The Breathing Squat for Fast Gains

by George Coates (1983)

Before I dele fully into the breathing squat and its effe!ts" I #ould li$e to bring to your attention
the fa!t that %any older readers %ay noti!e the si%ilarity bet#een %y ie#s regarding this
e&er!ise and those of 'eary (ader) *any of you %ay hae been reading Iron*an %aga+ine
around 19,9 and you %ay re!all a series of arti!les #ritten by *r) (ader deoted to !hest
deelo-%ent through igorous leg #or$) These sa%e arti!les I hae used" #ith 'eary.s $ind
-er%ission" as a referen!e for this arti!le)
There are t#o !o%-letely different s!hools of thought on the sub/e!t of breathing squats) The first"
#hi!h I #ill !all the 0ells %ethod" inoles the use of 1IG2T -oundages" and the se!ond #hi!h I
#ould li$e to !all the (ader %ethod" inoles 20345 -oundages in the breathing squat) I
-ersonally hae tried both %ethods and one thing is !ertain 6 T205 B7T2 87(9)
Before I dis!uss the a--li!ation of these %ethods" let %e gie you so%e #ords of adi!e) Gaining
#eight using the breathing squat as a ehi!le often results in a -erson be!o%ing -ossessed by
an insatiable desire for !arrying bul$ to e&tre%es) I feel obliged to as$ you not to get !arried a#ay
by the ease #ith #hi!h you !an gain oerall body#eight on these -rogra%s) 7ne reason is that it
is so easy to be!o%e a #al$ing beef trust and beliee %e" big ar%s don.t loo$ all that great #hen
a!!o%-anied by a ,: in!h #aist) 3nother reason is that a #eight gain that is too ra-id !an leae
you #ith so%e bad stret!h %ar$s you %ay neer be able to rid yourself of)
2o# to ;se the Breathing Squat
(a) The 0ells *ethod
This %ethod #as deelo-ed by *r) (oger 0ells" #ho it is belieed" a!tually originated the
breathing squat) In this %ethod you use a light #eight (a -oundage belo# your o#n body#eight
#as the suggested resistan!e)" and -erfor% one set of <= re-s) Bet#een re-s you too$ a
%ini%u% of > breaths and too$ u- to 1< dee- breaths if you #ere able) The e%-hasis on the
breathing te!hnique !annot be stressed enough" as it is the %ain -rin!i-le behind this %ethod of
squatting for #eight gains) 5ou %ust do the breathing 2IG2 in the !hest" lifting the shoulders and
!hest #ith ea!h dee- breath) 9ee- your abdo%en held in at all ti%e during this e&er!ise -eriod)
8hen you breathe out" atte%-t to e&-el 311 the air fro% your lungs) 8hen inhaling" su!$ in as
%u!h air as you are able to through the 7'0? %outh) 3 set of straight ar% -ulloers should be
-erfor%ed i%%ediately after your squats #hile you are still huffing and -uffing li$e a stea%
engine) The breathing squat is the $ey to body#eight !ontrol along #ith !orre!t diet and nutrition)
7ne is no good #ithout the other)
The %ain dra#ba!$ to this 0ells syste% see%s to be that the gains in body#eight are not hard
%us!ular gains as #ill be obtained fro% the (ader %ethod using heay resistan!e) 3lso" you #ill
not a!hiee the all6round strength that the heay syste% #ill gie you) I understand" ho#eer" that
due to in/uries or other su!h reasons" so%e %en are unable to squat #ith heay #eights) If this
be the !ase" I #ould definitely suggest that you gain your e&tra body#eight through the -ra!ti!e of
light breathing squats and -ulloers as I.e /ust des!ribed)
(B) The (ader *ethod
The breathing squat #ith heay #eights #ill result in a #eight gain #hi!h #ill !onsist of fir% and
ery -o#erful %us!les) 5ou #ill deelo- the -o#er to squat #ith ery heay -oundages oer ti%e
and" !onsequently" you shouldn.t be sur-rised to find all your other lifts hae gone u- een though
