Breathing Techniques for Olympic Weightlifting

Breathing Techniques to Improve Core Stability, Power Output, Balance, and Injury Prevention in Olympic Weightlifting.

Correct breathing while lifting plays an important role in Core Stability and Injury Prevention. Especially in the Squat, Pull, and catch motion. Engaging the core will allow you to keep your lower body and upper body connected and move in the balance, which will set you up to produce more power. This way your legs and back do not work independently.

The core joins the muscle groups together to work in unison. The type of pressure you want to create is called Elevated Intra Abdominal Pressure, similar to the tension you create when squatting with a belt. The feeling of pushing your core and expanding it tight through the belt.

Create that same feeling before you lift off the floor in the snatch and clean. Keep it engaged throughout the entire movement including the bottom/catch position. You will feel that it makes the weight feel a lot lighter and easier to control. Keeping the core engaged especially the lower abdominals and mid-back are key to staying over the bar throughout the pull. Some exercises to help strengthen the core are Snatch/Clean from hang (above knee, below knee).