Whether performing a max effort squat or a set of 10 reps, using solid breathing technique should be a priority if your goal is to move the most weight possible while staying as safe as possible.
So how do you breathe properly in the squat. It is a two step process. First, breathe as deep as you can into your abdomen to create intra abdominal pressure. Second, brace hard by expanding your torso 360 degrees to create stiffness and rigidity. Done well, this reduces unwanted spinal movement and helps you lift more weight with more control.
As a personal trainer and powerlifting coach, I have spent over 20,000 hours instructing people how to lift effectively and move with better mechanics. In this article, I will walk you through the steps that improve your breathing technique for squats.
Breathing In The Squat: A Two Step Process
Before you squat, the breathing order matters. I teach it using a system called 2B. The first B stands for breathe. The second B stands for brace.
Step 1: Breathe into the abdomen
In the 2B system, the first B stands for breathe.
First, inhale a large breath into the abdomen using the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscular structure that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity.
Once this diaphragmatic breath is achieved, the next step is to create as much tension in the abdomen as possible. Breathing in this way helps lifters express strength and protect the spine by increasing intra abdominal pressure, also called IAP. IAP is the pressure inside the abdominal cavity. Diaphragmatic breathing increases IAP and improves trunk stability, which helps stiffen the spine under load.
Professor of spine biomechanics Dr. Stuart McGill calls the resulting trunk stability super stiffness.
Super stiffness helps prevent energy leakage through the trunk because the torso stays fixed during contraction. During a squat, you want as little unnecessary movement around the spine as possible.
Step 2: Brace and create as much tension as possible
In the 2B system, the second B stands for brace.
Bracing refers to protecting yourself as if an impact is about to happen. Imagine someone is about to hit you in the stomach with a bat, or you are about to take a body check in hockey. The natural tendency is to tense the trunk to protect yourself.
How do we create an effective brace for squatting. Tension.
Creating more tension amplifies the brace. Expanding your entire trunk, front, sides, and back, creates 360 degrees of tension. This helps neutralize the thoracic and lumbar spine position under load and supports super stiffness, which is a strong position for producing force.
For more on this idea, see how to squat with a neutral spine.
Here is a simple drill to practice effective bracing.
- Wrap your hands around your waist with thumbs on the low back and fingers on the sides and front of the abdomen.
- Gently apply pressure with your hands, then perform the first B. You should feel 360 degree expansion around the trunk if you are inhaling into the abdomen with the diaphragm.
- Perform the second B and feel the tissues increase in density. You should not feel your waist get smaller. Push out, do not suck in.
- You can also do this with a partner and a stretch band. Place the band around the trunk and pull it taut. The band provides feedback about whether you are expanding 360 degrees.
For best results, both parts of 2B must be performed in the correct order. If you brace first and then try to inhale, you will limit how much air you can take in. Over time, this can reduce squat efficiency and increase the chance of irritating the spine.
Want to improve your squat technique?
What To Do And What Not To Do When Breathing During The Squat
If you follow the 2B sequence, it increases intra abdominal pressure first, then increases trunk stability once tension is created. This helps the spine stay in a strong position throughout the lift.
When the spine is unloaded, it acts like a flexible rod that allows movement. After breathe and brace, the spine behaves more like a fixed rod. This lets the limbs around the spine exert more force.
Even when braced, the spine still has normal curvature. The goal is for that curvature to remain unchanged while the bar is loaded. That's proper spine stability, and it's what you need to do a proper squat in a safe manner.
How do you keep curvature consistent. Breathe and brace, then keep your hips underneath you and pull the ribcage down.
The ribs down cue helps you maintain tension and reduces excessive extension, which is a common squat mistake.
You may have seen people squat by sticking out their butt and popping the chest up. Those positions often loosen the brace and can cause the spine to move away from its normal position under load. This creates energy leaks because you cannot fully expand the trunk cylinder to create super stiffness.
When the spine moves under load due to ineffective breathing and bracing, issues such as disc irritation, endplate stress, or joint laxity can accumulate over time. Too much movement at one segment reduces stability, lowers IAP, and often makes you weaker when you need to be strongest.
How Do I Breathe During the Walkout
A good breath during setup and walkout improves stability and control and reduces micro movements of the spine, which can make weights feel lighter.
Once hands, shoulders, elbows, eyes, and feet are set, use 2B before lift off. Breathe into the abdomen, brace hard, then stand up intentionally.
Once in control, take two to three steps back and let a small amount of air out. When the bar stops oscillating and you feel settled, use 2B again. Breathe in, then brace.
Should The Bar Move During The Breath
No. For safety, the answer is no.
If the bar travels up and down during your pre squat breath, it often means you are taking a chest breath. Avoid the chest breath and breathe low into the abdomen.
The example below shows a chest breath because the chest expands and the bar shifts on the shoulders before the descent. Watch for bar bobbing and rib flare.
In 2015, I had the privilege of learning from Boris Sheiko. One takeaway is that many North American powerlifters inhale mostly into the lungs, which moves the chest and thoracic spine.
Why is that inefficient. Tension. Tension is layered through the grip, shoulders, lats, and hips. Once the bar is set after the squat walkout, a chest breath that moves the bar can loosen tension and create micro movements of the spine.
Should You Hold Your Breath While Squatting
Holding your breath while squatting is called the Valsalva maneuver.
This happens naturally during coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or bowel movements. In squatting, it can amplify breathe and brace and increase IAP.
However, while breath holding can increase intra-abdominal pressure, blood pressure also rises. If an athlete has hypertension, lifestyle and medical guidance should come first before using aggressive breath holding strategies.
How Do You Breathe During Reps
There are three useful ways to think about this.
General fitness guidelines
General fitness guidelines often suggest one breath per rep. Many programs cue an inhale during the eccentric phase and an exhale during the concentric phase. This is common in general personal training education, though it is not always specific enough for heavy squats.
