Advice on breathing techniques before/during/after static strength training

[Justan Human]

Howdy Y'all!
Earlier today Coach Sommer did a live interview on Instagram with @erika.lemay :

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyJgfcBIAo-/

 

Before the interview, Erika asked for some questions to pose to Coach where I asked for advice on breathing techniques before/during/after static strength training.  I was ecstatic to hear that it was asked at around 89:40 . Coach's answers seemed to be directed to two ends of the spectrum. On one end is the routine in competition on an elite level, and on the other beginner level to "... squeeze everything, we'll refine it as we go along ...".

 

Since I fall somewhere right in the middle, I would like to continue this conversation publicly for all to benefit from. Specifically, for us mere mortals going through the GB programming for planche, front lever, back lever, and manna, the mastery steps for hold times is 5 sets of 10 seconds (advanced drills) to 30 - 60 seconds (intermediate to beginner drills, i.e support hold & L sit). Since these training hold times are much longer than the standard 2 seconds needed in a routine, I wonder if these particular ranges could be addressed.

 

A part of the question that did not seem to get addressed is breathing before and after strength training sets. It is advisable to take some Wim Hoff style breaths (big inhale, short fast exhale) to prime the fight or flight Autonomic nervous system to go beast mode, like a powerlifter going for a heavy single (screaming optional?) Or, would it be better to go zen mode by doing something like long deep inhales and exhales to relax and focus the body and mind, which I personally find very beneficial for technical skills such as handstands? When doing the integrated mobility between strength sets, should the focus be to keep the "LET'S GO!" hype going, or use the opportunity to "rest"?

 

While this may seem like a tiny detail to split hairs over, I am very intrigued by the connection between breathing and the ability to either upregulate or downregulate the nervous system and mental state, and by experimenting with it as a variable such as with pranayama in yoga. I also recently read and loved the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor which goes into other sports science applications, among general health.

TL;DR

When training static strength is it best to:

1. GO BEAST MODE!!! (strength focus)
2. ... go zen mode ... (skill focus)
3. just do the thing  (doesn't matter) 

?

 

 

 

 

[Alessandro Mainente]

6 hours ago, Justan Human said:

Howdy Y'all!
Earlier today Coach Sommer did a live interview on Instagram with @erika.lemay :

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyJgfcBIAo-/

 

Before the interview, Erika asked for some questions to pose to Coach where I asked for advice on breathing techniques before/during/after static strength training.  I was ecstatic to hear that it was asked at around 89:40 . Coach's answers seemed to be directed to two ends of the spectrum. On one end is the routine in competition on an elite level, and on the other beginner level to "... squeeze everything, we'll refine it as we go along ...".

 

Since I fall somewhere right in the middle, I would like to continue this conversation publicly for all to benefit from. Specifically, for us mere mortals going through the GB programming for planche, front lever, back lever, and manna, the mastery steps for hold times is 5 sets of 10 seconds (advanced drills) to 30 - 60 seconds (intermediate to beginner drills, i.e support hold & L sit). Since these training hold times are much longer than the standard 2 seconds needed in a routine, I wonder if these particular ranges could be addressed.

 

A part of the question that did not seem to get addressed is breathing before and after strength training sets. It is advisable to take some Wim Hoff style breaths (big inhale, short fast exhale) to prime the fight or flight Autonomic nervous system to go beast mode, like a powerlifter going for a heavy single (screaming optional?) Or, would it be better to go zen mode by doing something like long deep inhales and exhales to relax and focus the body and mind, which I personally find very beneficial for technical skills such as handstands? When doing the integrated mobility between strength sets, should the focus be to keep the "LET'S GO!" hype going, or use the opportunity to "rest"?

 

While this may seem like a tiny detail to split hairs over, I am very intrigued by the connection between breathing and the ability to either upregulate or downregulate the nervous system and mental state, and by experimenting with it as a variable such as with pranayama in yoga. I also recently read and loved the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor which goes into other sports science applications, among general health.

TL;DR

When training static strength is it best to:

1. GO BEAST MODE!!! (strength focus)
2. ... go zen mode ... (skill focus)
3. just do the thing  (doesn't matter) 

?

 

 

 

 

well i think that practie plays a big role....but....

it is not a matter a breathing in a way or in another PERIOD....but it depends also on the absolute intensity and the type of exercise.

dynamic movement wants you to inhale, do the eccentrich part while holding the air and a little exhale at the end of the concentrich phase.

isometrich hold...well you do not have chances of relax with an hgh absolute intensity. maximal effort are done while holding the breath..as you become stronger and you can manage easily the position you can realx and breath. i had one of my strongest client doing 30'' hold on rings planche...short..stable breaths.

[Justan Human]

Thank you Alessandro for the prompt reply and invaluable insight! 

15 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

but....

it is not a matter a breathing in a way or in another PERIOD

Is it safe to conclude that this would correspond with option 3: just do the thing  (doesn't matter) ?

15 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

maximal effort are done while holding the breath..as you become stronger and you can manage easily the position you can realx and breath.

Understood. When starting with tuck planches my knees were glued to my chest because I was squeezing everything so tight. With practice, I have begun to be able to 'tolerate' the position enough to start opening my hip extension towards the advanced tuck, as far as my shoulder lean and balance allow for. The same goes for the front and back lever where I am able to breathe and 'tolerate' (a far cry from 'relax' ) the position enough to start manipulating the hip extension angle.

 

During the prolonged isometric holds, yes I am doing short stable breaths which practicing holding my handstand line has helped immensely with.

 

I would still love to hear your, and others', opinions on the mindset (which breathwork can physiologically impact) before and after the isometric hold though. Should technique and form be first and foremost such as with skills/handstands, where calm focus helps me? Should the set be terminated the moment form breaks and things start to sag? Or, should it be treated the same as a dynamic strength set that you can attack and "bang out"? Where you keep holding when you start to sag, akin to a drop set.

 

Since these questions can be highly subjective and differ from person to person, I decided to conduct a little breathing experiment this morning.

After a thorough warmup and daily handstand drills, I decided to test two different breathing techniques when I was feeling fairly strong (8/10).

The first was "relaxed" on the bottom where I took long deep inhales and exhales to relax before the set.

The second set "hyped" above was with big fast inhales and with partial, even faster, exhales to get hyped before the set.

https://youtu.be/X4DJAJRqDQc 

Subjectively, the Hyped set felt better. Specifically, I held it for nearly a second longer with better form (flatter back) and it seemed to either give me a power boost for the first half, or make me numb to the stress. The relaxed set felt heavy from the start. And both sets felt the same once the final 5 seconds started to tick away.

 

I know this can be perceived as a woo woo subject matter, however, even a 1% performance boost matters significantly to me and I want to set myself up to give my best effort before the set even begins. 

[Alessandro Mainente]

9 hours ago, Justan Human said:

Thank you Alessandro for the prompt reply and invaluable insight! 

Is it safe to conclude that this would correspond with option 3: just do the thing  (doesn't matter) ?

Understood. When starting with tuck planches my knees were glued to my chest because I was squeezing everything so tight. With practice, I have begun to be able to 'tolerate' the position enough to start opening my hip extension towards the advanced tuck, as far as my shoulder lean and balance allow for. The same goes for the front and back lever where I am able to breathe and 'tolerate' (a far cry from 'relax' ) the position enough to start manipulating the hip extension angle.

 

During the prolonged isometric holds, yes I am doing short stable breaths which practicing holding my handstand line has helped immensely with.

 

I would still love to hear your, and others', opinions on the mindset (which breathwork can physiologically impact) before and after the isometric hold though. Should technique and form be first and foremost such as with skills/handstands, where calm focus helps me? Should the set be terminated the moment form breaks and things start to sag? Or, should it be treated the same as a dynamic strength set that you can attack and "bang out"? Where you keep holding when you start to sag, akin to a drop set.

 

Since these questions can be highly subjective and differ from person to person, I decided to conduct a little breathing experiment this morning.

After a thorough warmup and daily handstand drills, I decided to test two different breathing techniques when I was feeling fairly strong (8/10).

The first was "relaxed" on the bottom where I took long deep inhales and exhales to relax before the set.

The second set "hyped" above was with big fast inhales and with partial, even faster, exhales to get hyped before the set.

https://youtu.be/X4DJAJRqDQc 

Subjectively, the Hyped set felt better. Specifically, I held it for nearly a second longer with better form (flatter back) and it seemed to either give me a power boost for the first half, or make me numb to the stress. The relaxed set felt heavy from the start. And both sets felt the same once the final 5 seconds started to tick away.

 

I know this can be perceived as a woo woo subject matter, however, even a 1% performance boost matters significantly to me and I want to set myself up to give my best effort before the set even begins. 

i forgot to mention isometric hold....after it is extrmely important to focus on long deep breaths so that the blood pressure can be  normalyzed.