Without regular, reasonable physical activity, the body weakens, becomes helpless and ages faster. But, like any other business, physical education must obey certain rules, up to breathing.
Breathing is a vital part of human life. Without it, people simply cannot exist. With insufficient oxygen saturation of tissues, the body weakens, becomes less hardy and cannot perform the assigned tasks effectively. And it is especially important to maintain correct breathing during increased physical exertion during strength exercises.
What Scientists Say
Scientists' research shows that any muscle effort is accompanied by an active supply of oxygen to the cells. The heart beats faster, the blood runs more actively through the veins, the body receives more life-giving air than usual. But there is also feedback here. Just as exercise stimulates deep breathing, so does the latter affect effective exercise performance.
And, according to the latest data, the most optimal breathing rhythm during exercise is: inhale when the body makes the least effort, and exhale when the highest. Simply put, if you are doing a bench press, then when you lift it, you should exhale, and when you lower it, you should inhale.
Also, according to the research of physiologists, on exhalation, the optimal grouping of various muscles occurs. The press strains, the body becomes more stable, the pectoral muscles are grouped as much as possible, resulting in a kind of high-strength corset.
On inhalation, on the contrary, the chest stretches, relaxes. The abdominal muscles also become relaxed. This state of the body is not grouped, which is in no way suitable for good physical exercise. You can do your own experiment and try to tense with a relaxed and tense stomach. Everyone will note how much easier or more difficult it is to do this in a certain position.
Holding your breath - pros and cons
There are athletes who are of the opinion that you need to hold your breath while trying. The reasoning here is simple. There is no need to spend energy on exhaling, to be distracted by maintaining the rhythm of breathing, and the effort becomes easier to do. This is indeed the case.
However, for the body itself, this is a great stress. Pressure rises strongly, which negatively affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels of the brain. If you are not in your best shape, this neglect of breathing can negatively affect your well-being. Various manifestations are possible here, from sudden weakness, darkening in the eyes, to loss of consciousness and a stroke. That is why professional athletes highly recommend that you still develop and consolidate the correct breathing rhythm.
