Breathing squats

What exactly is a breathing squat and how do I do it?

A breathing squat is a set of squats performed with more emphasis on the breath between reps, and in some cases taking more breathes.  Traditionally, a lying bar pullover has been superseded with each set of breathing squats to ‘assist expand the rib cage’.  Irrespective of the factualness of the pullovers, breathing squats have now gained scientific explaination as the understanding of the recovery of the fast twitch muscle has improved. Extending the break between the end of the concentric and the start of the concentric pahse in the squat allows the muscle fibres to recover more.  This means that more work can be done, at a higher intensity, and or over a longer period of time.  One of the initial aims of the breathing squats was to ‘increase the rib cage’.  A second major aim has more scientific support – to enhance total body weight gain. If allowing the muscle fiber more rest increases work capacity, which translates into more work, more muscle damage and so on – then there is a greater capacity for increasing total body weight, respecting the significant muscle area that a squat recruits.  So there is some basis to this traditional technique.  I was fortunate enough to start training in an era when this ‘old lifters story’ (breathing squats and bar pullovers) was still being ‘passed down’ and I have many fond memories of how physically ‘depleted’ (read ill) one can make oneself with breathing squats.  Give it a go – in the short term (there and then) you will regret it, but in the long term you will appreciate them.

Warm up

1 x 10 reps @ 40% of weight to be used in work set

1 x 10 reps @ 70% of weigvht to be used in work set

Work set

1 x 10RM

Between reps 1 and 10, take one breath between reps

Between reps 11 and 15, take two big breaths between reps

Between 16 and 20 reps, take three big breaths between reps

A second work set? If you want!

© Ian King and King Sports International, Inc. This article is not to be reproduced in part of whole in any format without written permission of the author.

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