Light-headed and winded after deadlifts - am I doing it wrong?

deluxmary2000

Is it normal to get winded doing deadlifts, or am I doing them wrong?
The past few times I’ve done deadlifts, I’m completely gassed after my last set and have a lot of trouble recovering. And they’re one of the first exercises I do, so I have trouble with the rest of my workout.
For instance, today I did deadlifts (after push press), and couldn’t catch my breath afterwards. I rested for 5 minutes before going over to pull-ups, but was still struggling to catch my breath for the rest of my workout (through pull-ups, plank, and curls). Even after I stretched for 5 minutes, I was still breathing a bit hard and super light-headed on my way back to the locker room.
Is this normal, or am I maybe doing too many reps (making it more of a cardio exercise)? Right now my program calls for 4 sets of 6, and I max out at 120lbs for those reps. Should I try a smaller number of reps at a slightly heavier weight?

LazSommer

Deadlifts are taxing, especially with 4 sets of 6 at a working weight. Do you know what % 120 is of your 1RM?

ninerbuff

Do you have low blood pressure?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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DTrain351

Deadlifts are more complex than most people think. They involve a lot of muscle groups. I know a nationally ranked powerlifter. He'll actually get sick and vomit from the exertion sometimes. Getting winded is normal even with good breathing technique. If you can sustain your energy throughout your workout maybe do them last?

deluxmary2000

LazSommer wrote: »

Deadlifts are taxing, especially with 4 sets of 6 at a working weight. Do you know what % 120 is of your 1RM?

Somewhere between 75-80% (havent tested 1RM in about a month)

deluxmary2000

ninerbuff wrote: »

Do you have low blood pressure?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Yep. Used to be REALLY low when I was younger, but now it's just on the lower range of average.

Muscleflex79

I have low blood pressure and the same thing happens to me during/after deadlifts...

cathipa

Are you working out fasted?

singingflutelady

This happens to me too

hill8570

Deadlifts really take it out of you -- they really should be the last major lift of the day. I have days I come close to blacking out after my max set (partially exertion, partially just reaction to holding the valsalva hard).

Is that 4x6 a ramp, or are you actually doing 4 sets of 6RM lifts? If the latter, it's no wonder you're winded -- the fact you can pull 24 6RM lifts at all makes you some sort of mutant, I think -- a single 1x6 max set after your warm-ups should be plenty if you're lifting for strength.

Also, since you're lifting <135, bar position may be forcing you into starting from more of a squat position, unless you're got the weights up on blocks or you have crossfit or technique plates mounted. Not sure how much that would contribute to being winded, but it certainly makes the lift more difficult.

sllm1

Winded is normal - I have gotten lightheaded once or twice and didn't like it.

deluxmary2000

hill8570 wrote: »

Deadlifts really take it out of you -- they really should be the last major lift of the day. I have days I come close to blacking out after my max set (partially exertion, partially just reaction to holding the valsalva hard).

Is that 4x6 a ramp, or are you actually doing 4 sets of 6RM lifts? If the latter, it's no wonder you're winded -- the fact you can pull 24 6RM lifts at all makes you some sort of mutant, I think -- a single 1x6 max set after your warm-ups should be plenty if you're lifting for strength.

Also, since you're lifting <135, bar position may be forcing you into starting from more of a squat position, unless you're got the weights up on blocks or you have crossfit or technique plates mounted. Not sure how much that would contribute to being winded, but it certainly makes the lift more difficult.

I don’t really ramp up since I usually do a dynamic warm-up and another exercise first to get me “warm”. I’m pretty sure 120-lb is my 6RM, or pretty darn close. Maybe I should change that? It seems that everyone else works up to their heaviest sets. But then bar position becomes even more annoying as you point out because my warm-up sets would be a super-small plate, and I’m super tall. Believe me, I’m already DYING to make it up to 135 lbs so I can pull from a slightly higher position. As it is the 35-lb plates (+2.5’s) are a bit low, but I think my form is pretty solid and my back doesn’t ever hurt, so I don’t think it’s a huge deal.

deluxmary2000

Also, I was doing deadlifts first because I read that you should work larger muscle groups first and move to smaller, but I'm totally open to try doing them last.

deluxmary2000

cathipa wrote: »

Are you working out fasted?

Sometimes - depends how hungry I am when I wake up. Usually fasted since I work out at 5 AM, but that hasn't seemed to make a difference.

SonyaCele

Make sure you are breathing right and have enough oxygen in your blood, i do some deep breathing right before pulling, i do a sorta meditation thing with several long deep breaths and getting in tune with my body and mentally focusing on what i'm about to do. And then i take a huge breath of air for each rep.

jemhh

deluxmary2000 wrote: »

hill8570 wrote: »

Deadlifts really take it out of you -- they really should be the last major lift of the day. I have days I come close to blacking out after my max set (partially exertion, partially just reaction to holding the valsalva hard).

Is that 4x6 a ramp, or are you actually doing 4 sets of 6RM lifts? If the latter, it's no wonder you're winded -- the fact you can pull 24 6RM lifts at all makes you some sort of mutant, I think -- a single 1x6 max set after your warm-ups should be plenty if you're lifting for strength.

