Valsalva Maneuver

[Salv]

Hi Coaches, I posted in the Training forum but didn't get many responses hoping you can help me.

6'2, 202lb. On SS for ~2.5months
Normally I will Valsalva Maneuver with no issues, but today I developed strange sensations on the first reps of the press and power clean.

For the press (130lb), I take a breath, unrack the bar and press it over my head and suddenly lost almost all vision and hearing whilst my body felt very light and the feeling subsided in about 3 seconds. Was not dizzy at all, and felt ~90% normal after the rep to proceed to finish the set. Occured once on first rep, second set of 3x5.

For the powerclean (157lb), knees straight, take breath, then flatten back moving knees forward, do the movement and same unique feeling. Occured twice out of 5x3.

I'm fairly certain I don't choke myself with the bar on either movement. Does anyone else have experience with this reaction? Any advice on how I should approach next session?

Thanks,
Simon

[Tom Campitelli]

This certainly is not normal, especially because you have been training this way for some time. It's not unusual to get a little dizzy from power cleans if you don't let out a little air at the top, but losing all hearing and vision while holding a bar overhead is not very comforting. I am going to let someone more qualified discuss this, but I would not ignore these symptoms.

[Aslin]

Hi Coaches, I posted in the Training forum but didn't get many responses hoping you can help me.

6'2, 202lb. On SS for ~2.5months
Normally I will Valsalva Maneuver with no issues, but today I developed strange sensations on the first reps of the press and power clean.

For the press (130lb), I take a breath, unrack the bar and press it over my head and suddenly lost almost all vision and hearing whilst my body felt very light and the feeling subsided in about 3 seconds. Was not dizzy at all, and felt ~90% normal after the rep to proceed to finish the set. Occured once on first rep, second set of 3x5.

For the powerclean (157lb), knees straight, take breath, then flatten back moving knees forward, do the movement and same unique feeling. Occured twice out of 5x3.

I'm fairly certain I don't choke myself with the bar on either movement. Does anyone else have experience with this reaction? Any advice on how I should approach next session?

Thanks,
Simon

Happens to me on a lesser scale during volume sometimes. I've put it down to changes in blood pressure. Happened to me seriously one time a couple of years ago when I exhaled while pressing heavy for whatever stupid reason. Blacked out completely and hearing went like you describe. Legs turned to jelly and would barely work lol. I was stumbling around the weight room like a zombie for a good few seconds.

[Salv]

Thanx for fast replies! Quick update. Today doing warm up deadlifts, I did ~275x1 and I think i stood up too quickly, I ended up having to sit down awkwardly and felt kind of stunned. I was moving my arms around in a kind of repeated motion as if to gain balance and my vision was deteriorated; the feeling passed after 3 seconds back to normality. I must've looked seriously disoriented.

I proceeded to do 300x5 for my workset which was tough but had no symptoms.

[Tom Campitelli]

This still does not strike me as a desirable state of affairs.

[afatgoat]

Happens to me on a lesser scale during volume sometimes. I've put it down to changes in blood pressure. Happened to me seriously one time a couple of years ago when I exhaled while pressing heavy for whatever stupid reason. Blacked out completely and hearing went like you describe. Legs turned to jelly and would barely work lol. I was stumbling around the weight room like a zombie for a good few seconds.

I used to get it after volume squats. I gave myself a longer pause between reps and changed my breathing. I used to valsalva, unrack, get set, and press before taking a second breath. Now I take two big breaths/light exhales to get big, valsava on the 3rd, unrack, get set. exhale and valsalva again. I don't get that black out feeling nearly as often.

Hope you find something that works.

[Salv]

http://startingstrength.com/resource...ead.php?t=9821

This thread has shed some light on my situation. Thanks afat, will try this.

[Clay Simczyk]

Something like this happened to me when I tried a morning workout instead my normal afternoon/evening workout. I figured I just didn't get enough food that day. I can't say for sure because I decided to never workout in the morning again.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Would suggest a medical evaluation.

[CrazyDogLady]

I would suggest to call your family doctor, tell him all the symptoms you've experienced, and see what he or she has to say.