Headaches during training

cattyw
cattyw Posts: 26 Member
edited May 2019 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi, I keep getting headaches when weight training. I'm working with a PT and he's watching my breathing, etc to make sure it's not because I'm holding my breath. I had an intense pain in my head when I used the assisted pull up machine, which left me with a dull headache that eventually settled down. And then a couple days later I got headache from deadlifting.

I've just started working with the PT and we are doing heavy weights as I'm wanting to build muscle/weight so it is intense.

I've also made changes to my diet, to fit within my macros, cut down on sugar etc.

I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this and what you did to help (i.e eating specific foods before training)?

Thanks in advance

Replies

  • brittanystebbins95
    brittanystebbins95 Posts: 567 Member
    Could you possibly be dehydrated? I get like that when I lift if I haven't had enough water. Sometimes caffeine before lifting will do it to me, too. Do you take a preworkout? Perhaps you could be taking too much?
  • cattyw
    cattyw Posts: 26 Member
    brittanystebbins95 wrote: »
    Could you possibly be dehydrated? I get like that when I lift if I haven't had enough water. Sometimes caffeine before lifting will do it to me, too. Do you take a preworkout? Perhaps you could be taking too much?

    I'm drinking approx 1 litre before training (I barely used to drink anything so this is a big improvement for me). I don't take a preworkout, is there anything you'd suggest? I've been having apple/banana with peanut butter approx 1 hour before.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited May 2019
    cattyw wrote: »
    Hi, I keep getting headaches when weight training. I'm working with a PT and he's watching my breathing, etc to make sure it's not because I'm holding my breath. I had an intense pain in my head when I used the assisted pull up machine, which left me with a dull headache that eventually settled down. And then a couple days later I got headache from deadlifting.

    I've just started working with the PT and we are doing heavy weights as I'm wanting to build muscle/weight so it is intense.

    I've also made changes to my diet, to fit within my macros, cut down on sugar etc.

    I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this and what you did to help (i.e eating specific foods before training)?

    Thanks in advance

    Maybe you need to drink more water overall and not on days your just working out?
    You can also try having a cup coffee 30min before you start to exercise
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    dehydration is good bet. overall hydration is just as important as hydration during exercise
    also, check if you are tensing your shoulders and neck. relax from the top of your head all the way down
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    what about electrolytes? if you are drinking a litre a day and any significant sweating (especially as it warms up) - you may need something like gatorade to get some salt back in your system
  • shaf238
    shaf238 Posts: 4,022 Member
    Generally only happens to me when I'm dehydrated. Do check that you're having enough water even on non-training days.
  • dragonflyj0nes
    dragonflyj0nes Posts: 4 Member
    Do you do professional massage therapy? Muscle tension headaches are very real and can negatively affect your fitness routines due to inflammation or adhesions in muscles that support the head and neck.
  • David7881
    David7881 Posts: 34 Member
    cattyw wrote: »
    Hi, I keep getting headaches when weight training. I'm working with a PT and he's watching my breathing, etc to make sure it's not because I'm holding my breath. I had an intense pain in my head when I used the assisted pull up machine, which left me with a dull headache that eventually settled down. And then a couple days later I got headache from deadlifting.

    I've just started working with the PT and we are doing heavy weights as I'm wanting to build muscle/weight so it is intense.

    I've also made changes to my diet, to fit within my macros, cut down on sugar etc.

    I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this and what you did to help (i.e eating specific foods before training)?

    Thanks in advance

    If you're just starting to workout for the first time or first time in a long time it could be "exertion headaches". I get them when I would stop working out after an extended amount of time and try and jump back in. Usually it starts with a headache and the pain can move to the back of your head and neck. Normally I just have to ease into it untill i can get back to my previous lifting routine to avoid the headaches.
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
    My main issue was holding my breath, but that's obviously not the case.

