Head Pressure and Side Effects When Lifting

[Roman Messali]

Hello, Mr. Rippetoe. I'm 15 and I started your program just three months ago and I have to say I've been making a lot of progress. However, recently, I've noticed that during lifts I can get a lot of head pressure, red eyes, a flushed face, and even feeling like I need to throw up sometimes during reps. To clarify, today I went in and, while squatting, my vision became a little blurry and my eyes became noticeably bloodshot. Later, while bracing for the press, I even felt like I blanked out for half a second, as though I was to pass out, though, then again, I've never passed out so I wouldn't be able to tell you what that feels like. Point is, during many of my lifts I get visibly red, my eyes become bloodshot, the pressure in my head increases a lot, and sometimes I even feel somewhat nauseous from these. I'm not overweight and don't have any health problems, though I have been fairly inactive and unathletic, never being very interested by sports. This doesn't happen every day so I'm wondering if it doesn't have to do with my gym's temperature, which, for some reason, the heater is still on. I was also wondering if this could be happening due to somewhat shallow breaths so next time I go I'll make sure to take deeper, larger breaths. Thank you!

[Mark Rippetoe]

Take your big breath and hold it with your mouth open. I'll bet you're trying to hold it in your mouth now, which causes all kids of bad problems.

[Roman Messali]

Thank you for responding! I'm still a little confused though on what you mean. I've browsed around some more and seen people saying to hold the breath in your lungs and not your mouth, but how would I go about blocking the air in with my mouth open?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Try it. You can learn.

[JFord]

Thank you for responding! I'm still a little confused though on what you mean. I've browsed around some more and seen people saying to hold the breath in your lungs and not your mouth, but how would I go about blocking the air in with my mouth open?

Think about taking a hard shit.

You are welcome.

[Soule]

Think about taking a hard shit.

You are welcome.

He’s 15, doc. He’s never had to struggle with grown man hard shit problems.

[JFord]

He’s 15, doc. He’s never had to struggle with grown man hard shit problems.

Lol. Then I got nothin’.

[Roman Messali]

If I'm feeling a lot of side effects from the increase in pressure, how would purposefully increasing the pressure and tension help? Wouldn't I just be straining, making it worse?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Have you read the book?

[Soule]

Listen to me, young padawan: read the book, Do the program, get interested in sports and listen to Professor Rip.

You do these things and you’re going to have a wonderful life, full of gains and fine, appreciative women.