Do You Know How to Breathe?

While exercising with weights, exhale during the lifting (concentric) phase, and inhale while lowering the weight (eccentric) phase. For example, on a biceps curl you would exhale as you curl the weight up and contract the biceps, and you would inhale as you lower the weight down and stretch the biceps. Do not hold your breath as this will increase blood pressure and may cause dizziness.

Submitted by ChesapeakeMommies member Shannon Brennan, who also writes the Counting On Me Blog.