A dive bomber pushup is a bodyweight exercise similar to a standard pushup, but with some flexibility components. Dive bomber pushups are an advanced exercise that requires significant upper body strength and flexibility. The proper breathing technique during a dive bomber depends on whether you are doing them for flexibility or to increase your strength.
First Half
Start in the downward facing dog position. Place your hands and feet flat on the floor, with your arms and legs straight. Set your hands shoulder-width apart and spread your legs a foot or more apart. Push your hips into the air so you are an inverted "V." Drop your head between your arms. Bend your elbows out to the sides and point your nose to a spot between your hands. Flatten yourself until you are parallel to, and a few inches above, the ground. Extend your elbows and drive your head and chest upwards, keeping your hips close to the ground. This is the upward facing dog position.
Second Half
Reverse direction. Bend your elbows and lower your head and chest until your body is a straight line a few inches off the ground, which is the flexed arm plank. Extend your elbows, pressing back up into the downward facing dog. The movement is one continuous motion. Don't pause when you are in the flexed arm plank. You can pause at the downward facing dog and upward facing dog positions.
Breathing Considerations
The dive bomber pushup is two pushups in one movement; you extend your arms twice. For this reason, you generally exhale twice and inhale twice during one complete dive bomber pushup. Dive bomber pushups consist of several yoga positions. If you are performing dive bombers as a flexibility exercise, you breathe differently than if you are doing them as a strength exercise. However, the important consideration is to breathe during this exercise and not hold your breath. Find a breathing pattern that feels natural to you.
Breathing Techniques
In yoga, you inhale when moving into backward bending postures, which is what the upward facing dog is. In this context, exhale as you start the movement, inhale into the upward facing dog, exhale back into the flexed arm plank and inhale back to the starting position.
In strength training, you typically exhale on exertion, which is when you extend your elbows. In this context, inhale as you start the movement, exhale into the upward facing dog, inhale back into the flexed arm plank and exhale back to the starting position.
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