Almost passed out while squatting... WTF DID I DO WRONG!?

[Cry For Love]

Hey sup guys.

After a break of a couple of weeks I did my first sets of squats. Warm up sets and the first work set(5 reps) was cool, but immediately after the second set my vision hazed and became "sparkly" aswell as hearing started fading out. For a couple of minutes I was seriously out of whack but then soon recovered. Obviously stopped the workout after that.

Question: WHY DID IT HAPPEN!? Seems like those were symtoms of brain oxygen deprivation, but squats have never caused that before, not even deadlifts. I have been taking accutane for a couple of months (albeit in low doses of 20mg a day) and had a bit of a cold that had just ended as I resumed my training.

Also, on another note, I have noticed that in heavy squatting sets after i put the bar back on the hooks(have to lower myself from an upright position by a few inches to do it) and step back out of the safety cage, a bit of a pain surge goes through my back, from bottom to top, as if it was recovering from the weight of the bar.That has also only happened in the last couple of months or so. Any ideas why this happens?

Help appreciated.

 

[BMX]

Stay hydrated and keep breathing, may not be the answer you are looking for but don't forget those 2.

 

[Drum&Bass]

theres nothing wrong with you, fainting happens often...thats what happens when you lift heavy and you push yourself the right way..totally normal

As for the pain you should never really be fully upright when squatting, you should always be at a slight tilt forward

 

[saber]

That could be normal but sharp pain is never good


maybee the posistion nof the bar on your back?

 

[Zaraza]

Did you lose any control of your body? like you couldnt move a left arm but right was fine? Any noticing movement troubles?


Your weight might be too much, or the position of your back may be irregular. Possibly there is something that touched your nerves when you were squating... like a bad angle. That may have caused some sensory responses. If you have medical insurance, i would reccomend stopping by a doctor and talkin to him about what happened. There are a list of possiblities that it may be.

 

[speed dawg]

You squatted, enough said.

 

[mrRuckus]

This is from your blood pressure. Are you squatting while completely holding your breath while going back up? I try to do that as it keeps your body the most rigid, but letting out just a little air going up should help if you don't already.

I've seen the sparklies squatting before. I almost passed out doing incline bench before but i racked it real quick as my vision went away. I remember seeing in one of Rippetoe's books saying that a lot of powerlifters will only take one big breath on low rep sets and not breathe in between. That sure didn't work for me and i haven't had a problem since when i let a little air out and take a little back in between sets... but not an entire breath.

 

[Throttle]

"That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens. I have no fear of fainting. I do squats until I fall over and pass out. So what? It’s not going to kill me. I wake up five minutes later and I’m OK. A lot of other athletes are afraid of this. So they don’t pass out. They don’t go on.”

- A. Schwarzenegger (aka the Governator)

(note that i'm now giving this as advice, just something to ponder)

 

[speed dawg]

"That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens. I have no fear of fainting. I do squats until I fall over and pass out. So what? It’s not going to kill me. I wake up five minutes later and I’m OK. A lot of other athletes are afraid of this. So they don’t pass out. They don’t go on.”

No offense, but I think this is kind of stupid, on many levels. Alot of advancements have been made in the training field since Ahnold's days. Not to mention he could do things in the gym that even the best bodybuilders of today can't do.

 

[Throttle]

calling something stupid does not indicate serious reflection on what was said. and no offense taken, i said i wasn't endorsing it as advice.

of course advancements have been made, of course he is a genetic freak, and of course he has admitting to using anabolic steroids and no doubt other chemical enhancements. but he also displayed an incredible amount of drive in the gym, and a willingness to take things to the edge was a part of that.

of course any doctor would advise you to slow down (if only to keep her malpractice insurance rates down).

but what are you going to do in the gym? sit out cuz you're a wittle dizzy? cuz your tummy hurts?

this is where arnold drew the line, where do you draw yours?

 

[Flabbergasped?]

If your tummy hurts, or you're a little dizzy, you SHOULD stop.

Because if you keep going and you get an injury that takes you out for 3 months, are you going to justify the loss of time in the gym with, "I'm not a quitter, so I did that set while I was dizzy, I fainted, dropped the bar on myself, now I need a chiropractor."

Don't take any of this Arnold advice. You should be lifting for good health. At the slightest sign of injury, take a break, do another exercise or cut your session short. That's what sports coaches do, I'd take their word over Arnold's.

 

[Caferacer]

Hey sup guys.

After a break of a couple of weeks I did my first sets of squats. Warm up sets and the first work set(5 reps) was cool, but immediately after the second set my vision hazed and became "sparkly" aswell as hearing started fading out. For a couple of minutes I was seriously out of whack but then soon recovered. Obviously stopped the workout after that.

Question: WHY DID IT HAPPEN!? Seems like those were symtoms of brain oxygen deprivation, but squats have never caused that before, not even deadlifts. I have been taking accutane for a couple of months (albeit in low doses of 20mg a day) and had a bit of a cold that had just ended as I resumed my training.

