Proper breathing

[tennisgirl]

What is the proper way to breathe when you are doing a slow count - like when you are doing biceps curls with a 4 count up and a 4 count down. Do you breathe out on the way up and in on the way down? I always thought you should breathe out on the exertion, which usually is on the way up, but I am confused on a slow count both ways.

Thanks for you help.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Tennis Girl! Yes, do breathe on the exertion, which in a bicep curl is the way up. It does get tricky trying to exhale on the exertion when varying rep speeds and you don't have to be so perfectly exact all the time. The main reasons for exhaling on exertion is to keep the core braced like a girdle around the organs at their most vunerable point in the exercise, enhance proper posture, and discourage holding breath which can spike the heart rate and disrupt steady blood and oxygen flow to your body.

Take Care!