you %ay not hae -ra!ti!ed the%) 5ou #ill %ost definitely gain enduran!e and your -hysi!al and
athleti! ability #ill sho# ra-id i%-roe%ent) It is re!o%%ended" ho#eer" #hile on this heay
breathing squat -rogra%" that you !ut out all the running" /u%-ing and een #al$ing as %u!h as
you -ossibly !an) In other #ords" try to !onsere 311 of your energy for your #or$out) 5ou #ill
undoubtedly find that the s-eed #ith #hi!h you #ill -erogress is deter%ined by your #illingness to
e&-end the greatest a%ount of effort you -ossibly !an #hen -erfor%ing these squats)
This ty-e of squatting should not be atte%-ted by the absolute beginner) Get at least si& %onths
of all6round training using the regular squat before you try this heay breathing squat %ethod)
0en the inter%ediate and adan!ed %an should start out #ith 7?0 set of <= re-s for a %onth or
so until bro$en in on this ty-e of routine)
Before I get inoled in des!ribing the full -rogra%" I #ould li$e to say that een the %ost
adan!ed %an #ill add to his !hest si+e #hile follo#ing the -rin!i-les #hi!h follo#) 8e all $no#
that the rib !age is a fle&ible bo& for%ed by the ribs that are /oined to the ertebrae at the ba!$)
8hat #e #ill doing is for!ing e&-ansion of the rib !age through the dee- breathing used in
!on/un!tion #ith our heay squats) The entire lo#er -ortion of the rib !age is %ade u- of !artilage
#hi!h #ill distend to allo# %a&i%u% e&-ansion of the lungs) 'erfe!t squatting style" of !ourse" is
of ital i%-ortan!e and you should al#ays endeaor to squat in good style) 5ou %ust neer round
your ba!$ on this -rogra%" as your #hole breathing style #ill be altered and %a&i%u% results #ill
not be -ossible) If you are rather long6legged and find that the flat footed squatting style ha%-ers
your ability to use heay -oundages" -la!e a board under your feet or use shoes #ith a raised
heel)
8hen doing this heay ersion of the breathing squat" you should use a #eight that %a$es the
last fie re-s nearly i%-ossible to -erfor%) By ta$ing rest -auses in the standing -osition and
breathing dee-ly" you !an !ontinue on and !o%-lete the set) The biggest barrier to heay" high
re- squatting is %ental" so you %ust a--roa!h this e&er!ise #ith a serious deter%ination) Tell
yourself it.s only a lu%- of steel on your ba!$ and you are its %aster) 57; 3(0 G7I?G T7 @7
311 <= (0'SA They are going to be the hardest squats you.e eer done in your life u- to no#
and they are going to ha--en ea!h and eery session) The set you are doing is the s-ringboard
for the foundation of the build and -o#er you.e #anted sin!e your hands first tou!hed a barbell) I
$no# you -robably thin$ I.% getting a little !arried a#ay here in %y a--roa!h to a set of squats"
but beliee %e this is the $ind of deter%ination that enables so%e %en to su!!eed #hile others
fail) By the ti%e you rea!h the tenth re- of your first set of heay breathing squats you are going
to #ish you had neer laid eyes on a -air of squat stands) That #ill be your %o%ent of de!ision)
Gie u- no# and you are lost) Grit your teeth and $ee- %oing for#ard to the end and you #ill
hae begun the -rogra% that #ill !hange your entire -hysique) 5ou #ill be hoo$ed in a good #ay
and #ill neer loo$ ba!$)
(egarding the breathing" -lease ta$e !areful note) Bet#een ea!h re- ta$e ?7T 10SS than three
huge gul-ing breaths) Fill the lungs to the bri% and !o%-letely e%-ty the% again) 1ift the #eight
#ith your !hest" shoulders and tra-s as you breathe) T23T.S ho# hard you hae to breathe to
%a$e this #or$) 3s the set -rogresses" the nu%ber of breaths you hae to ta$e bet#een ea!h re-
