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Breathing Exercises for Weightlifting

Breathing is part of the lift. A braced breath stabilises the spine under load, and how you prepare in the minute before a heavy attempt decides whether you walk up to the bar alert or rattled.

Safety first

Bracing raises blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, a heart condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor before heavy bracing, and skip the forceful breathing drills.

How to use them

Power Breath (Brace & Lift) teaches you to fill the belly and brace before each rep. Energizing Breath and Bhastrika are short arousal tools for before a top set or a competition attempt. Cool-Down Descend brings your heart rate and nervous system back down at the end of the session, which helps you sleep after evening training.

New to this? Start with Cool-Down Descend: Progressively slower breathing to close out a session.

In training

Breath mechanics while you move.

• Power Breath (Brace & Lift) — Braced breath for max-strength lifts and explosive efforts.

Game day: before and between efforts

Before and between efforts.

• Energizing Breath — Short, powerful breaths to boost alertness.
• Bhastrika (Bellows) Activation — Rapid forceful breaths to fire up the nervous system.

Recovery

Bring the system back down.

• Cool-Down Descend — Progressively slower breathing to close out a session.

Get the app

dubchi is free in the browser at dubchi.com (it installs as an app and works offline) and on Android, on Google Play. No account is needed to practise.

Other sports

Breathing Exercises for CrossFit · Breathing Exercises for Running · Breathing Exercises for Trail Running · Breathing Exercises for Cycling · Breathing Exercises for Swimming · Breathing Exercises for Triathlon · Breathing Exercises for Rowing · Breathing Exercises for Freediving · all sports

General information about breathing practices, not medical or coaching advice.