your spine.
- Exhale on the way up: As you lift the weight off the ground, exhale through your mouth. This will help you to maintain proper spinal alignment and focus on the lift.
- Inhale at the top: Once you reach the top of the lift, take another deep breath in through your nose. This will help to further stabilize your spine and prepare you for the next rep.
- Exhale on the way down: As you lower the weight back to the ground, exhale through your mouth. This will help you to maintain control and stability as you lower the weight.
- Repeat: Continue to alternate between inhaling and exhaling as you complete your reps.
It’s important to note that the timing of your breaths may vary depending on the weight you’re lifting and the speed at which you’re lifting it. However, the general principle of inhaling before you lift and exhaling as you lift remains the same.
Incorporating Breath Work into Your Deadlift Training
Now that we’ve covered the basics of proper breathing while deadlifting, let’s talk about how to incorporate breath work into your training. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Practice your breath work: Just like any other aspect of your training, it’s important to practice your breath work in order to improve. You can do this by incorporating breath work drills into your warm-up routine or by focusing on your breathing while lifting lighter weights.
- Pay attention to your breath: As you lift, pay attention to your breath and make sure you’re following the breathing guidelines outlined above. It can be helpful to count your breaths in order to stay on track. For example, you might inhale on the first count and exhale on the second count.
- Use breath work to stay focused: In addition to helping with proper form and lifting heavier weights, proper breathing can also help you stay focused and present during your lifts. When you’re focused on your breath, you’re less likely to get distracted or lose concentration, which can lead to better performance.
- Don’t hold your breath: It’s important to avoid holding your breath while deadlifting, as this can increase your blood pressure and put unnecessary strain on your body. If you find yourself holding your breath while lifting, try to relax and focus on taking slow, controlled breaths in and out.
- Experiment with different breathing patterns: Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with different breathing patterns to see what works best for you. Some people find it helpful to exhale on the way up and inhale on the way down, while others prefer to exhale on the way down. Ultimately, the most important thing is to find a breathing pattern that helps you maintain proper form and focus while lifting.
In conclusion, proper breathing is an important aspect of proper form and technique when deadlifting. By inhaling before you lift and exhaling as you lift, you can help to maintain proper spinal alignment and stability, lift heavier weights, and stay focused and present during your lifts. By incorporating breath work into your training and experimenting with different breathing patterns, you can improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury.