Iron Kettlebell Fitness

If you have ever watch tennis on TV, then you have heard power breathing in action, sometimes to the annoyance of the viewer but always to the advantage of the athlete.  This technique was mastered by Karate masters long ago and perfected by the great Bruce Lee.  Bruce Lee weighing 135 pounds was able to generate so much power with his kicks that he could send a 300 pound heavy bag slapping against the ceiling.  Chuck Norris has called Bruce Lee pound for pound one of the strongest men in the world.  While there are many factors that went into his amazing feats, power breathing was one of the most important and one that anybody can learn to master.

Power breathing increases your intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressure which in turn amplifies your strength.  Sudden forcing out of the breathe by use of a powerful contraction of the respiratory muscles and the abs in sync with the exertion of the muscles used to punch or kick a heavy bag or hit a tennis ball is called power breathing.  It manifests itself in the form of a yell or a scream as the air is powerfully forced out.  At this moment, your body is able to create a great deal of muscular tension, and it is this tension that equals strength.

Lets use the example of a press, in this case the bench press.  Before unracking the weight, inhale and flex your abdominals, holding the breathe.  Your abs should be tight but not bulging out and your anal sphincter should be contracted.   As you drive the bar upwards, squeeze your abs, and begin to exhale in a narrow, high pressure stream.  Be sure not to expel all the air as you want to remain tight and stabilized to the end.  This expelling of the air should be in sync with the time it takes to complete the lift.  Long slow exhalation if you are performing a bench press, short quick exhalation if you are performing a kettlebell swing.  Your abs will remain tight throughout.

A leading Russian strength authority, Prof. Vladimir Zatsiorsky recommends the following drill to learn proper power breathing technique.  Inhale about 75% of your maximum air intake while contracting your abs and keeping the glottis closed (basically the muscles of the throat) and the rectal sphincter contracted.  Expel the air forcefully in about 3 – 5 seconds.  The good Prof. recommends 15 reps of this and 3 -4 sets spread out over the course of a day.

In addition to making your lift stronger, inhaling and holding it with abs and sphincter contracted also serves to protect the lower back from injury and keep you stabilized throughout the lift.  It is this technique which allows me to deadlift heavy without the use of a lifting belt.  It has served me well but everybody is different so it is your choice whether or not to use a belt.

Some lifts will allow you to partially rest in between reps.  When performing the bench press, once the bar is again over your head, you can rest a couple of seconds before lowering it and performing another rep.  Taking a couple of breathes before lowering the bar is permissible but be sure to not expel all the air or you loose the tightness and stability we need to stay safe and perform optimally.  If you do rest and as you take some breathes, remember to keep the abs tight as you breathe.  This technique is called “breathing behind the shield” and it will serve to prevent many an injury.

As with anything, if you have any health concerns,  consult with a doctor before you begin using this technique.  And don’t be surprised it your doctor tells you it’s a bad idea to hold your breathe during exercise.  Unless his name is Bruce Lee, what does he know.

Kill It,

Dennis

P.S. – Have a question about anything I’m doing, email me and I’ll be more then happy to answer it and don’t forget to leave a comment below and let me know what you think about the post.  ironkettlebellfitness@gmail.com

Check out my latest Kettlebell Training video here.

Before entering into a fitness routine, especially one that incorporates exercises with a kettlebell, be sure to consult with your physician or medical professional to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a strength and conditioning regimen.  Be sure to learn the proper way to perform each lift and complete each exercises in strict form employing a spotter when applicable.  In other words, if you hurt yourself, it’s your fault.