%ay go as high as si& or een %ore" but neer %a$e it less than three) 8heneer you ta$e the
final breath before ea!h squat" hold it only on the #ay @78?) 0&-el the air for!ibly as you !o%e
u- #hile %a$ing %a&i%u% effort)
If #e hold the breath too long during heay e&er!ise) a -ressure is !reated in the thora!i! and
abdo%inal !aities that literally blo!$s the blood flo# returning to the heart) This redu!es the
out-ut of the heart a great deal !ausing -re%ature e&haustion to set in) I !ould e&-lain this in
%ore detail but feel it.s not ne!essary) Bust re%e%ber" the breath should neer be held too long
#hen -erfor%ing any heay e&er!ise" other#ise o&ygen debt !an !ause the e&haustion I
e&-lained earlier) The golden rule is 6 e&hale as you !o%e u- #hen doing breathing squats)
Go ?7 1780( than the -arallel -osition and don.t forget to breathe through the %outh) fight your
#ay through the full <= re-s) @on.t gie u-" not een at the 19th re-) If you !an" get a fe# training
-artners to try this -lan #ith you) Gie ea!h other en!ourage%ent #hen the going gets tough)
2ae the% assist by .finger6-ushing. the bar if you loo$ li$e you.re not going to %a$e it) 3dd
#eight #heneer you are able) 5ou.e got to -ush" 'ush" ';S2 those -oundages u-A
It has been found that %ost %en gain fast doing sets of <= re-s" although so%e hae used as
%any as 3=) In %y o-inion" <= is enough) 7ne set -er #or$out is enough for the first four #ee$s
t#o for the se!ond %onth and finally to three sets to %a$e it a full three %onth -rogra%) 3fter
ea!h set you.ll find your legs #obbling li$e /elly and your %ight feel about to burst" but get a!ross
to a flat ben!h and do a set of <= straight6ar% barbell -ulloers #ith no %ore than 3= -ounds"
!on!entrating on dee- breathing) 5ou #ill find as you -rogress in -oundage that %ore rest ti%e
#ill be needed bet#een sets of squats) 3t least > %inutes" and 1> %inutes is not un!o%%on)
The rest of the -rogra% should be %ade u- of the standard u--er body %oe%ents" so your
layout #ill finish u- loo$ing so%ething li$e thisC
First *onth
1) 8ar%u- Squat 6 1 or < sets of 1= re-s)
<) 2eay Breathing Squat 6 1 & <=)
3) Straight 3r% 'ulloer 6 1 & <=)
,) 'ress Behind ?e!$ 6 < & 8)
>) Bentoer (o#ing 6 < & 1=)
:) Ben!h 'ress 6 < & 8)
D) Barbell Curl 6 < & 1=)
Se!ond *onth
1) 8ar%u- Squat 6 1 or < sets of 1= re-s)
<) 2eay Breathing Squat 6 < & <=" alternated #ithC
3) Straight 3r% 'ulloer 6 < & <=)
,) 7erhead 'ress 6 3 & 8)
>) Chins 6 3 & 1=)
:) In!line Ben!h 'ress 6 3 & 8)
D) Seated @u%bbell Curl 6 3 & 1=)
Third *onth
1) 8ar%u- Squat 6 1 to < sets of 1= re-s)
<) 2eay Breathing Squat 6 3 & <=" alternated #ithC
3) Straight 3r% 'ulloer 6 3 & <=)
,) Standing @u%bbell 'ress 6 , & :68)
>) Chins 6 , & :68)
:) @u%bbell Ben!h 'ress 6 , & :68)
D) In!line @u%bbell Curl 6 , & :68)
Sto!$ u- on gro!eries and go on a high -rotein" high !arbohydrate diet until you gain the
body#eight you desire" then !ut ba!$ on the !arbohydrate inta$e so%e#hat) 3 full diet is
absolutely essential #hile on this -rogra%" other#ise you.ll be $no!$ing yourself out for nothing)
Three #or$outs a #ee$ are the re!o%%ended nu%ber" but so%e %en gain /ust as #ell on t#o) If
you find yourself tired all the ti%e during the third %onth" try doing three #or$outs one #ee$ and
t#o the ne&t #ee$) 3s you !ontinue to in!rease the -oundages on your squat so%e leg soreness
%ight result) @on.t %a$e this an e&!use to %iss a #or$out" een if the soreness still e&ists) It #ill
disa--ear /ust as soon as you get going)
Best of lu!$A EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

