Light headed?

[Mr_T]

It seems like when I'm lifting I get light headed a lot! I do breath while lifting, but it gets scary sometimes when I'm lifting heavy and start seeing stars. I was dumbbell shoulder pressing tonight, and had to stop halfway through my set it got so bad! Also, anytime I stand up without getting up extremely slow, I get dizzy. Could it be low blood pressure? I need to check it. It just makes me wonder sometimes because it happens real quick and bothers me. Whadda ya say Doc?

[TimNassen]

i get the same thing-over head stuff -have gone as far as to checkout for a few moments - once in training and once at a contest- feel like i'm pinching off the blood flow to my brain--i aways figured it was a build up of scar tissue getting in the way
tim

[Matt Nickerson]

I remember when that used to happen to me. How long has this been taking place for? When I lift, I always breath through my stomach, expanding my diaphram (sp) to its maximum capiblility. In the long run, I've noticed its help me with core stablilization when I squat heavy or do holds to simulate conans.

[Mr_T]

I remember when that used to happen to me. How long has this been taking place for? When I lift, I always breath through my stomach, expanding my diaphram (sp) to its maximum capiblility. In the long run, I've noticed its help me with core stablilization when I squat heavy or do holds to simulate conans.

Well it's only been doing it while lifting for about two weeks, but the standing up and getting dizzy deal has been happening for a long time.

[Patrick McGuffin]

I have done that every time I go to do a trap bar dead, and once when I deadlifted 500lbs it is weird. I also get them every now and then when I get up to fast and breath in at the same time but only if my breathing was faster than normal otherwise I am fine.

[Dan Harrison]

I was finishing up my shoulder training and as I was locking the weight out, I began to see stars and get REALLY lightheaded. Reason this happens is lack of oxygen, so I took a bunch of quick, deep breaths (in with the nose, out with the mouth) and managed to lock the weight out controlled and avoid passing out and dropping the bar on my head. Breathing thru the nose gets oxygen in you faster.

[Jay O'Neill]

It seems like when I'm lifting I get light headed a lot! I do breath while lifting, but it gets scary sometimes when I'm lifting heavy and start seeing stars. I was dumbbell shoulder pressing tonight, and had to stop halfway through my set it got so bad! Also, anytime I stand up without getting up extremely slow, I get dizzy. Could it be low blood pressure? I need to check it. It just makes me wonder sometimes because it happens real quick and bothers me. Whadda ya say Doc?

lot's of possibilities... being well hydrated is key when you are expending energy. I suspest you are having Positional vertigo or Labrynthitis. Have you had a cold in the last month? You can have eustacian tube dysfunction... where the tubes that drain the inner ear get blocked and you can have dizzy spells... these are the most common conditions.
Hydrate and take a decongestant... nasal and oral.. and that will clear you up.

[Jamie McEwan]

I once blacked out when I had just finished locking out a military press. Caught myself on the ground in push up position as the bar hit the ground in front of me. Also almost fell over after some heavy deads, and had to stumble around until I could find something to lean on. Good times.

[Brandon Campbell]

lack of oxygen is fuN! Try focusing alot more on your breathing and making sure your taking Deep breaths and not short staggered ones during reps. If ya take short quick ones you can deprive your body of oxygen even faster then if you held your breath.

[Mr_T]

lot's of possibilities... being well hydrated is key when you are expending energy. I suspest you are having Positional vertigo or Labrynthitis. Have you had a cold in the last month? You can have eustacian tube dysfunction... where the tubes that drain the inner ear get blocked and you can have dizzy spells... these are the most common conditions.
Hydrate and take a decongestant... nasal and oral.. and that will clear you up.

You know, I always have sinus crap going on, but haven't had a cold for a few months. I think it could be a simple breathing problem...

[Dan Harrison]

I once blacked out when I had just finished locking out a military press. Caught myself on the ground in push up position as the bar hit the ground in front of me. Also almost fell over after some heavy deads, and had to stumble around until I could find something to lean on. Good times.

That's awesome. Overhead presses have a tendency to make people pass out a lot. On a heavy and high stone load attempt (this one was done alone, not recorded, the 385 to 62"), I fought with the stone right on the ledge for so long that I passed out so bad that when I came to, I was lying on the ground about 20 feet away from the stone platform. Don't know how I got there.

Let the good times roll.

[Jamie McEwan]

Yeah, I barely remember walking over to find something to stay upright.

Oh another sweet one. Last year before I went to Xenia I was doing rack pulls. I train in an extremely granny-ish gym with lots of cardio equipment right by the rack. So I loaded the bar up for a PR attempt, got strapped in, and started to pull. It was one of those "if it breaks off of the pins, I'll lock it out" moments. After five seconds of pulling, it broke the pins, started moving upwards, and then it locked out. Seemed completely fine until I put it down. Then I got dizzy, had blurry vision for about five seconds, and had to stumble over to a chair. Keep in mind that about five grannies are watching this from treadmills. Pretty hilarious reactions, and I'll always remember it because it was the first time I'd ever had bloodshot eyes from lifting.

[Patrick McGuffin]

I have had that happen once or twice but I just held onto the bar scince I was already leaning against it when I put it down, luckily at a moment like that it just looks like you are looking at your footing or something. :BB:

[stevemoss]

You know, I always have sinus crap going on, but haven't had a cold for a few months. I think it could be a simple breathing problem...

Yeah, I get that too! I'm going in for an operation soon (on a waiting list) hopefully to sort them out!

Was more of a problem for me with boxing but, I can see it possibly effecting me as I progress up the weights.

Be better when I get it sorted! You ever thought about getting to see the doc about it?

[Mr_T]

Yeah, I get that too! I'm going in for an operation soon (on a waiting list) hopefully to sort them out!

Was more of a problem for me with boxing but, I can see it possibly effecting me as I progress up the weights.

Be better when I get it sorted! You ever thought about getting to see the doc about it?

nah I'm used to it. It just runs in my dad's side of the family.

[Clint Darden]

Passed out at NASS Nationals a few years.
Heart rate was above 180 and steady
Blood Pressure was 120/70
Blood Sugar was UP to 63 after getting in a bunch of liquid glucose

Never really got that one fully explained but I had some type of infection (cardiac area), dehydration, and who knows what else...all worked itself out.

My training partner had me doing some of his crazy Russian stuff a while back. I was doing Static Deadlifts where you make it take 10 seconds to pull it, then just drop it down. Did them with 320 at the end of my Event session. At the top lockout...my eyes closed and I went down...lol. Strangest feeling I've had in a while. That was just too long for me to be holding my air in...lol.

Make sure that you have enough carbs in you (takes days...not a couple meals to do this), are hydrated enough, and in good shape.

[Mr_T]

Make sure that you have enough carbs in you (takes days...not a couple meals to do this), are hydrated enough, and in good shape.

You know, I think this may have played a big part of it. I worked security at a large event a couple of days in a row so my eating pattern got thrown off and I didn't get my 5-6 meals in every day. When I went back into the gym I felt overtrained, but it seemed impossible since I was only lifting 4 days per week and ate all day long. The problem was actually due to lack of sleep and proper nutrition. It's amazing how important every element is when it comes to training. You really realize it when something like this happens.

[Ryan Rhodes]

Excessive oxygen saturation will make you lightheaded as well. Breathe evenly.

[Elliot Baum]

that happens to me if i breath into my chest instead of my stomach, happened mostly on heavy squats. Breathing into my stomach and using ammonia on really heavy lifts helped alot.