I was reading articles on bench press technique, and one suggestion was to already have full lungs when you get the bar off the rack so that it doesnt feel like it crushes you with the new weight. I understand that, but then how do you inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up if you area already at full lung capacity when the bar comes off the rack?
you dont. you hold your breath. I fill my belly with air and hold my breath until its over. With rep work it doesnt matter as much but with a one rep max you can hold it.
Just like on squats; you inhale before the rep, not as you bring the weight down.
Those guys are right, u want to take a huge breath and then hold it, when you get the liftoff let the weight settle you into the bench then start your decent.
Goldberg, with rep work I couldnt hold it the whole time, id get a hernia. Do you mean having full lungs isnt as important or holding your breath?
Goldberg was only talking about holding your breath the entire time if you’re doing a single. If you’re doing rep work, inhale before you start the lift, hold it all the way down, and then exhale about halfway up the concentric portion. Then, at the top of the movement, take another deep breath, and continue like so. Once you get used to it you do it almost instinctively.