Dizzy when squatting

Hello,

Doing the program. My squat is at 225 (102,5 kg). The last few workouts I have had trouble with the 4th and 5th reps in each set for the squat. I get dizzy and a somewhat loss of vision, everything is fine once I rack the bar and have a deep breath. Numbers are going up on all lifts, I rest 8 minuter between squat sets and the weight is defenitly managable. Its not the strength thats is lacking.

I have tried a couple of medium sized breaths between reps (standing with the bar on the shoulders) before applying valsalva but this exhausts me a bit to much so my technique gets poor. I have tried increasing the internal preassure ”upwards” (toward the glottis and head, more of a mental que) but no effect.

Is this common and are there any recommendations available? Is it some sort of ”oxygen debt”, loss of blood preassure? I am training on my own in my garage so this has become a safety issue since I have no spotters.

it is not common, because you are breathing incorrectly. Watch some videos or people doing sets of 5 on this board and do it like that.

What Rip said. Deep breath between each set. Deep. Hold the breath. Make sure you're tight too. Do this for each rep. How long does it take for you to reach bottom position? That might be a good question too? Maybe?��

As Mark says, this could be a breathing/Valsalva problem that you need to fix.

I also find that this happens much less if I make sure I'm well hydrated before and as I'm doing my work-out. I don't know how old you are but as I've gotten into my 60s, I find that I'm more prone to orthostatic hypotension which is when you get light-headed (and your blood pressure drops) if you rise too quickly. There are several medical causes for why this happens to older guys but hydrating definitely helps, at least for me. There are some younger folks that have this problem too and the same fix should help.

If you have high blood pressure or other cardiac conditions and are on medications, you might wish to tell your doctor. Some drugs are more likely to cause this problem than others. There might be an easy fix if he or she can modify your medication regimen.

It also sounds like you need a full on squat rack that you can place safeties on in case you miss a rep. This isn't a panacea but can make lifting in your situation safer.

Are you holding your air in your face or behind your glottis?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Erik Y

Are you holding your air in your face or behind your glottis?

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Erik makes a good point. If you Valsalva with the air in your mouth, then the pressure goes up in your head and yeah it can make you dizzy, see stars etc. If you hold the air against a closed glottis in your lungs, then the pressure is not as great in your head and shouldn't pose a problem. The same thing happens to me when I forget where the air is supposed to be held.

Thank you for your replies. I watched some videos and got the hang of a biiiiiig breath. Not just a breath.

Thank you. Onwards and upwards.

You may be in a glucose deficit towards the end of each set. Both glucose and oxygen are delivered by the blood to cells in the body which are converted to energy for cell function (both muscles and brain cells). Glucose is delivered to the blood in the small intestine where carbs are broken down, oxygen of course in the lungs. I have been eating peanut butter before working out for an energy boost.

Glucose is not depleted over the course of a set. That's not the way it works.