Dizziness after heavy bench

[waldopepper]

Today I wanted to try a personal best of 245lbs on the bench. I had spotter and was able to do it once unaided. I don't think I could have done a pound more - it was my absolute max. Pretty sure I was holding my breath the whole time the bar was going up. After that I dropped back to my normal starting weight of 185lbs x 7 for two sets. No issues. But when I laid down on the bench the fourth time I got an extreme dizzy feeling. No pain, just a really sharp dizzy feeling. As soon as I got up it went away. I was thinking maybe it was something from my pre-workout drink (I don't overdo it). Two minutes later I laid down on the bench again, same thing - very dizzy. I stopped attempting to bench after that but did the rest of my routine feeling a little defeated. Anybody else ever have this happen? I take Creatine Monohydrate everyday - a minimal amount - maybe a slightly rounded teaspoon and protein afterward but that's about it. Nearly 53 Years old if it matters. Jog 5 miles a day so fairly conditioned.

[Mark1T]

Holding your breath is a bad idea and a bad habit. I have only had that happen right after a heavy squat.

Holding your breath spikes your blood pressure and your body is already under stress.

[thebigzakbowski]

you held your breath, you coulda blacked out. practice breathing out as you push up. a forceful breath

[DuracellBunny]

It could be from holding your breath, but it is more likely that you tweaked your neck. The fact that you got it every time you lay down, and it went away when you sat up, makes me think that you either drove the back of your head in to the bench really hard, or lifted your head off the bench on the max rep attempt.

See if you wake up with a stiff neck tomorrow or not.

[waldopepper]

Holding your breath is a bad idea and a bad habit. I have only had that happen right after a heavy squat.

Holding your breath spikes your blood pressure and your body is already under stress.

you held your breath, you coulda blacked out. practice breathing out as you push up. a forceful breath

It could be from holding my breath. Just seemed strange that I didn't get dizzy on my first two real sets. But I will be more conscious of my breathing from now on.

[waldopepper]

It could be from holding your breath, but it is more likely that you tweaked your neck. The fact that you got it every time you lay down, and it went away when you sat up, makes me think that you either drove the back of your head in to the bench really hard, or lifted your head off the bench on the max rep attempt.

See if you wake up with a stiff neck tomorrow or not.

I think my form was ok but honestly I was giving it everything I had and was focused on nothing but getting it back up. I never pushed so freaking hard in my life LOL.

[thebigzakbowski]

It could be from holding my breath. Just seemed strange that I didn't get dizzy on my first two real sets. But I will be more conscious of my breathing from now on.

practice with an empty bar. few deep breaths in, unrack, as you lower the weight breathe in. touch your chest and big breath out like you are blowing out candles. I used to do the same thing before a spotter pointed it out and corrected it

[weiss1967]

Grunting is a natural way of breathing out on power stroke. Try it, this may help to build a good habit. You can supress the vocal part of it later.

[Garage Rat]

The thing is holding your breath is key to total tension and tightness with the body especially on max or near max weight.
Usually the way powerlifters do it is old their breath and when the weight starts to slow they let some air out like a tea kettle not completely exhaling.
As mentioned yes, you raise your blood pressure when holding your breath for a brief time under load so if your having issues that may not be something for you to do.
It could be another issue who knows.
Just be aware when it happens and note what you are doing specifically.
I would also have a spotter to insure your safety if this continues happening.

[itsagoodday]

The thing is holding your breath is key to total tension and tightness with the body especially on max or near max weight.
Usually the way powerlifters do it is old their breath and when the weight starts to slow they let some air out like a tea kettle not completely exhaling.
As mentioned yes, you raise your blood pressure when holding your breath for a brief time under load so if your having issues that may not be something for you to do.
It could be another issue who knows.
Just be aware when it happens and note what you are doing specifically.
I would also have a spotter to insure your safety if this continues happening.

OP, you've gotten lots of good input, and yes ^^ ditto to all of this.

A MAX max effort is hard on your body, and if you hold your breath for an extended period of grinding, that's not going to make you feel any better. Your body may also have just had enough for one day, or perhaps you were a little dehydrated or something else.

I would add to what has already been said, to max with the same techniques that you use regularly. It's not the time to change anything. Holding your breath is a technique, and for me it's one I had to practice for a long time before it stopped making me dizzy even under more moderate weights. If you're not used to holding your breath, don't hold your breath. If you get stuck grinding on something and you're not breathing for an extended period of time, something like grunting or yelling can get your breathing again, but you can also just try breathing more air IN, which your body should let you do.

