It is impossible to lift a heavy weight or perform a challenging bodyweight exercise without a brief breath hold. Soviet strength authority Prof. Arkady Vorobyev explained that “The organism interprets the [Valsalva maneuver] as extreme and stimulates organs and systems towards an explosion of activity in order to come out of this emergency state as quickly as possible.” Your strength will go up by 15%, compared to lifting on exhalation, when you perform the Valsalva maneuver correctly. Here is what “correctly” means: Get your doctor’s clearance. Pressurized breathing and breath holding are contraindicated for trainees with some cardiovascular and other conditions.
Build up with light weights and moderate tension to avoid side effects like dizziness.
Do not hyperventilate before a set and do not hold your breath long—you might pass out.
Do not overinhale. The greatest strength is expressed at 50-75% of your vital lung capacity.
Use this great visual from Russian scientist Igor Solopov: “an exhalation that has not happened.”
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