Also, on another note, I have noticed that in heavy squatting sets after i put the bar back on the hooks(have to lower myself from an upright position by a few inches to do it) and step back out of the safety cage, a bit of a pain surge goes through my back, from bottom to top, as if it was recovering from the weight of the bar.That has also only happened in the last couple of months or so. Any ideas why this happens?

Help appreciated.

Take a video of yourself squatting and post it.

Any advice given as to your back pain is just a guess otherwise.

If I had to put my money somewhere it would be on you losing your arch at the bottom of the squat and moving through the rep with a bent back.

 

[Warboss Alex]

this is where arnold drew the line, where do you draw yours?

wise man once say, "lifting is about heart not head".

if you are doing hard squats and deadlifts you are placing a massive strain on your body, it is normal to feel dizzy, nauseous and generally unwell after doing them. throwing up afterwards is not uncommon, I've puked after squats several times and once after deadlifts as well. people at powerlifting meets burst blood vessels in their noses and eyes due to the extreme pressure of the weights they have on their back.

it's all about getting out of your comfort zone and pushing your boundaries. obviously there is a degree of common sense required, if you're dizzy and can't stand up straight, don't get under the bar - but that's different to being dizzy and not being able to stand up straight after you finish your set.

on the subject of injuries - if you want to gain any serious amount of strength or mass, accept that you will get injured. that doesn't mean you'll tear a muscle or break a bone (though this does happen), and you should do everything in your power to make exercises safe (tucking the elbows on a bench press, not using the knees as brakes on the squat etc), but you will have aches, pains, joint issues, minor niggles and strains. it's all part of the game, you are doing something most people's bodies aren't designed to do.

of course the staff at your local fitness centre will tell you it's not necessary to lift heavy to make gains and you can play it safe by keeping strict textbook form and squeezing the muscle for a two second count at the top of a bench press. that may well be the 'safe' way to do things but it sure as hell won't get you bigger or stronger in a hurry.

push yourself, or remain stagnant. if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

 

[thedeparted]

let me add a different perspective.

back in college I was a serious gym nut. I could stack all the machines but all I usually did was the free weights. I could bench 100 lbs. over my weight, do 25 pullups and 50 dips. I did 2 hour workouts and I loved the pain.

today, I don't touch the weights. reason being, I have a genetic defect, and the blood pressure that builds up when you lift heavy things could make my heart or arteries explode.

so, I'm just throwing that out there to say you ought to get a medical checkup to be sure you're not like me. because if you are, there is no shame in quitting. you can find something else to throw yourself at. it would be utterly stupid for me to still be lifting today and nobody can call me a wuss.

bottom line, just make sure it's not a medical problem, and then get back to your workouts

 

[Cry For Love]

Take a video of yourself squatting and post it.

Any advice given as to your back pain is just a guess otherwise.

If I had to put my money somewhere it would be on you losing your arch at the bottom of the squat and moving through the rep with a bent back.

I am sure that i do lose my arch at the bottom of the squat and the lower back rounds, but I heard somewhere that its not a big deal if it happens when squatting deep(unlike with deadlifting). Or is it?

Squatted and deadlifted again yesterday, had no problems, other than again slight pain in upper back after hanging the bar back on its hooks. So business will continue as usual:rockon:

 

[Caferacer]

I am sure that i do lose my arch at the bottom of the squat and the lower back rounds, but I heard somewhere that its not a big deal if it happens when squatting deep(unlike with deadlifting). Or is it?

Squatted and deadlifted again yesterday, had no problems, other than again slight pain in upper back after hanging the bar back on its hooks. So business will continue as usual:rockon:

Yes, it is. If you need to lose your arch in order to go deep, you lack flexibility and need to work on that before squatting deep.

There is never, in any excercise, a time where I can say 'yes, you can round your back'. Pro powerlifters sometimes round their back in DL's, but they are pros. They know their bodies. Compared to them, we know nothing. So do not round your back. Keep a nice backward arch and you will be good to go.

 

[The Decay of Meaning]

Golden rule is: Listen to your body, and if it tells you something is wrong, it's probably best to go home.

It's not "cool" to continue after you might have been injured. It's not good for your overall health, and weeks, months and even years out of the gym will make you lose a lot of gains you've made. It's all about training smart.

 

[Rounder]

Getting injured and unable to workout is far worse than missing 1 session. Breathing is important and make sure you aren't dipping down too far.

On a side note - legs respond very well to high reps. I worked with a personal trainer - Chris Janusz, try Googling him - he had me on 5 sets with 20 reps each. In fact all of the leg exercises were 15 to 20 reps each.

You have to drop the weight considerably but you'll have a tough time sitting on the toilet the next day I promise.

 

[Flyer]

lol. that is crazy.. did you want to TONE your legs?
And did his program got you lifting at 60% of 1RM?

 

[Messarger]

push yourself, or remain stagnant. if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

quoted for truth.