Holding your breath when exercising

[Erki]

Is it bad if I hold my breath when I do a push-up or something similar? I'm sure all of you have found that it's easier if you hold your breath but my question is, is it (un)healthier and does it make me stronger/weaker?

[Athena]

Typically you're supposed to inhale during the passive movement, and exhale on the exertion, when your muscles are tensed.

Also, that should make it feel easier than holding your breath!

[Blaine Moore]

Originally Posted by Erki

Is it bad if I hold my breath when I do a push-up or something similar? I'm sure all of you have found that it's easier if you hold your breath but my question is, is it (un)healthier and does it make me stronger/weaker?

I do not recommend holding your breath. You can hurt your muscles by not providing the oxygen that you need to exert yourself, and you are likely to get tired faster (which can also be dangerous any time that you have weight over your body) because you will not be breathing as much. You can also elevate your blood pressure to dangerous levels by holding your breath. If you are going to hold your breath (you are doing a Valsalva maneuver for example where you want to have your vertebrae properly aligned and supported) then be sure not to hold it for more than 2 seconds or so at a time.

Personally, I make it a point to breathe often and regularly while lifting. Like Athena said, I tend to exhale on the contraction and inhale on the opposing move.

[SmellyOrc]

Unless you have any medical issue where it is not recommended to hold your breath during exercises, I'd suggest you do hold your breath. This keeps tension in your body, so everything seems easier, and you get faster results. Just gotta breath between reps.

[Iamsuperman]

For weight training, you're supposed to inhale on the easy part, and exhale and the hard part, holding your breath for just a moment at the absolute toughest part is considered O.K.

[jbischke]

Originally Posted by Iamsuperman

For weight training, you're supposed to inhale on the easy part, and exhale and the hard part, holding your breath for just a moment at the absolute toughest part is considered O.K.

What he said.

If you're having a tough time with this take some yoga classes. They'll get you used to inhaling on one part of a movement and exhaling on the other part.

[Conan Stevens]

If you are even thinking about your breathe when you exercise then you are not exercising hard enough.

Your thoughts should be on what you are doing, your body will breathe when it needs - it is an automatic function, you may have noticed this already

Holding your breathe does not hurt muscles - that is just stupid, you'll breathe when you need to.

My references - national level sports competitor, state level sports competitor (4 different sports), and currently about 320lbs of pure muscle.

I would suggest listening to experts and not just those that have an opinion.