Struggling with breathing technique when back squatting

sammivvalters

Hi guys

I'm pretty new to lifting and I'm having trouble with back squats, I used to be pretty bad at them but I'm been progressing nicely since learning how to do the Valsalva maneuver and it's helped massively with my form. The problem I'm having however is that I'm not sure if I'm doing it correctly as I always seem to really struggle getting out of the hole on my last two reps. I know it's supposed to be hard but I feel like my form is turning to crap mainly because I run out of breath on the third squat.

Here's what I do:
Load the barbell onto my back, standard squat set up then I take a deep breath, inhale and pull air into my belly. I push my belly out, hold it and squat, managing three reps before I need to take a breath again so I spend a couple of seconds catching my breath then try to inhale and push the air into my belly again before performing the last two reps. The problem I'm having is the second time around I can't seem to do this as effectively, it's like I haven't got long enough to catch my breath before I inhale and squat again, and then because of that I don't feel as tight and my form is compromised.

Am I doing this wrong? Is it ok to take a short break after the three reps? Though I have found that I can't catch my breath as effectively with the barbell still on my back so would it be ok to rack it for maybe 30 seconds or so? Should I be able to hold my breath for the five reps? I've tried to hold my breath all the way through but I can't (maybe something to do with me being an ex-smoker). I don't have this problem with any of the other lifts, just squats because the squats seem to take longer than the other main lifts and I can hold my breath for a long enough time to complete the others.

I'm aware that I could well be doing the Valsalva maneuver completely wrong. I've done a lot of research on it but I guess it's one of those things that's hard to explain how to do so I've just done what I thought the article meant and it did make a difference but maybe I'm still not doing it correctly.

Any help would be really appreciated. :flowerforyou:

steve_mfp

So i had to look up what valsalva was...and i'm aware of the technique but never knew it's name. Also when i first learned it, it was not for squatting but regardless i'm familiar with it.

However, i've never held my breath with it...yes i've restricted the flow of air but never would i think to hold my breath through a movement.

I naturally breath from my abdomen, everyone really should, your lower lungs bring in a lot more oxygen than the chest.

When i do squats or DLs, i inhale and fill my lower lungs, you should feel your stomach and back actually expand, it should be 360 degrees, like filling a basket ball. Inhale, un-rack, drop down, stand-up while exhaling but it's a forced controlled exhale so i can keep the tension in my abdomen. But i never hold my breath, especially on the concentric phase of a movement.

While reading about the valsalva maneuver and holding your breath there were some horror stories and they make sense. I've filled my body with air and extra pressure like a balloon and then i add more pressure...things pop...like your blood vessels.

Regardless, you should still have a rotation of inhalation and exhalation between reps.

sammivvalters

So i had to look up what valsalva was...and i'm aware of the technique but never knew it's name. Also when i first learned it, it was not for squatting but regardless i'm familiar with it.

However, i've never held my breath with it...yes i've restricted the flow of air but never would i think to hold my breath through a movement.

I naturally breath from my abdomen, everyone really should, your lower lungs bring in a lot more oxygen than the chest.

When i do squats or DLs, i inhale and fill my lower lungs, you should feel your stomach and back actually expand, it should be 360 degrees, like filling a basket ball. Inhale, un-rack, drop down, stand-up while exhaling but it's a forced controlled exhale so i can keep the tension in my abdomen. But i never hold my breath, especially on the concentric phase of a movement.

While reading about the valsalva maneuver and holding your breath there were some horror stories and they make sense. I've filled my body with air and extra pressure like a balloon and then i add more pressure...things pop...like your blood vessels.

Regardless, you should still have a rotation of inhalation and exhalation between reps.

I've just edited this because I had a good think about it and I'm trying to explain what I mean better. I don't think I 'hold my breath' as such as in stop breathing completely. When I come out of the hole I do make small 'gasps' for air. I just can't seem to keep this style of breathing up for more than three reps and it feels like it exhausts me for a short while so it's hard to do again for the last two reps.

The problem is, because I'm new to this, I'm having to concentrate on getting everything right at the same time and it's difficult. I think it's also difficult to describe how to do this type of breathing but I've read it's natural like something you automatically do when trying to push a heavy object such as a car.

I will practice tonight, pushing the sofa or something and concentrate on what my body automatically does.

All I read is 'push air into your belly', 'brace yourself like you're about to be punched in the stomach', 'engage your core' but it's hard for me to visualise these things as I guess I've never actually done them whilst thinking about it as they're just natural reflexes.

SideSteel

So i had to look up what valsalva was...and i'm aware of the technique but never knew it's name. Also when i first learned it, it was not for squatting but regardless i'm familiar with it.

However, i've never held my breath with it...yes i've restricted the flow of air but never would i think to hold my breath through a movement.

I naturally breath from my abdomen, everyone really should, your lower lungs bring in a lot more oxygen than the chest.

When i do squats or DLs, i inhale and fill my lower lungs, you should feel your stomach and back actually expand, it should be 360 degrees, like filling a basket ball. Inhale, un-rack, drop down, stand-up while exhaling but it's a forced controlled exhale so i can keep the tension in my abdomen. But i never hold my breath, especially on the concentric phase of a movement.

