In a previous post, I used car metaphors to distinguish between muscle spindles and GTO. Muscle spindles are the sensors of the body while GTOs are the circuit breakers. In today's car metaphor/exercise metaphor is Pascal's law. Pascal's law has applications throughout the science world. In this case we will look how fluid is impacted when pressurized. When fluid is in a cylinder and is pressurized pressure is exerted in all directions equally for liquid cannot be condensed. Think about coolant in your cooling system. When under pressure the upper and lower hose become solid and rigid (if not then you got a problem...get it checked out).
When you use the Valsalva maneuver, you are trapping fluid in the lower torso to make the back rigid. How do you preform the Valsalva maneuver you ask? Great question. When performing loaded structural exercises such as deadlift, or squat (back and front apply) hold your breath before the movement then as your completing the movement exhale (please please please exhale.... don't be like those dudes on YouTube that hold their breath and pass out!). Holding your breath during the movement builds intrabdominal pressure within your back creating a neutral spine. From the side your back will look like a tabletop back. If you ever hear "tabletop back" as a coaching cue, then that is what they are referring too. Using the Valsalva maneuver during heavy (emphasis on heavy) structural exercises that load the spine one way to ensure that you create a neutral spine enabling a safer lift.
The drawback to using this maneuver has already been mentioned-you could pass out. Holding your breath restricts oxygen to the brain thus causing blackouts. Think about getting put into a sleeper hold-same concept. Another and less serious drawback are that you inadvertently create high blood pressure. Folks with high blood pressure or older populations should not use this maneuver due to this.
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