[LIFTING TIP]


BREATHING AND BREATH CONTROL FOR OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING


By Greg Everett Breath control is critical for increasing and maintaining the structural


integrity of the torso while under heavy loads. The supporting muscu- lature is inadequate alone—in order to adequately stabilize the spine, the abdominal and thoracic cavities must be pressurized. Additionally, we need to create as broad of a base for the torso as possible—the rationale for this should be obvious if one considers the structural integrity of a pyramid versus an upside-down pyramid. Drawing in the abs may look nice on the beach, but it will dramatically diminish the ability of the body to support the kind of forces we intend to introduce. The torso has only a single supporting struc-


ture along its height—the spine—on one side and this structure articulates in all directions, requiring additional support to maintain rigid- ity. The weak point is the circumference below the ribcage in which there is no rigid structure tying the torso into the pelvis—this creates a compressible area into which the torso can col- lapse forward and to the sides. This area is of course filled with organs, the


tissues of which are relatively incompressible, but the space inside of which we cannot directly make more resistant


to compression. Above


this, separated by the diaphragm, are the lungs. This provides us a convenient way to reduce the compressibility of the contents of the torso. By filling the lungs, we in- crease the rigidity of the thoracic cavity, and we also force the diaphragm down, which compresses the organs of the abdominal cavity somewhat. To improve further on this compression, we can tighten the muscula-


ture surrounding the torso, which prevents unwanted expansion of the container walls and the resulting reduction of the potential for the torso to collapse. The athlete will need to draw in as much air as possible, allowing the ab-


domen to expand and the diaphragm to contract, ensuring the lungs are able to fill completely; filling the lungs partially by only allowing the chest to lift and expand is not adequate. Once this breath is taken, the lifter will tighten down the abdominal and back musculature to increase the internal pressure and reduce the potential for flexion or extension of the torso. This effort to tighten down around the pressurized torso will push air out of the lungs and up the trachea—the athlete will need to close the glottis in order to keep the air in (this should happen naturally with the effort to hold the breath). It’s important that the athlete not “hollow,” or draw in the abdominals


as many have been taught to do or believe is correct. If the abdominals are drawn in, the base of support is reduced in width and this is obviously not beneficial. We want the muscles activated tightly while keeping the torso as wide and deep as possible, allowing us a broad foundation to support the load. It may help athletes having difficulty with this activation to think of pushing the abs down. (This does not mean that the transverse abdominals are not active; it simply means that it should not be the sole focus of the stabilization effort and should not be cinched in to a degree that limits the ability to fill the trunk adequately with air.) Pressurization should be maintained throughout as much of the move-


ment as possible. There will be times, however, such as during the recov- ery of a clean, that the lifter will feel dizzy and even near unconscious- ness. This can be because the athlete is not properly racking the barbell and the pressure is compressing the carotid arteries and reducing blood flow to the brain, but it can also be from actu- ally holding the breath and bearing down si- multaneously; these actions, especially when combined, stimulate the vagus nerve and re- duce heart rate and blood pressure (this can be easily demonstrated by feeling your pulse while breathing normally, then holding your breath— you will feel an almost immediate reduction in heart rate). In some cases, this can cause uncon- sciousness, but this can be avoided by paying attention and reacting appropriately. If dizziness or light-headedness occurs during


NATALIE BURGENER 2008 OLYMPIAN-63KG


PHOTO COURTESY OF CATALYST ATHLETICS


lifts, the athlete should release a small amount of air during the highest-pressure or highest- effort moment of the lift (e.g., the sticking point of the squat) by making some noise. This will release some pressure and prevent dizziness while maintaining trunk stability. Some athletes will be more comfortable, and even feel stron- ger, making a habit of always releasing air with noise during the recovery of the squat, as long as the release is controlled and minimal. If diz- ziness is considerable, it is always advised that


the athlete drop the bar immediately and sit down safely to recover. During the explosive second pulls of the snatch and clean, and even


sometimes during the drive of the jerk, some lifters will make noise with an expulsion of a small amount of air. This is not problematic and is usually helpful in increasing the athlete’s aggressiveness. The effect of torso pressurization can be demonstrated easily with a new


lifter with nothing more than unweighted squats. The athlete can pressur- ize the torso properly and perform a few squats, utilizing the bounce to recover. Following this, the athlete will expel as much air as possible, and squat again with the bounce. Invariably the difference is dramatic enough to immediately elicit some kind of exclamation from the athlete. Pressurize the trunk with all structural lifting, and learn to control that pressurization, and you’ll be maximizing both safety and performance.


The views expressed in this article may not be that of USA Weightlifting. Publication of all articles is to share different opinions and viewpoints. For instruction on the lifts from USA Weightlifting visit www.usaweightlifting.org


References: 1. Greg Everett is the owner of Catalyst Athletics, publisher of The Performance Menu Journal and author of Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches, Olympic Weightlifting for Sports, and The Portable Greg Everett, and is the writer, director, producer, editor, etc. of the independent documentary American Weightlifting.


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