Squat breath vs. Deadlift breath...

During my deadlifts last week I realized that I had confused my breathing set up from my squat to my deadlift - not a great idea. But these are the things that happen when you don't practice a lift consistently enough.

For squats - since the bar is held across the back above the center of gravity - setting the upper back and wedging the chest underneath the bar is so important and there is a different breathing set up for this. The breath is initially deep into the belt but then up into the chest. This is part of the wedge and upper back setting and bar position (low bar). This setting of the breath and upper body assist in taking the load of the bar properly along the spine and provides a stable platform from which you use the legs and hips.

For the Deadlift - since the bar is held in the arms below the center of gravity you want to set the breath low into the diaphragm and belt and "pre-compress" the chest and abdomen to take the load of the bar. This means that when you begin to drive from the legs and hips the already compressed abdomen and chest will "link" up and support the weight that is hanging from the arms and being lifted through the body.

So I had confused my set up breaths and I rushed my set up at the bar by gripping and "dipping - gripping - and ripping" without being fully wedged and prepared for the lift.

This is the concept of Strength as a Skill in action - without practicing a lift or movement you will "lose" parts of that skill. So it is back to the deadlift bar for me! (at least once a week)