The Breathing Squat is Fool-roof" B;T 6 (oger 0ells
8ith all that has been #ritten on the !orre!t %anner of -erfor%ing breathing squats one #ould
naturally thin$ there !ould not be one last -erson #ho #ould but understand e&a!tly ho# to
-erfor% this %oe%ent)
The title of this arti!le !oers the situation entirely e&!e-t for the #ord B;T) The squat is
fool-roof" and es-e!ially is this true of the breathing squat (and here.s that #ord again) but for the
fa!t that too %any readers s$i- the details #hen reading the instru!tions on its -erfor%an!e)
There is no -adding in the arti!les that a--ear in 4I*) I.% !areful to !ut all %aterial" #hether in %y
o#n #ritings or those that are sent in by other authors" #hi!h does not say so%ething that is to
your adantage to $no#)
In s-ite of the !areful editing of the arti!les it is sur-rising the nu%ber of %en #ho dro- in on %e
#ho s#ear they -erfor% %y ersion of the e&er!ise !orre!tly) If they haen.t gotten good results I
$no# that are in!orre!tly e&e!uting the e&er!ise" and request the% to de%onstrate) Inariably
they -erfor% it in the #rong %anner) I sho# the% ho# it is done only to be infor%ed that it #asn.t
in the %aga+ine that #ay) 3 referen!e here and there in 4I* !onin!es the% that they #ere
%ista$en and they return ho%e to #rite in a fe# #ee$s that they are registering %ore ra-id gains
than eer before in their life)
1et %e urge all #ho hae not in!reased their !hest si+e and body#eight to go ba!$ oer the
arti!lesF this ti%e don.t /ust s!an the% but really study the%) 4I* is the bodybuilder.s handboo$" a
%anual) It isn.t /ust a %aga+ine full of -hotogra-hs for your entertain%entF it has high quality
instru!tions that #ill assure you of rea!hing -arts of your -hysi!al goal if you #ill only ta$e the
trouble to read the arti!les !arefully and a--ly the suggestions !ontained in the%)
There are rules that goern the !orre!t #ay to i%-le%ent the squat in this %anner and I shall ta$e
the% u- one at a ti%e" dis!ussing the% to #hateer e&tent is ne!essary in order to -reent any
%isunderstanding in the future)
3*7;?T 7F 80IG2T T7 B0 ;S0@ 3?@ 825
0&-erien!e has reealed that the !orre!t a%ount of #eight to use #hen -erfor%ing the breathing
squat for !hest deelo-%ent" body#eight in!rease and" yes" een to in!rease the si+e and
sha-eliness of the legs" is no %ore than body#eight) Strangely enough" the %ore adan!ed %an
%ay often find it to his adantage to handle !onsiderably less than body#eight) 7bseration has
reealed in a nu%ber of !ases that adan!ed %en -rogress %ore ra-idly #hen using a #eight
lighter than is being handled by by %en #hose e&er!ise e&-erien!e is no longer than t#o or three
%onths) ?o# don.t /u%- to !on!lusions" there are substantial reasons for this) In the first -la!e
the beginner %ust strie to handle %ore and %ore #eight for that is the initial -roble% to
oer!o%e" i)e)" getting his strength u- to the -oint #here he !an sto- burning so %u!h energy
through heay e&ertions and rea!h the -oint #here he !an dro- the -oundage to the -la!e #hi!h
#ill -er%it hi% to squat #ith a light #eight to a greater adantage) ?ot using all his strength and
!onsering a great -ro-ortion of his energy he no# a--roa!hes the !ondition #hi!h #ill result in
%ore ra-id gains)
That is the se!ret behind the ra-id strides of the adan!ed %an #ho reali+es the benefit of lighter
#eights at higher re-etitions in the breathing squat)
3nother sound reason for using a #eight no %ore than body#eight is" the bar bell is so light it