While reading about the valsalva maneuver and holding your breath there were some horror stories and they make sense. I've filled my body with air and extra pressure like a balloon and then i add more pressure...things pop...like your blood vessels.

Regardless, you should still have a rotation of inhalation and exhalation between reps.

I've just edited this because I had a good think about it and I'm trying to explain what I mean better. I don't think I 'hold my breath' as such as in stop breathing completely. When I come out of the hole I do make small 'gasps' for air. I just can't seem to keep this style of breathing up for more than three reps and it feels like it exhausts me for a short while so it's hard to do again for the last two reps.

The problem is, because I'm new to this, I'm having to concentrate on getting everything right at the same time and it's difficult. I think it's also difficult to describe how to do this type of breathing but I've read it's natural like something you automatically do when trying to push a heavy object such as a car.

I will practice tonight, pushing the sofa or something and concentrate on what my body automatically does.

All I read is 'push air into your belly', 'brace yourself like you're about to be punched in the stomach', 'engage your core' but it's hard for me to visualise these things as I guess I've never actually done them whilst thinking about it as they're just natural reflexes.

Are you exhaling completely at the top of the lift and then taking a new breath?

Regarding bracing your core think about drawing air into your belly instead of your chest. When wearing a lifting belt you are pushing your belly against the belt.

jonnythan

Not sure I'm understanding you. It sounds like you're not exhaling and taking a new breath at the top of each rep.

michellekicks

I've been exhaling while pushing upward... is that wrong?! I want MOAR POWER! Halp.

Sarauk2sf

On very light warm up sets I do sometimes do all the reps without a breath, however I am trying to break myself of that as it's best to get into a good habit imo, which is to breath between each rep. Treat each rep as a separate lift - setting up for each one, which involves setting lats/core and taking a deep breath. You should not start to exhale until you are towards the top of the lift as exhaling will mean that you lose core tightness, which is very important at the bottom section of the squat.

sammivvalters

So i had to look up what valsalva was...and i'm aware of the technique but never knew it's name. Also when i first learned it, it was not for squatting but regardless i'm familiar with it.

However, i've never held my breath with it...yes i've restricted the flow of air but never would i think to hold my breath through a movement.

I naturally breath from my abdomen, everyone really should, your lower lungs bring in a lot more oxygen than the chest.

When i do squats or DLs, i inhale and fill my lower lungs, you should feel your stomach and back actually expand, it should be 360 degrees, like filling a basket ball. Inhale, un-rack, drop down, stand-up while exhaling but it's a forced controlled exhale so i can keep the tension in my abdomen. But i never hold my breath, especially on the concentric phase of a movement.

While reading about the valsalva maneuver and holding your breath there were some horror stories and they make sense. I've filled my body with air and extra pressure like a balloon and then i add more pressure...things pop...like your blood vessels.

Regardless, you should still have a rotation of inhalation and exhalation between reps.

I've just edited this because I had a good think about it and I'm trying to explain what I mean better. I don't think I 'hold my breath' as such as in stop breathing completely. When I come out of the hole I do make small 'gasps' for air. I just can't seem to keep this style of breathing up for more than three reps and it feels like it exhausts me for a short while so it's hard to do again for the last two reps.

The problem is, because I'm new to this, I'm having to concentrate on getting everything right at the same time and it's difficult. I think it's also difficult to describe how to do this type of breathing but I've read it's natural like something you automatically do when trying to push a heavy object such as a car.

I will practice tonight, pushing the sofa or something and concentrate on what my body automatically does.

All I read is 'push air into your belly', 'brace yourself like you're about to be punched in the stomach', 'engage your core' but it's hard for me to visualise these things as I guess I've never actually done them whilst thinking about it as they're just natural reflexes.

Are you exhaling completely at the top of the lift and then taking a new breath?

Regarding bracing your core think about drawing air into your belly instead of your chest. When wearing a lifting belt you are pushing your belly against the belt.

I exhale on my way up, once I get past the sticking point but I'm trying to do it whilst still embracing my core so this might be the problem. I will try taking a big breath at the top of the lift tonight instead and see what happens.

sammivvalters

On very light warm up sets I do sometimes do all the reps without a breath, however I am trying to break myself of that as it's best to get into a good habit imo, which is to breath between each rep. Treat each rep as a separate lift - setting up for each one, which involves setting lats/core and taking a deep breath. You should not start to exhale until you are towards the top of the lift as exhaling will mean that you lose core tightness, which is very important at the bottom section of the squat.

Thanks, I think what's happening in my last two reps is because I've not been taking big breaths at the top of the lift after each rep that I'm losing my core tightness at the bottom of my last two reps as you described.

I'll try as you and SideSteel suggested, exhaling and setting up again between each rep. Thanks to both of you for your help, I'll try tonight and will update.

ETA: I also think that maybe I'm trying to complete the set too quickly, not really giving myself enough time to take a big breath and engage my core properly so I'm going to take it more slowly.

sammivvalters

Update: I tried setting up again between each rep, taking a big breath at the top and it definitely helped. I still feel a bit off but I think I will get the hang of it with practice.

Many thanks for your help. :flowerforyou: