by Thomas Kurz
In efforts lasting more than a few seconds, do you breathe (i.e., you do not hold your breath) throughout your movements and positions?
For high performance and for athletic longevity you should breathe throughout movements with resistance permitting several reps, for example, kettlebell lifts or mace swings done in multiple reps, grappling drills with a wrestling dummy, or while holding a heavy weight for longer than a few seconds. If you don’t breathe throughout such actions then you won’t go far and you won’t last. “You can’t breathe in the position, you don’t own that position” as Gray Cook of Functional Movement Systems, Inc., says. So, do most of your exercises breathing throughout movements, not holding your breath. Let dr. Kelly Starrett tell you why in the below video.
Breath Hold To Breath Hold Is No Way To Live
More advice on strength training is in articles on Strength Training for Sports and Martial Arts and in the Stadion book Science of Sports Training. Get it now and have all of the info—not just the crumbs!
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