does not !o%-ress the shoulders and !ra%- the !hest) It leaes it fle&ible ) ) ) an e&tre%ely
i%-ortant !ondition if ra-id !hest gro#th is e&-e!ted)
T20 C7((0CT 835 T7 B(03T20
3?@ ?;*B0( 7F B(03T2S
3bdo%inal breathing #ill not gie results e&!e-ting in body#eight gains) Chest gains #ill be no
%ore than that #hi!h !an be e&-e!ted fro% ordinary squats) The body#eight in!rease #ill be
greater in abdo%inal breathing6squats than #ith the regular squat and for that reason is the better
%ethod ) ) ) but" #hy loo$ for a +ir!on #hen a dia%ond lies before youG 8hen -ra!ti!ing the
breathing squat do it in the %anner that assures you of all its benefits) That is" breathe !ostally
(ins-iration and e&-iration -rodu!ed !hiefly by %oe%ents of the ribs)" and not abdo%inally)
8hen you breathe do it in su!h a %anner that your !hest #ill rise and fall" not your abdo%en)
This stret!hing" !on!ussion effe!t on the ribs loosens the !artilage atta!h%ents of the sternu%
and results in greater fle&ibility of the entire region) It gies you a greater e&-ansion) 5ou /ob then
is to !arry yourself ere!t) In addition" in!or-orate the -ulloer" ro#ing %otion and the e&er!ise #ith
a !able that affe!ts the latissi%us %us!les in order that greater tone #ill result in the ba!$
%us!les #hi!h #ill in turn hold the !hest in an eleated -osition)
3s to the nu%ber of breaths to be ta$en bet#een squats #e %ust deter%ine through
e&-eri%entation) ?o t#o indiiduals rea!t in the sa%e %anner) For the beginner three dee-
breaths are about right" but as he -rogresses he should ta$e %ore breaths bet#een squats"
shortening the% to the -anting style) By -anting" I %ean the !ondition #hi!h you e&-erien!e
#hen you hae run 1== yards or so) Co-y your breathing after that) The %ore adan!ed %an ) ) )
one #ith seeral years in!orre!t e&er!ise e&-erien!e behind hi% ) ) ) %ay find it ne!essary to 1=
to 1> breaths bet#een squats) ?o# that is not su!h a !hore as you #ould first thin$) That nu%ber
of breaths !an easily be a!!o%-lished and <= squats e&e!uted in 3 %inutes) 8hen the -oundage
is no %ore than body#eight it is not so un!o%fortable" I assure you)
9I?@ 7F B3( T7 ;S0
To #or$ at high re-s it is al%ost a ne!essity to use a !a%bered bar) It -reents the bar fro%
rolling on your ne!$ and shoulders #hi!h" besides being %ost un!o%fortable" #astes a lot of
energy be!ause of the ne!essity of fighting to $ee- your balan!e #hen squatting #ith a straight
bar)
ST(3IG2T B3C9 7( (7;?@ B3C9
I en!ourage the beginner to squat #ith a straight ba!$ until su!h ti%e as his %us!les hae
strengthened suffi!iently that in/ury is unli$ely) 3fter this initial -eriod he is left on his o#n" and #ill
eentually go into the -ositions #hi!h are %ost adantageous for his -arti!ular leerages)
?;*B0( 7F (0'0TITI7?S
<= is about right for the beginner and %ay -roe satisfa!tory for the %ore adan!ed %an)
2o#eer" t#o" three" and een four sets of <= ea!h are often needed on the adan!ed body
!ulturist) So%eti%es the -roble% !an be soled by re%aining at <= re-s and in!reasing the
nu%ber of breaths) 7n the other hand" if the fello# in question has e&er!ised oer a -eriod of
years" has be!o%e tough" and hasn.t registered gains for a year or t#o he %ay find it ne!essary
to in!rease the nu%ber of re-s both in the squats and breaths bet#een)
There is a solution in one of the aboe %ethods for eery one of you regardless of your -ast
e&-erien!e) *a$e sure that you are -erfor%ing the e&er!ise !orre!tly and then e&-eri%ent to
deter%ine #hi!h is the %ethod needed in your !ase)
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