i follow the 5 part deadlift setup , so my question is when should I take my breath ? I feel like if I do it before the setup , I’ll have been holding my breath for too long and risk passing out on the heavier loads , though when I do it at the bottom right before pulling it feels like maybe I’m not getting a deep enough
breath ( with my belt on)
Hey Brett,
Thanks for posting!
So I think one could argue that the purpose of the Valsalva in the deadlift is to improve the lifter’s ability to maintain the position of their back, which is a function of increased muscular activity in the trunk muscles and increased intraabdominal+ intrathoracic pressures. In light of this mechanism, we would advocate for performing the Valsalva after the back has been set rather than performing it before setting the back, as in the latter scenario it seems like you’d be working against yourself, you know?
That all being said, there’s probably a large component of individual style that contributes to what will end up working best for a lifter.
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