[waldopepper]

The thing is holding your breath is key to total tension and tightness with the body especially on max or near max weight.
Usually the way powerlifters do it is old their breath and when the weight starts to slow they let some air out like a tea kettle not completely exhaling.
As mentioned yes, you raise your blood pressure when holding your breath for a brief time under load so if your having issues that may not be something for you to do.
It could be another issue who knows.
Just be aware when it happens and note what you are doing specifically.
I would also have a spotter to insure your safety if this continues happening.

Seems the consensus is to make sure I'm breathing properly. I should know that. Guess it is/was a bad habit I'd not really thought about. Never caused an issue til now.

[Bo_Flecks]

Holding your breath spikes your blood pressure and your body is already under stress.

It can also cause a retina tear. According to my doc, it's pretty common for it to happen in eyes that are 50+ years old when ocular pressure builds up. I may, or may not have made this mistake.

[waldopepper]

OP, you've gotten lots of good input, and yes ^^ ditto to all of this.

A MAX max effort is hard on your body, and if you hold your breath for an extended period of grinding, that's not going to make you feel any better. Your body may also have just had enough for one day, or perhaps you were a little dehydrated or something else.

I would add to what has already been said, to max with the same techniques that you use regularly. It's not the time to change anything. Holding your breath is a technique, and for me it's one I had to practice for a long time before it stopped making me dizzy even under more moderate weights. If you're not used to holding your breath, don't hold your breath. If you get stuck grinding on something and you're not breathing for an extended period of time, something like grunting or yelling can get your breathing again, but you can also just try breathing more air IN, which your body should let you do.

Pretty sure I hold my breath on my last set more than I should - I say pretty sure because I never really think about it - I just do what feels natural. So the next time I get near my max like that I'll be focusing on breathing.

Thanks to all who responded.

[Mark1T]

It can also cause a retina tear. According to my doc, it's pretty common for it to happen in eyes that are 50+ years old when ocular pressure builds up. I may, or may not have made this mistake.

Good info, Bo. I have broken a blood vessel in my eye before. Very annoying.

[waldopepper]

It can also cause a retina tear. According to my doc, it's pretty common for it to happen in eyes that are 50+ years old when ocular pressure builds up. I may, or may not have made this mistake.

Oh crap. I just wanted to get to a new level, not go blind.

[Plateauplower]

Good info, Bo. I have broken a blood vessel in my eye before. Very annoying.

You mean eyes bleeding after a set isn't good? JK. But sometimes my eyes get red sometimes on heavy sets. Especially squats with a belt. I'm sure the pressure is through the roof.

[thebigzakbowski]

[waldopepper]

LOL. I can relate. When I got dizzy my first thought was "crap, hope I didn't have an aneurysm or something."

[thebigzakbowski]

if you watch my 385 video below listen carefully and half way up you can hear me breathing out, the weight almost stalls, I breath and it goes up

[Bo_Flecks]

Good info, Bo. I have broken a blood vessel in my eye before. Very annoying.

I had the retina in my left eye tear. Didn't even realize it until I was home from the gym and the bleeding started, which completely obscured my vision.

Oh crap. I just wanted to get to a new level, not go blind.

I was legally blind (20/200 vision) in my left eye for well over a week. I had to have an eye surgeon use a laser to weld the retina back together.

You mean eyes bleeding after a set isn't good? JK. But sometimes my eyes get red sometimes on heavy sets. Especially squats with a belt. I'm sure the pressure is through the roof.

Pretty sure you remember me recording the tear in my journal. The eye doc said that most tears like mine take place when people over 50 are constipated or throwing up... two times ocular pressure is really high.

Anyway, he said tears like mine were from genetic weaknesses, and it was relatively rare for them to happen from lifting. Probably because most people in the gym who are over 50 are not really pushing themselves that hard.

[drudixon]

Valsalva is certainly a way to lift more. I do it the most with squats, the least with bench. With the big arch it's hard to really fill the belly.

[trkarl]

But when I laid down on the bench the fourth time I got an extreme dizzy feeling. No pain, just a really sharp dizzy feeling. As soon as I got up it went away. I was thinking maybe it was something from my pre-workout drink (I don't overdo it). Two minutes later I laid down on the bench again, same thing - very dizzy.

imho this could be vertigo.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...n/con-20028216

I get it sometimes when I move from lying down to sitting up or vice versa quickly. Therefore when I move my head from one position to another I try to do it a bit slower. This seems to have solved my problem but when it first happened it was pretty scary. Hope this helps.

[Playitsafe]

This thread caught my attention because it happened to me this morning when doing Jefferson Lifts. After my last set, I got dizzy and couldn't catch my breath for a long time. Also, both of my arms started getting a little numb. At age 46, it's a little scary when this sort of thing happens.

[trev1972a]

Happened to me deadlifting a few times, i make a point of focussing on my breathing, and take a couple of seconds between reps now and hasn been an issue since