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You\u2019ve probably heard a lot of strange ideas about how to get stronger and build muscle.

You know, things like drinking a gallon of milk a day, doing ten sets of ten reps of every exercise, sipping flavored water BCAAs between meals, and so forth.

And if you\u2019ve put any of these ideas into practice, you\u2019ve also learned they\u2019re more or less all humbug.

If you\u2019re following a well-designed strength training program, eating enough protein and slightly more calories than you burn every day, and sleeping at least 8 hours per night, there\u2019s little else you can do to further goose muscle growth or strength gains.

That said, it\u2019s you\u2019re doing all of those things, it\u2019s worth exploring what that \u201clittle else\u201d might entail.

For example, although blood-flow restriction sounds like something from the pages of Fifty Shades of Gray, it\u2019s actually a scientifically validated method for boosting muscle growth and strength.

Recently, researchers have uncovered another potential way to increase strength (and thus muscle growth): hyperventilation training.

Hyperventilation?

Isn\u2019t that what happens when you have a panic attack?

Well, yes, it can occur in response to extreme anxiety, but specifically, hyperventilation refers to a situation where rapid, deep breathing causes an imbalance in the ratio of carbon dioxide (CO2) to oxygen (O2) in your blood.

When you \u201coverbreathe\u201d (as some people refer to hyperventilation), you exhale CO2 much faster than you inhale O2.

This causes the level of CO2 in your blood to plummet, which can lead to a variety of unpleasant side effects like lightheadedness, dizziness, shortness of breath, and intense tingling in your fingers and face, with the effects becoming more intense the longer you hyperventilate . . .

. . . which sounds like the last thing you\u2019d want to experience while lifting heavy weights.

According to a new study conducted by scientists at Juntendo University, though, hyperventilating briefly\u2014enough to slightly decrease your blood levels of CO2, but not so much that you experience negative effects\u2014may temporarily make you stronger.

Keep listening to learn why and how hyperventilating can boost your strength.

5:34 - What is one of the primarily physiological factors that limits our performance in workouts?

14:14 - How do you hyperventilate?

Mentioned on The Show:

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