Conditioning

[shanuea]

I'm planning on buying 'Fit' to get some more info on this but in the meantime.

I suspect (suspect) that I'm unfit.

I lift weights regularly, and though not very strong am progressively getting stronger. But I do zero cardio, even out of the gym I can't remember the last time I ran. I walk, and have a physical job. But I steer away from cardio like the plague as most SS's do in fear it counteracts my lifting.

But sometimes when doing power cleans I get a bit breathless and dizzy occasionally from a rush of blood which makes me think I am unfit.

Long term health as well as short term I want to be healthy - not just strong. I know SS and cardio don't mix but is this something I should be worried about?
And if so, what can I do about it whilst still SSing?

[william jackson]

If you are just exercising to be strong and don't have competitive goals, then I would strongly suggest conditioning for it's health benefits. Getting lower blood pressure and bpm it is widely accepted as being healthier than having higher numbers.

[ColoWayno]

SS is not a lifestyle. It's a program that should be completed in months, not years (genetic freaks aside).
Get strong in a few months, do a little conditioning during that time, then balance out your training for your goals.

[cpbellavia]

But sometimes when doing power cleans I get a bit breathless and dizzy occasionally from a rush of blood which makes me think I am unfit.

I suspect that you are fine.

BREATHE. I'm betting you're just starting to get to the "heavy" point. What are you weighing, squatting cleaning, etc?

When you lift a heavy weight, especially with squats/deads/cleans, your heart rate goes through the roof, well past the anaerobic threshold, and you're going to need to breathe hard and fast to catch up. Think about how a dog breathes after sprinting.

I'm 170cm 82kgs 24yo still run a mile under 530, can hit level 12 on a bleep test (do people still do that? they make us do it for rugby) and am generally in better shape for tire flip / sprinting drills than anyone on my team. But when I finish a heavy set of squats/cleans/deadlifts, you better believe I am gasping hard for oxygen. And even still I'll occasionally get dizzy on squats in particular.

You have a physical job (I assume you aren't sitting on your ass all day?) and walk regularly? You're fine. Keep lifting harder. When it's heavy and you're out of breath, breathe. If you want to mix anything in, start very simple. Go out after your day 3 workout (so you have an extra day off) and sprint 40 yards near full speed. Walk back and sprint again. Do 8 or so. Call it a day. There's a lot you can do to make those sprints more complex, but I suspect it isn't necessary.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I do a GXP twice a week consisting of 5 minutes warmup to 80-85% of MHR, 5 minutes at that rate, and then 5 minutes ramping down. My lifting and stretching keeps my HR at around 60-75% of MHR for the 40-50 minutes I do it three times a week. At 61, I usually test out in the 37-42 range of VO2 max putting me in the excellent category for geezers my age. So the advice of the others above has validity.