Question on Squats, Breathing, and Intra-abdominal pressure

[chaddukes]

I have a question about squats and breathing.

When I'm doing squats I tend to breath in and brace my abs, then do one rep, exhale, breath in and brace again before doing another rep. Rinse, and Repeat. Is this what I'm supposed to be doing? Or should I be breathing throughout the rep, breathing in on the eccentric, bracing at the bottom and exhaling on the concentric? That doesn't seem natural, yet I know I've read that somewhere. Also, Is there any value in holding your breath and bracing then performing multiple reps?

[OldGuy]

Lyle McDonald on breathing.

John Izzo on breathing.

[chaddukes]

Good info! Thanks.

The Lyle MacDonald article seems to indicate that I'm going about this the right way. However, I didn't really get John Izzo's article.

[OldGuy]

John's article shows the need to train your core when breathing is labored (ie. as you get further into your set).

I also think you need to brace during the whole rep range.

[chaddukes]

OK, that makes sense regarding John's article. I can see that now.

As for bracing, are you saying that you should not be taking a breath during an entire set? I must not be understanding you correctly. If I'm doing a set of ten squats there is no way I can do that without taking a breath. Or are you saying that breathing should be done during the motion? How do you take a breath without losing your intra-abdominal pressure?

[OldGuy]

Brace before you drop into the squat and maintain it throughout the rep. Breath during the whole rep.

[John Izzo]

Brace before you descend to stabilize the spine. When you start going heavy on squats, if you don't brace, you are going to fold in half. As for my article...I touched (and I mean only touched) upon McGill's work on training core activation THROUGH fatigue. Something I have begun concentraing on with my clients--as repeititions continue and fatigue veers its ugly head, core activation is lost. Apply that concept to your heavy squat and you lose form.

[lawyerjoke]

Here's a link to a Youtube video of Mark Rippetoe on the subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkeN_fkXrdE

[CharDar]

Originally Posted by lawyerjoke

Here's a link to a Youtube video of Mark Rippetoe on the subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkeN_fkXrdE

Good link. The Valsalva method is one that I use and believe in, as well. Of course this technique is only needed when lifting the heaviest of weights (note: the example in the video).

Of course he also goes much more in-depth with the methodology in the book Starting Strength.