Push-ups: How to breathe?

[NoNo]

Good question! I find that I start doing pups and then have to go "Breathe! BREATHE!!" because I forget and by that point it's too late. Suggestions would be most appreciated.

[SadieKate]

grog, are you breathing in as you push upward? Just making sure I'm interpreting your post correctly.

I have no idea if I'm doing it right but I do a forceful exhale through my mouth as I push up. This does two things for me: 1) I must breathe or die and 2) it seems to help me belly breathe mo' bettah. Oh yeah, this also help me maintain a rhythm which just helps the overall effort.

[Grog]

So what I'm DOING for sure is EXHALING when I push UP.

Thus I deduct that I should be INHALING as I go DOWN but somehow that doesn't seem to register in my head and body.

I guess thinking about belly breathing on the way down seems like a good idea. But then I'll need to get someone to count for me!!!

Suggestions welcome.

[TsPoet]

In weight lifting, they teach you to exhale on the force - so exhale up. You can inhale before you go down, if you'd like.
You can eventually teach yourself to breath rhythmically.
I don't know what the PUPs site says (torn rotator cuff means I'm not part of the fun), but with weightlifting, you should go fastish against the weight and slow to return - so I'd power my way up and control my way down on a push up. If you get all of that with the breathing, it becomes second nature.
I think it's why so many weightlifters grunt so much

[SadieKate]

I guess thinking about belly breathing on the way down seems like a good idea. But then I'll need to get someone to count for me!!!

Yeah, you can't count outloud and breathe properly. The forceful part of the exhale triggers the inhale . . . but you can't be doing no talkin'.

[ny biker]

I'm not in this challenge, and the most pushups I ever do in one set is 15, but I've been doing weight training for a long time. My advice is to just keep practicing until proper breathing becomes second nature, even if that means you keep to a low number of pushups a little while longer while you're getting the technique down.

Good luck!

[spindizzy]

Funny you should mention this..I just realized that after about 10-12, I am holding my breath.... trying to get it over with.

[OakLeaf]

The way I breathe doing pups is more like Pilates breathing than belly breathing, I think. Abs are engaged, so I'm breathing more into my ribcage.

If you don't do Pilates, try this Stott Pilates breathing practice: sit on a mat, hug your knees in and curl over them, then just practice inhaling and exhaling. The only way for your lungs to expand is into your ribcage. Doing that will give you an idea of how it feels to breathe into your sides and back.

Yup, forceful exhale on the way up. You can subvocalize counting as you exhale, if it helps to count out loud.

HTH.

[Grog]

Thanks all! I will try these tricks on Wednesday. I think I will be able to count and exhale at the same time as you describe, Oakleaf! Will keep you posted.