We all know that push-ups are difficult, but they won't feel any easier if you forget to breathe. There are a few reasons you want to breathe during push-ups — one is so you don't get lightheaded and pass out. Another reason is because when you breathe, you're able to activate your abdominal muscles [1], and it can help you improve your strength.

Regardless of the push-up variation [2] — my current favourite is the close-grip wide-grip push-up [3] — you should inhale when lowering your body down to the ground. This will help you recruit and engage your abdominal muscles [4] and help you keep your spine in a neutral position.

When you're ready to push your body back up to the starting position, you should exhale. I find that the exhale helps me "power" myself back up — don't forget about maintaining good form — and makes every rep I perform feel slightly easier than if I were to hold my breath. The next time you've got a few sets of push-ups in your workout, give this simple trick a shot!