Also, since you're lifting <135, bar position may be forcing you into starting from more of a squat position, unless you're got the weights up on blocks or you have crossfit or technique plates mounted. Not sure how much that would contribute to being winded, but it certainly makes the lift more difficult.

I don’t really ramp up since I usually do a dynamic warm-up and another exercise first to get me “warm”. I’m pretty sure 120-lb is my 6RM, or pretty darn close. Maybe I should change that? It seems that everyone else works up to their heaviest sets. But then bar position becomes even more annoying as you point out because my warm-up sets would be a super-small plate, and I’m super tall. Believe me, I’m already DYING to make it up to 135 lbs so I can pull from a slightly higher position. As it is the 35-lb plates (+2.5’s) are a bit low, but I think my form is pretty solid and my back doesn’t ever hurt, so I don’t think it’s a huge deal.

Not sure where you workout but can you set your barbell on some plates to raise it? There's nothing wrong with doing that. My biggest plates are 25s and I use other plates to raise it all up a bit.

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stealthq

If low blood pressure is a potential issue, hydration becomes more important. Make sure you're not dehydrated or it'll be lower than necessary.

juliewatkin

I get very winded on both squats and deadlifts if the weight is heavy regardless of the number of reps. My heart rate will also spike.

I have had low blood pressure and it makes a difference. It also affects me if it's warm. I fainted once after deadlifting; just dropped like a bag of rocks. More typically though, I'll see visual swimmers and dark spots and this is more common when it's warm.

codename_steve

This same thing happens to me; glad I'm not alone! But I don't have low blood pressure.

DopeItUp

As mentioned, deadlifts are one of the most taxing exercises around. I only do one maximal set on my deadlift days and that's enough for me. I do very little accessory work on deadlift day for the same reason, I'm just wrecked. Usually I'll do a couple sets of volume squats, that's about it. Doing 4 sets at near-max effort would probably bury me.

shor0814

What program are you running and what does it call for on sets x reps for deads? That is a lot of max reps and maybe there is a variation where you can move to 135 but lower the reps or sets.

deluxmary2000

shor0814 wrote: »

What program are you running and what does it call for on sets x reps for deads? That is a lot of max reps and maybe there is a variation where you can move to 135 but lower the reps or sets.

I'm doing a 3-day total body training split that I found on T-nation. The only description for sets/reps for the deadlifts was 4x6, but I’m thinking maybe some of those should be warm-up sets based on what other people do. I’ve been treating them all as max sets.
I think I will try doing 3 lighter warm-up sets and then a max set at a slightly higher weight and see if that helps. I'll also try moving them to the end of my workout.
Thanks everyone!

DTrain351

You shouldn't be holding your breath at all during a lift. Exhale on the exertion portion, inhale deeply on the reset.

I flew the vomit comet (zero gravity). Before the flight the flight surgeon said that blacking out in most all activities was a result of lack of oxygen to the brain. Unless of course there was actual medical issues. We had to go thru a class on how to breath properly. Because prior to zero g you're pulling 2-4 g. Poor breathing in positive g prodused the same results as mentioned...swimmers, fuzzy vision, tunnel vision.

jonthemusse

Blacking out, or nearly so is pretty commonplace in deads.

I will second just about everybody here and shake my head at that work load.

Switch dead to end and drop some work. Did I understand you deadlift three times a week at those reps and RM%

jonthemusse

Do you do your sets without resetting the lift between pulls? That could easily mean you don't breathe between pulls. Even without knowing.

deluxmary2000

jonthemusse wrote: »

Blacking out, or nearly so is pretty commonplace in deads.

I will second just about everybody here and shake my head at that work load.

Switch dead to end and drop some work. Did I understand you deadlift three times a week at those reps and RM%

No sorry - I wasn't very specific. DLs are just on Wednesdays.

DopeItUp

DTrain351 wrote: »

You shouldn't be holding your breath at all during a lift. Exhale on the exertion portion, inhale deeply on the reset.

This is entirely incorrect. Holding your breath during deadlifts is one of the most critical components of injury prevention. Sure you may get a little winded, but she's talking about being winded and exhausted for the rest of the workout. That's just fatigue and is normal. Outside of hydration or nutrition issues (no carbs consumed near/during the workout) I'd say it's pretty typical.

jonthemusse

How many of us actually lower the bar down in full control, instead of just sort of follow it down? Plenty possible to cheat a little and exhale on the way. You have to breathe between pulls, or you'll keel over eventually.

SonyaCele

DopeItUp wrote: »

DTrain351 wrote: »

You shouldn't be holding your breath at all during a lift. Exhale on the exertion portion, inhale deeply on the reset.

This is entirely incorrect. Holding your breath during deadlifts is one of the most critical components of injury prevention. Sure you may get a little winded, but she's talking about being winded and exhausted for the rest of the workout. That's just fatigue and is normal. Outside of hydration or nutrition issues (no carbs consumed near/during the workout) I'd say it's pretty typical.

there are different schools of thought about when to let air out during deadlifts.

For me during my warmups sets i'll let a little air out after the sticking point . But for heavy pulls, i definitely hold my air in as long and as hard as i can for max core support, for the whole entire lift until lockout