Let’s talk about one of the most underrated (and possibly most ignored) aspects of training: recovery. And no, I’m not talking about lying on the floor pretending to stretch while scrolling through Instagram. I’m talking about actual, functional recovery. Specifically, let’s dive into what happens to your power output when you don’t do something as simple as, say, breathe properly between sets.
Here’s the kicker: athletes who don’t take the time to engage their nervous system in active recovery between sets or rounds experience a lovely little thing called a 9% drop in power output. Yep, you read that right. A full 9% loss. That’s almost a tenth of your potential, just gone. Poof! All because you didn’t take a moment to, well, breathe.
According to the work by Abdessemed, D., et al. (1999) in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, athletes who used diaphragmatic breathing (that’s a fancy way of saying they breathed like a sane human instead of gasping for air like a fish out of water) between their bench press sets maintained better performance. In contrast, those who just stood around suffered that aforementioned drop. That’s right, friends, recovery isn’t just for the end of your workout—it’s for between sets as well.
What’s Going on Here?
Right, so why does this happen? Basically, when you’re lifting heavy or doing some form of HIIT that makes your legs feel like jelly, your sympathetic nervous system (aka “fight-or-flight” mode) goes into overdrive. It’s what makes your heart race, your breath go shallow, and your muscles scream.
Now, that’s great when you need to lift a small car or sprint away from a bear, but not so great when you’re trying to recover quickly between sets to keep smashing out high-quality reps. Without recovery, the body stays in this state, keeping your heart rate up, slowing down blood lactate clearance, and making you feel sluggish.
Diaphragmatic breathing pulls you out of this sympathetic loop and engages your parasympathetic nervous system—the "rest-and-digest" side of things. By slowing your breath, filling your belly with air instead of your chest, and stimulating your vagus nerve, you can reduce your heart rate, clear out some of that nasty lactate, and feel more refreshed for the next round.
How to Implement Diaphragmatic Breathing
Right, here’s how you can use this in your training without looking like you’ve just joined a yoga retreat.
1. Between Sets (30–60 seconds): Instead of pacing like a caged animal between sets, take 30-60 seconds to stand (or sit) and practice slow, deep breathing. Inhale through your nose for a good 4-5 seconds, feel your belly and rib-cage expand, not your chest, and then exhale through your mouth for 6-7 seconds. Rinse and repeat. Not only will you look zen, but your power output will thank you.
2. During HIIT Rest Intervals: HIIT is all about work/rest ratios, but you’re only getting the benefits if you actually recover during those rest periods. Diaphragmatic breathing here will help you hit your next interval hard instead of dragging your way through it.
3. Post-Workout Cool Down: Sure, everyone loves to skip the cool down, but if you’re already focusing on your breathing between sets, why not end your workout with a few minutes of focused breathwork? It helps speed up recovery, and you’ll walk out of the gym feeling less wrecked.
4. Make it Daily: You don’t have to save this for the gym. Try incorporating diaphragmatic breathing during your day—at work, while driving, whenever. The more you do it, the better you get at it, and the more naturally you’ll shift into that recovery mode.
Conclusion: Stop Leaving Performance on the Table
If you’re one of those people who think the only time you need to focus is when you’re lifting the weight (and everything between sets is just a time for selfies), think again. Not engaging in proper recovery means you’re losing out on a whopping 9% of your power.
Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the easiest, most low-tech recovery tools out there, and it only takes seconds. So next time you’re between sets or rounds, instead of aimlessly wandering around or pretending to check your playlist, stop and take a breath—a real breath. Your performance will thank you for it.
And who knows, you might even enjoy that extra power boost when you’re not wiping yourself out by the third set.
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