Do you haz manly grunts?

[Tom Campitelli]

Holding the breath (especially squatting) can cause aneurisms, stroke or worse.

This is completely unsupported by any evidence. Please show us the data where people have suffered cerebrovascular events in the weight room because of holding their breath. It might make you a little dizzy at the top, but holding your breath is just fucking fine for your health and it will keep you from injuring your back.

[Ello]

Gary, you should expel a controlled amount of air under pressure. Holding the breath (especially squatting) can cause aneurisms, stroke or worse. I found that my "face exploding" was caused by forgetting to exhale on a max.

We're biologically programmed to utilize the valsalva maneuver! Can it be dangerous? Sure. But, more often than not it can help you out on that last rep or so.

You have 138 posts on these forums and you still believe the valsalva maneuver is dangerous?

^^^^
Odd isn't it?


Back to the original topic:

I find myself grunting/screaming naturally. Admittedly, I don't do so at all times. It happens most often when I'm around a barbelll - be it squats, deadlift, or press. It's a natural response considering the circumstances:

A) I'm moving heavy shit
B) I'm getting tired
C) I'm pissed that whatever weight I'm lifting isn't heavier

So, I scream/grunt. In my mind, my body is being a bitch and it needs to step the fuck up. My scream is the vocalization of that sentiment. Therefore, when I hear someone else scream, I understand where they're coming from. They don't have to be lifting 1000 pounds to scream. Whatever weight they're lifting is sufficiently stressful to evoke a primal response that says, "Man the fuck up."

[quadancer]

You have 138 posts on these forums and you still believe the valsalva maneuver is dangerous?

Did you even read what I said? I SAID I believe (as do many PL's and my CARDIOLOGIST) that HOLDING the breath is dangerous. Haven't you seen guys with bloody aneurisms on the eyeballs? It's more common among PL's, I'm sure.
I've used the valsalva maneuver for over 30 years of supraventricular tachycardia, until that was healed. I was told by the PL's that NOT USING IT was my friggin' problem in the lift, as I was concentrating on the lift and NOT EXHALING.
Definition from Medicine.net:
Valsalva maneuver: A maneuver in which a person tries to exhale forcibly with a closed glottis (the windpipe) so that no air exits through the mouth or nose as, for example, in strenuous coughing, straining during a bowel movement, or lifting a heavy weight. The Valsalva maneuver impedes the return of venous blood to the heart.
Since I've returned to exhaling under pressure, I haven't had the blood spike as badly as it hit me before. Your grunting, hissing or whatnot is the valsalva in action.

[elVarouza]

I read what you said. In fact, I quoted it. I have seen some powerlifters exhale at their sticking points, the idea being that it briefly spikes pressure in the abdominal cavity. I've also seen plenty very strong powerlifters not do this. I've never seen, nor have I ever heard of, anyone dying from performing the valsalva maneuver. Note the link you quoted says it's the act of exhaling against a CLOSED glottis, i.e. you try to exhale but don't. That's the valsalva maneuver.

[quadancer]

Okay, then I stand corrected. It appears to me that exhaling is exhaling, otherwise there is no breath coming out; you're just compressing.
And that is the only thing that makes sense. We do not seem to have a name for compressive release of air save for "grunting".
I did find, however, a name for the hemorrhaging of the eyeball, which I mistakenly lumped in with aneurisms:
"A pathologic syndrome associated with the Valsalva maneuver is Valsalva retinopathy.[13] It presents as preretinal hemorrhage (bleeding in front of the retina) in people with a history of transient increase in the intrathoracic pressure. The bleeding may be associated with a history of heavy lifting, a forceful coughing, straining on the toilet, or vomiting. The bleeding may cause a reduction of vision if it obstructs the visual axis. Patients may also note floaters in their vision. Usually a full recovery of vision is made."
As far as aneurisms and strokes, I have no medical evidence, going by what PL's have told me in discussions like this one. I tend to trust easily, and if competitive lifters are saying it causes strokes, I assumed that they knew of it happening. My bad there.
My main point was that I nearly screwed myself up by NOT exhaling under pressure, and this evidently (at least it does on me) further raised blood pressures to very undesirable levels. My cardiologist agreed.

[Tom Campitelli]

I SAID I believe (as do many PL's and my CARDIOLOGIST) that HOLDING the breath is dangerous.

I'm glad you believe that. Please show us anything (and I mean anything) that legitimately points to people suffering brain aneurysms or dying from holding their breath while lifting weights. If you could find even 10 cases of this in a year in the United States, you win a gold star. Just because your CARDIOLOGIST believes something does not make it true. How many brain aneurysms has he treated as a result of the Valsalva Maneuver? How many herniated discs have occurred as a result of spinal flexion under load?

[Tom Campitelli]

Looks like we posted at the same time.

[Krump]

People really dislike strong outpouring of emotion.

As a funny story related to this, I recently posted one of AC's videos in a health & fitness forum I moderate on a site less friendly to this sort of thing, and the general response was overwhelmingly negative, suggesting that the grunting/yelling was indicative of being an attention whore and so forth.

Anyone who thinks involuntary grunting is done for attention is a cynical jerk who obviously doesn't have any experience with hard work and thus shouldn't have an opinion on the matter of what constitutes appropriate behavior when you work hard.

"Psyching up" is a little different though; not that it is bad but different. Besides making a scene there are some good reason not to do it too regularly since it can be mentally draining. I'm sure there are posts discussing this in greater detail. I know either PP or SS covers how the effects of too much "psyching up" can drain you leading to prolonged recovery.

[stronger]

People really dislike strong outpouring of emotion.

As a funny story related to this, I recently posted one of AC's videos in a health & fitness forum I moderate on a site less friendly to this sort of thing, and the general response was overwhelmingly negative, suggesting that the grunting/yelling was indicative of being an attention whore and so forth.

That's pretty stupid. AC is a great lifter, and his energy levels are what put him over the top. The way he approaches the bar is a great example for younger lifters who want to get strong.

Having once been part of bodybuilding-type lifting as an older teen, I can say that most people who hiss at people who grunt are either A. intimidated or B. as others have mentioned, annoyed because they think the person is showing off.

To some degree, you can't blame people who haven't had this explained to them. Their lifting requires no psyching up, so they assume that anyone else who is lifting doesn't need a high energy level, a bit of heavy breathing and a grunt or two, etc.

There are lots of opportunities to educate bodybuilding type lifters