Guidelines based on exercise selection and effort
DTS Fitness Education Level One uses a 3B system. The first two steps are the same as 2B, breathe then brace. The third step is breathing behind the brace, air moves in and out while tension stays high. This often works well for lower stress repetition work such as bodyweight squats, hip hinges, row variations, step ups, planks, and loaded carries.
The key is to tune tension to the activity. A single arm supported dumbbell row for 15 reps requires less brace demand than a heavy triple squat, so the brace can be tuned down accordingly.
Guideline for powerlifting squatting
The 2B method is a strong default for powerlifting squats. Tension should reflect the load, especially when working at 60 percent or more of one rep max.
For a one rep max, use maximal air and maximal tension. For sets of two to ten, tune the breath and brace to the rep range. As the rep range increases, most lifters benefit from taking in slightly less air and slightly less maximal tension so they can maintain control and avoid symptoms.
Some lifters can hold air for multiple reps, but this is not for everyone. If you get lightheaded, reset each rep or use forceful exhalation.
For multiple reps, keep tension at the top. Exhale a small amount of air, then sip a small top up to retain brace before the next rep. Keep the order consistent, breathe then brace.
Why Do I Feel Dizzy When Squatting
From time to time a lifter will feel lightheaded while holding their breath. One strategy is forceful exhalation, releasing some but not all air during the squat.
A simple analogy is letting air out of a tire. Pressure is released with a psss sound, but not all air is lost, so tension and IAP are maintained. You will hear similar sounds in combat sports, weightlifting, tennis, and football when athletes exert force while maintaining tension.
You can hear this technique being used below.
One important consideration is that lightheadedness and dizziness can become an issue. In powerlifting, losing balance under heavy load is not worth the risk. If dizziness persists, reduce effort, reset more often, extend rest, and consider professional evaluation.
Holding your breath can also contribute to balance issues. See how to fix losing balance when squatting.
Final Thoughts
Proper breathing during powerlifting squats works well when it is systematic. The 2B approach helps create higher intra abdominal pressure and better trunk stiffness, which supports spinal control under load.
Whether you hold your breath for the rep or use forceful exhalation, deliberate practice matters. Tune the amount of air and tension to the rep range and the load, and keep the sequence consistent.
A systematic approach to breath mechanics can help you squat more safely and more efficiently.
Other useful resources:
FAQ: Breathing During Squats
What is the correct way to breathe for squats?
Use a simple sequence. Breathe low into the abdomen to build intra abdominal pressure, then brace 360 degrees around your torso to create stiffness before you start the rep.
Should I breathe into my chest or my stomach when squatting?
For heavy squats, prioritize a low abdominal breath. A chest breath often lifts the ribcage and can make the bar shift on your back, which usually reduces stability.
When exactly should I take my breath before a rep?
Take your breath at the top when you are fully set, then brace, then descend. If you need to re brace, do it at the top between reps rather than mid rep.
Should I hold my breath the whole rep?
Often yes for heavy work, that is essentially the Valsalva maneuver. For higher reps or if you get lightheaded, you may do better with a controlled partial exhale while keeping tension.
How do I breathe for sets of 5 to 10 reps without losing tightness?
Most lifters should reset at the top each rep. Exhale a small amount, take a smaller top up breath, brace again, then do the next rep while keeping your torso position consistent.
What does brace 360 degrees actually mean?
It means expanding the trunk in every direction, front, sides, and back, not just pushing the belly forward. Think of filling a cylinder and making it rigid rather than sucking the stomach in.
How do I know if I am actually bracing correctly?
You should feel your midsection get harder and thicker, not smaller. A quick test is to wrap your hands around your waist and feel for outward expansion in the front, sides, and low back when you inhale and brace.
Should the bar move up and down when I breathe?
No. If the bar bobs during your breath, you are usually lifting your chest and ribs instead of breathing low. Aim to take air into the abdomen while keeping the ribcage stacked over the pelvis.
What is the ribs down cue and why does it matter?
Ribs down means keeping the ribcage from flaring up as you brace. It helps you maintain tension and reduces the tendency to over extend the lower back under load.
Is it dangerous to hold your breath while squatting?
Breath holding increases pressure and can raise blood pressure, so it is not appropriate for everyone. If you have hypertension or a medical concern, get individualized guidance, and do not force aggressive breath holding. That's one thing that can lead to black-outs with heavy weights.
Why do I feel dizzy or lightheaded when squatting?
Dizziness is commonly related to breath holding and pressure changes, especially when you are pushing near your limit. Reset more often, reduce the effort, and consider using a small controlled exhale while maintaining tension.
Should I breathe differently during the walkout?
Yes, your goal is control. Get set, take your breath and brace before lift off, then take your steps back. Once the bar stops oscillating and you feel stable, take a small reset breath and brace again before the descent.
Do I need a belt to brace properly?
No. A belt can improve feedback and let you brace harder, but the skill is still yours. Learn to create tension first, then use a belt later as a tool to amplify the same pattern.
How tight should my brace be on warmups versus heavy working sets?
Tune it to the load. Warmups usually need less maximal tension, while heavier sets require more air and a harder brace to keep the torso rigid under higher demand.
What is the most common breathing mistake that makes people weaker?
Taking a chest breath that lifts the ribs and moves the bar, then losing trunk tension as they descend. Fix it by breathing low, bracing 360 degrees, and keeping your ribcage stacked while the bar stays still.
About The Author
Chris Fudge, BPhEd, B.R.S.S., C.S.C.S.
Chris has over 20,000 hours of high level coaching experience. He has worked with powerlifters, award winning fitness models, and professional athletes. He has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year across Canada and is a nationally ranked powerlifter.
