The best general breathing recommendation is to exhale through so called “sticking point” during the concentric phase ( when pushing or pulling the weight) and inhale during the eccentric phase (when you are releasing the weight back to the starting position).

Sticking point is the most difficult part of exercise - you should exhale. Than inhale during the easier part of the exercise.

Typically, the sticking point occurs soon after the transition from when you are releasing the weight back to the starting position to the period when you are pushing or pulling the weight.

For example, since the sticking point of the shoulder press exercise is reached when the machine handles are about halfway up, you should exhale through this portion of the movement. As the bar or handles are lowered back down to the starting position, you should inhale. These breathing strategy applies to nearly all resistance training exercises (weight lifting exercises).

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 23rd, 2008 at 8:0 1 and is filed under Resistance training exercise techniques. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.