Maintaining a steady flow of oxygen during weight lifting is vital to reaching your maximum performance. In his book "Weight Training for Life," James Hesson recommends that weight lifters exhale during the most strenuous lifting part of the exercise. While some types of exercise use multiple breathing patterns, such as aerobic or cardiovascular workouts, strength training requires a proper inhale and exhale rhythm to reduce injuries while lifting.
Adopting Proper Breathing
The most effective method for maintaining a steady flow of oxygen while lifting is the concentric exhalation method. Adopt this proper breathing technique by inhaling as you return the weight to its starting position in what is called the "eccentric phase" of lifting. Begin exhaling as you enter the "concentric phase" of the lifting exercise, breathing out as you slowly lift the weight and completing your breath once the weight is fully lifted. The biological theory behind this breathing approach is that it allows the momentum of your body's expulsion of air in the lungs to exert additional force to help lift the weight.
Oxygen and Burning Fat
According to the Military Fitness Center website, maintaining a steady flow of oxygen during your workout is essential for burning off fat and converting calories to energy while exercising. By sustaining a deep breathing rhythm during your lifting, you will be able to maintain a steady heart rate during lifting, while conserving enough energy to complete each set.
Dangers of Improper Breathing
Adopting improper breathing methods is one of the most frequent mistakes committed by beginning lifters. According to the Mayo Clinic, holding your breath while lifting weights can lead to a dangerous spike in your blood pressure, causing dizziness or nausea during your workout and removing energy from your lift. Holding your breath during different phases of the exercise can also lead to rapid or infrequent breathing, causing your body to briefly panic due to the lack of oxygen.
Safety Concerns
Talk to your doctor before beginning a weight lifting regimen if you have never lifted weights before. Inquire whether or not you are fit and healthy enough to lift weights, and inform your doctor about any concerns you may have about improper breathing or insufficient lung capacity. If you are uncertain about how to correctly perform a weight lifting exercise, contact a gym employee or personal trainer and ask him to "spot" you while you exercise.
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