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Every
experienced weight trainer knows that the proper
way to breathe during a set is to inhale during
the negative (lowering) phase and exhale during
the positive (lifting) phase. But is this the
best way to breathe in all exercises?
As
a matter of fact, it isn't. I am going to show
you exactly how and why you should breathe BACKWARDS
during many if not most back exercises. I will
use the lat pulldown exercise to demonstrate this
powerful technique.
Fact: the pulldown
movement is more effective when done with an arched
lower back and puffed-up (expanded) chest.
This
body position more fully activates the latissimus
dorsi muscles. In fact, if your lower back isn't
arched, it is extremely difficult for your lats
to contract. The straight-back position throws
more tension on the biceps and upper back muscles.
Expanding
your chest helps to accentuate this arched-back
position.
Fact:
exhalation (breathing out) makes your chest
contract. Inhalation (breathing in) makes your
chest expand.
Fact: the typical breathing pattern
of the pulldown consists of breathing out as you
are pulling the weight down and breathing in as
you are letting it back up.
What
this means to you is that the typical breathing
pattern is caving the chest in when you should
be puffing the chest out!
Take
a deep breath in and notice what happens to your
chest. It puffs out and expands. This is the optimal
position for your torso during the pulldown exercise.
Now
carry this logic over to the pulldown movement.
As you pull the weight down, take a deep breath
in. Your chest will puff up to meet the bar automatically
and your lats will engage strongly.
If
you've ever had a hard time feeling your lats
working when you do back exercises, use this technique
and you will certainly feel an immediate difference.
This
amazingly simple technique can be applied to almost
any back exercise from pulldowns to chin-ups to
seated cable rows. Try this technique the next
time you work your back and you'll see just how
powerful breathing backwards can be!
Note the
difference between the two positions
in the pulldown. When you exhale as
you pull down, your chest will become
concave and your torso will be more
upright. This places more tension on
the biceps.
When you
inhale as you pull down, your chest
expands and your lower back arches,
placing the majority of the tension
on the lats.
But
wait! There's more!
Now
that you've seen the power of exercise
technique, why not have a look at "The
Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
This e-book
is packed full of 53 amazing exercises
that will take your muscles to the limits!
Click
here for more information.
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