Breathing During Exercise – How to Get More Strength, Endurance and Focus Out of Every Workout

Do you think about your breathing when you exercise?

If you almost burst during the last set of squats because you've been holding your breath from the effort – welcome to the club. Most people pay attention to repetitions, weight, technique – but breathing? It just happens along the way.

The only problem is that if you breathe incorrectly, you will lose performance. Your body works against itself, you get tired faster, tense up or, in the worst case, even risk injury.

We'll show you how to use your breathing properly during your workout – whether you're pumping iron, running or doing CrossFit.

Why is breathing during exercising so important?

Breathing is something your body does automatically, of course. But breathing in a targeted and conscious way is a real performance booster.

Correct breathing ensures that:

• Your body gets enough oxygen – sounds obvious, but it is crucial for endurance, focus and performance.

• You are more stable – especially during strength training, breathing pressure plays a major role in your body tension.

• You stay more relaxed – especially in long, intense workouts when your heart rate is up to 180.

In short: if you breathe better, you train better. Full stop.

How should I breathe during a workout?

Breathing may sound trivial at first – after all, you do it all the time anyway. But when it comes to training, the way you breathe makes a huge difference. Used correctly, your breathing will give you more stability, more strength and more endurance.

And the best thing is: you don't have to learn anything new, you just have to do it more consciously.

How do I breathe properly during strength training?

You're in the middle of a sentence, lifting heavy weights – and holding your breath until your head glows? Not an isolated case. Many people don't consciously breathe while weight training, but somehow. But it's not that complicated:

Basic rule: inhale in the negative phase (e.g. when lowering), exhale when exerting yourself (e.g. when pushing up).

A few examples:

• Squat: Inhale as you go down, exhale as you push up.

• Bench press: Inhale as you lower, exhale as you push up.

• Deadlift: Inhale before the pull, hold the tension, exhale at the top.

For really heavy lifts (e.g. 1RM or 90%+ of your max), the so-called Valsalva maneuver comes into play. In this technique, you breathe deeply into your stomach, tighten your core, and hold the pressure during the load. This stabilizes your spine – but: only use it in a controlled manner, otherwise it will be uncomfortable.

How should I breathe during endurance training?

When running, rowing or cycling, rhythm is the be-all and end-all. Many people breathe too shallowly and hectically – no wonder they quickly run out of breath. Instead, you should learn to breathe deeply into your belly (diaphragmatic breathing), and as evenly as possible.

Better:

• Deep abdominal breathing instead of shallow chest breathing

• Nose in, mouth out – especially at a relaxed pace

• Find a rhythm, e.g. when running 2 steps in, 2 steps out

The more controlled your breathing, the longer you can keep it up – and the more efficiently your body works.

Pro tip: Try consciously breathing more slowly when your pulse rises. This can work wonders against the feeling of being “out of breath”.

And how do I breathe properly during functional training or CrossFit?

Burpees, wall balls, cleans, box jumps – this is where conscious but flexible breathing comes into play. Many forget to breathe at all when working at a fast pace or unconsciously hold their breath – especially when doing strenuous combinations.

Important:

• Breathe with the movement – not against it.

• Don't hold your breath just because it gets hard.

• For complex movements such as Clean & Jerk: inhale before the load, breathe with the movement or hold briefly, then actively exhale.

Especially in formats such as AMRAPs or EMOMs, you can go much longer without completely destroying yourself by breathing calmly and consciously.

How can I improve my breathing during training?

Breathing correctly is not just a matter of luck – you can (and should!) train your breathing just as you would your biceps or your squatting technique.

Because: the better you breathe, the more efficiently your training will go. Less stress, more power, better control.

Here are a few specific ways you can actively improve your breathing during training:

1. Practice diaphragmatic breathing

Many people breathe shallowly and high into their chests. This may be okay in everyday life, but in training it robs you of strength and stability. Better: breathe deeply into your stomach – i.e. into your diaphragm.

This is how it works:

• Lie on your back, one hand on your chest, one on your stomach.

• Now breathe in consciously so that only the hand on your stomach rises.

• Feel how your torso expands, not just your lungs.

The more you practise this (e.g. before training), the easier it will be to do it under pressure – and your core is directly involved.

2. Incorporate conscious breathing into your warm-up

Not only your joints and muscles need a warm-up – your respiratory system does too. Especially during intense workouts, it helps to take a few minutes beforehand to breathe consciously and calmly.

Example:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 6 seconds

• Rest for 2 seconds – and then repeat

This calms your nervous system, prepares you mentally for the workout and brings focus.

3. Mobilizing the chest and respiratory muscles

It may not seem important, but it has a big impact: the more flexible your chest is, the easier it is to breathe. Especially for people who sit at a desk a lot, everything is often tight.

Ein paar Übungen, die helfen:

• Shoulder circles & arm circles

• Rotation of the thoracic spine (e.g. Thread the Needle)

• Stretching of the lateral trunk muscles

• Deep overhead breaths while kneeling or sitting

Aim: To create more space for your breathing, especially in strenuous workouts with a lot of full-body movement.

4. Consciously pay attention to your breathing during the workout

Sure, there's a lot going on in training – you don't constantly think about breathing. But it's worth it! Try to watch your breath, especially when you catch yourself under stress.

Ask yourself:

• Am I holding my breath?

• Am I breathing too fast, too shallowly?

• Am I out of breath even though my body could actually still go on?

If you notice that your breathing is getting out of sync: stop briefly, take a deep breath, reset. You'll see: this will get you back on track much faster than just powering through.

5. Use tools or techniques if it helps you

If you want to work specifically on your breathing, there are also some practical tools:

• Respiratory trainers (e.g. PowerBreathe) for targeted resistance

• Breath belts or resistance bands around the torso to train diaphragmatic breathing

• Or simply conscious breathing “sets” during the cool-down – 10 deep, slow breaths while sitting or lying down

You don't need any equipment – but if you like to work with aids, they can help you to improve your breathing control.

Breathing during training – small in thought, big in effect

When you have your breathing under control, your training becomes more efficient, controlled and powerful.

Whether you're moving weight, running sprints or fighting your way through the next WOD, your breathing is always with you.

So don't just “go through the motions”; be aware of your breathing. It costs nothing, achieves a lot – and you'll notice how much more you have in you when you don't leave your breathing to chance.