Almost blacking out wile squating

Loftearmen

I'm relatively new to heavy lifting, except for bench, but that's a different story. So I don't really know everything yet.
Like the title said. I was doing a personal best today at 3 sets of 5 reps at 390lbs. During the second set I got really light headed and felt like I was blacking out for a moment, but then it passed and everything else was fine.
I always concentrate on my breathing. Is this normal, or is there something I can do to prevent this?

That happens everytime I hit a huge squat or deadlift. It takes about 15 seconds for my soul to re-enter my body and I come to kneeling on the floor. It's just part of the territory.

Loftearmen

I'm relatively new to heavy lifting, except for bench, but that's a different story. So I don't really know everything yet.
Like the title said. I was doing a personal best today at 3 sets of 5 reps at 390lbs. During the second set I got really light headed and felt like I was blacking out for a moment, but then it passed and everything else was fine.
I always concentrate on my breathing. Is this normal, or is there something I can do to prevent this?

Try using a weight that allows your knees to bend during the squat. Drop the ego lifting and settle for reality and you should be fine.

phjorg

I'm confused, you're new to lifting but you're squatting 390x5?

I've been lifting since January, my squats just have improved a lot. So I'd consider myself new still.

I'm calling BS. You call yourself new, yet are pumping out world elite numbers??? Something isn't smelling right there...

KiltFuPanda

I'm confused, you're new to lifting but you're squatting 390x5?

I've been lifting since January, my squats just have improved a lot. So I'd consider myself new still.

I'm calling BS. You call yourself new, yet are pumping out world elite numbers??? Something isn't smelling right there...

I'd believe it - swimmers have some freaky strong legs. All it takes is getting the CNS firing correctly and getting good form down to make fast gains. A lot of athletes from other disciplines find that their first few months of lifting are marked by skyrocketing numbers.

For example, I started out last May squatting a 1RM of 350, but I've got 6 years of Highland games and 5 years of kung fu prior to that. Both require strong legs, but arm strength is mitigated by speed or technique. Now it's almost 1 year later and I've hit 600 lbs on a squat and 565 on a deadlift. My bench isn't up to speed with that (260).

In regards to blacking out - I've gotten close to that on higher weights. If I hit a dizzy point, I back off for a little while and go to a lighter weight.

iAMsmiling

I can get light headed after any heavy lift activity. Feels like the lift keeps blood from flowing properly. Perhaps it's the vagus nerve thing mentioned.
I'm careful to stay in place for a few seconds after a lift so I don't drop.

ArroganceInStep

Yup, might want to get checked for high BP and the like as heavy lifting can be problematic with that. But otherwise it's just the suck you have to get through to lift heavy *kitten*

wolfpack77

This is "relatively" normal for high intensity exercises such as squat, deadlift or benchpress. In general it is the result of big blood pressure spikes as a result of exertion. Many lifters experience this after doing big compound movements.

Although some light-headness is normal, you should not feel like you're going to pass out. If you're experiencing this all the time you need to back off the intensity and wait longer between sets.

GetSoda

Though I wonder.


Are you going below parallel in your squats? (Hips level or below knees)