Why your breathing changes with the load
Light weights leave plenty of room to breathe normally. Heavy ones do not. The 2013 review notes that a brief breath-hold is unavoidable when lifting heavy loads, above roughly 80 per cent of your maximum, or when lighter sets are taken to failure. On a heavy squat you will hold it for a moment, so what matters is keeping the hold brief and the brace solid.
This guide covers the breath and the brace. The lifts themselves, with set-up checks and session order, are in compound lift training. For the racks and coaching at one club, see strength training at RPM.
Light and moderate sets: keep breathing
A 2026 crossover study had 17 healthy young women squat at bodyweight and at light and moderate loads, once holding their breath and once breathing in a controlled way. Holding the breath raised blood pressure, heart rate and perceived effort, even at those loads. For everyday sets, breathing through each rep is the simpler habit.
A simple pattern: breathe in on the easier half of the rep and out on the harder half.
| Exercise | Breathe in | Breathe out |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet or back squat | On the way down | As you stand up |
| Bench or dumbbell press | As the weight lowers to your chest | As you press |
| Cable or dumbbell row | As the arms straighten | As you pull |
| Romanian deadlift | Standing tall, before you hinge | As you stand back up |
| Leg press | As the platform comes towards you | As you push it away |
Some people breathe the other way round on pulling exercises. Either works on light sets, as long as you never hold your breath across several reps.
What bracing is, and how lifters learn it
Bracing means tightening the muscles all the way round your trunk, front, sides and back, so your middle stays firm while the hips and shoulders move. It is not sucking your stomach in. Most coaches teach it as a breath into the belly and sides first, then tightening around that breath.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and one hand on your belly. Breathe in so the belly and sides rise, not just the chest.
- Keep that breath and tighten your trunk as if someone were about to press hard on your stomach. You should still be able to let out a little air.
- Stand up and repeat it, keeping your ribs down rather than flaring them up.
- Hold the brace through a set of light goblet squats, breathing out at the top of each rep and topping up the air before the next.
- Practise it on every ramp-up set, so the brace is automatic by the time the weight is heavy.
Heavy sets: the brief breath-hold
The 2013 review found that the Valsalva manoeuvre raises pressure inside the abdomen, and that this pressure rose as lifting intensity and effort increased. The authors suggest it may help spine stability and trunk rigidity. They also found it was linked to higher blood pressure during resistance exercise, and concluded that its health risks remain unconfirmed.
A 2019 systematic review of 16 studies measured these pressures exercise by exercise. Squats produced the highest pressure in the abdomen, followed by deadlifts, a sliding row and the leg press, with the bench press lowest. Its authors suggest that untrained people build up gradually before heavy squats and deadlifts.
| Step | On one heavy rep |
|---|---|
| Set up | Set your feet and grip and the bar's position first, breathing normally |
| Breathe in | A big breath into the belly and sides at the top |
| Brace | Tighten all round the trunk, around that breath |
| Lift | Hold the breath only through the hardest part of the rep |
| Breathe out | As you pass the hardest point or reach the top |
| Reset | A fresh breath and brace before the next rep |
Keep the hold brief. Stop and rest if you feel dizzy or light-headed, and get checked if it happens again.
Who should ask a doctor first
Because breath-holding raises blood pressure while you lift, people with a heart condition or high blood pressure, and anyone who is pregnant, should ask a doctor about breath-holding before lifting heavy. The same goes for anyone recovering from surgery or managing another medical condition. A coach can then plan loads and breathing around that advice.
Lifting belts: a question for your coach
Many lifters wear a belt on their heaviest squats and deadlifts and brace their trunk out against it. Whether you need one depends on your lifts, your loads and your goals, so ask a coach before you buy one.
- Learn to brace without a belt first, so the belt adds to a skill rather than replacing it.
- Ask at what loads a belt would make sense for you, if at all.
- Ask how tight it should be. Most coaches want room to breathe into it.
- Ask whether to bring your own. Check what the gym has before you buy.
Breathing through a whole session
| Part of the session | Breathing | Brace |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up and ramp-up sets | Breathe on every rep | Practise it lightly |
| Sets of 8 to 12 | Breathe on every rep, out on the effort | Firm |
| Heavy sets of 1 to 5 | Brief hold through the hardest part of each rep | Full |
| Accessory and machine work | Breathe on every rep | Moderate |
The warm-up guide sets out the ramp-up sets, the natural place to practise this.
Learning it at RPM
RPM is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. The training floor photos show a squat rack with colour bumper plates, fixed-weight barbells, benches, a plate-loaded leg press and dumbbells. The women-only Ladies section has its own strength equipment, with female coaches on the roster.
- Ask a coach to watch your breath and brace on your first heavy session. Personal training covers strength in both sections.
- Engine is the tier that adds coached programming, and Atelier is built around 1:1 coaching. Inclusions and prices are confirmed on enquiry.
- Bring your programme on a free guided tour and check the racks you would use at your hour.
Sources
- Hackett DA, Chow CM. The Valsalva maneuver: its effect on intra-abdominal pressure and safety issues during resistance exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2013
- Blazek D, et al. Systematic review of intra-abdominal and intrathoracic pressures initiated by the Valsalva manoeuvre during high-intensity resistance exercises. Biology of Sport, 2019
- Hummelmann S, et al. Breathing technique-dependent acute cardiopulmonary responses during squats in healthy females. Physiological Reports, 2026
Questions, answered.
Is holding my breath when lifting dangerous?
The 2013 review found it raises blood pressure during lifting and concluded that its health risks remain unconfirmed. If you have a heart or blood-pressure condition, or are pregnant, ask a doctor before you hold your breath under heavy loads.
Should I breathe through my nose or my mouth?
Either works. What matters is a full breath before a heavy rep and a controlled breath out after it.
Is bracing the same as Pilates breathing?
No. Pilates often trains breathing while you move with control, which is a different skill from the brace under a heavy bar. Pilates for women who lift explains how the two fit together.
Do I need to brace on machines?
A lighter brace helps on most machines. The 2019 review found the leg press produced high pressures in the chest and abdomen, so brace for a heavy leg press as you would for a heavy squat.