Breath hold is a deliberate pause after the inhale or the exhale to build comfort with rising carbon dioxide, never forced.
In 📝Breathwork a short hold is part of a ratio, not a contest of how long the person can last. The urge to breathe is information. Pushing past dizziness, panic, or a pounding chest is the wrong dose. Holds are not a medical CO2 test and not a freediving protocol.
Clients feel a rising wave and then the next breath. If the wave is panic, the hold is dropped and the nose is used for a slow cycle. Chest pain or unexplained shortness of breath is a referral.