passing out from press, pulls prevalence?

[k_dean_curtis]

Our good Dr Austin B’s instagram post pertains to him and others passing out on presses. I saw a video a while back of the great Bill Kazmaier who passed out on a press (no, not the fake one with Arcidi in a WWF ring), but a real training video of him and some other big PL guys.

Really took me by surprise that a world class lifter in his prime and an M.D. with a whole lot of time under the bar could not prevent this. No disrespect at all to these 2 great guys whom we all here admire. To the point, if THESE 2 could not prevent it during a lift, what are regular people supposed to do?

How prevalent is this phenomenon?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I have never seen or experienced a blackout during a pull of any type, so I'll go out on a limb here and say that it's not common at all. Presses and the rack of a clean, common. Has to do with pressure against the carotids and the carotid sinus. See Stef's valsalva video.

[VNV]

...what are regular people supposed to do?

How prevalent is this phenomenon?

For the pull, prepare the area for a safe fall. Eliminate sharp corners etc. Or, I recall some advice from Sully at Pulling Camp at Black Iron Training (Kurisko's) to take a knee instead of standing up quickly, if needed.

This was happening to me for a while about a year ago. Sometimes I'd be near fainting after the last rep of DL. Once I toppled. But something changed either in my technique or system, and it hasn't happened since. Perhaps it's just another kind of adaptation. Similar in the OHP. What used to be a crushing/suffocating weight is now a warm up load. Also, I find a slight exhale on the press on the way up helps prevent blackout.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you are experiencing blackout of a pull, you're trying to do multiple reps on one breath. As discussed previously. Don't do that.

[k_dean_curtis]

Coach Rip,
Yep, have watch Coach Stef's val salva video before. It scares the SuperSlow guys to death, they are vehemently against val salva in any form

If pressure on the carotid sinus is a contributor to blacking out, would it be safer to have the bar "float", as is recommended in SS for folks with long forearms relative to upper arms? IOW, keep the bar off the area for trainees that have issues with light headedness / passing out?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You'll have to manage the bar position if it's causing problems, obviously.

[spacediver]

I usually get light headed on my last warmup set (which is one rep) of deadlifts. It's also the first set at which I use a belt.

The interesting thing is that after this set, it doesn't recur, suggesting that the body adapts in the short term, and "gets it out of the system".

[Ryan Arnold]

Personally I've felt light headed/faint in both DL and PC during days/periods of time where I was hungover and/or not eating enough or both. I've also had clients report the same in likely similar conditions. I also think most people are fine even under such conditions and on the whole it would be rare for pulls.

[Michael Loucas]

Me personally, I've never gotten light headed from deadlifts, but on press it happens to me on limit weights when I lay back too much as I'm trying to lock out the weight (1-2RM). My guess is the lay back increases the pressure of the belt against my midsection too much.

I've only actually fully passed out once, I couldn't control the bar down to my shoulders and it fell to the floor. Waking up on the ground wasn't a pleasant experience, but I wasn't seriously hurt at all. I think the bar rolled hard into my shin that was it.

Since then if I feel it coming on I exhale a little bit to relieve some pressure, or just end the rep.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Me personally, I've never gotten light headed from deadlifts, but on press it happens to me on limit weights when I lay back too much as I'm trying to lock out the weight (1-2RM). My guess is the lay back increases the pressure of the belt against my midsection too much.

If that was the case, the deadlift and the squat would make you pass out too. Look, guys, this is getting repetitive. We already know all this shit, and it's been discussed. Carry on down here if you so desire.