    I remember a time when I had headaches and it lasted for a couple of weeks. Maybe just rest and give it some time off. I feel like our bodies do a lot of whacky *kitten* that even doctors don't understand the cause of. Maybe it isn't something obvious like dehydration or lifting too frequently.
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
    David7881 wrote: »
    cattyw wrote: »
    Hi, I keep getting headaches when weight training. I'm working with a PT and he's watching my breathing, etc to make sure it's not because I'm holding my breath. I had an intense pain in my head when I used the assisted pull up machine, which left me with a dull headache that eventually settled down. And then a couple days later I got headache from deadlifting.

    I've just started working with the PT and we are doing heavy weights as I'm wanting to build muscle/weight so it is intense.

    I've also made changes to my diet, to fit within my macros, cut down on sugar etc.

    I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this and what you did to help (i.e eating specific foods before training)?

    Thanks in advance

    If you're just starting to workout for the first time or first time in a long time it could be "exertion headaches". I get them when I would stop working out after an extended amount of time and try and jump back in. Usually it starts with a headache and the pain can move to the back of your head and neck. Normally I just have to ease into it untill i can get back to my previous lifting routine to avoid the headaches.

    Ugh, that dull pain in the back of the head and where the neck meets your skull... get that one all too frequently. It can be a bit de-motivating.
  • David7881
    David7881 Posts: 34 Member
    JustinAnimal wrote: »
    David7881 wrote: »
    cattyw wrote: »
    Hi, I keep getting headaches when weight training. I'm working with a PT and he's watching my breathing, etc to make sure it's not because I'm holding my breath. I had an intense pain in my head when I used the assisted pull up machine, which left me with a dull headache that eventually settled down. And then a couple days later I got headache from deadlifting.

    I've just started working with the PT and we are doing heavy weights as I'm wanting to build muscle/weight so it is intense.

    I've also made changes to my diet, to fit within my macros, cut down on sugar etc.

    I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this and what you did to help (i.e eating specific foods before training)?

    Thanks in advance

    If you're just starting to workout for the first time or first time in a long time it could be "exertion headaches". I get them when I would stop working out after an extended amount of time and try and jump back in. Usually it starts with a headache and the pain can move to the back of your head and neck. Normally I just have to ease into it untill i can get back to my previous lifting routine to avoid the headaches.

    Ugh, that dull pain in the back of the head and where the neck meets your skull... get that one all too frequently. It can be a bit de-motivating.

    It is. Ive gone home a few times because of the pain. Just scale it back a little and ease into it. I have, dont recommend it often, taken ibuprofen before going to the gym until my body adapt to exertion from lifting. Usually doesn't last more than a week from starting to workout again.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    JustinAnimal wrote: »
    David7881 wrote: »
    cattyw wrote: »
    Hi, I keep getting headaches when weight training. I'm working with a PT and he's watching my breathing, etc to make sure it's not because I'm holding my breath. I had an intense pain in my head when I used the assisted pull up machine, which left me with a dull headache that eventually settled down. And then a couple days later I got headache from deadlifting.

    I've just started working with the PT and we are doing heavy weights as I'm wanting to build muscle/weight so it is intense.

    I've also made changes to my diet, to fit within my macros, cut down on sugar etc.

    I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this and what you did to help (i.e eating specific foods before training)?

    Thanks in advance

    If you're just starting to workout for the first time or first time in a long time it could be "exertion headaches". I get them when I would stop working out after an extended amount of time and try and jump back in. Usually it starts with a headache and the pain can move to the back of your head and neck. Normally I just have to ease into it untill i can get back to my previous lifting routine to avoid the headaches.

    Ugh, that dull pain in the back of the head and where the neck meets your skull... get that one all too frequently. It can be a bit de-motivating.

    Check your form to ensure proper neck position.
  • CowboySar
    CowboySar Posts: 404 Member
    Exertion headache, usually when training at or near maximal weight or exertion levels. I just got my first bad one this week and it is horrible lol.... I read that you should take it easy for the next few weeks as it is generally the dilation of blood vessels in your head and pressing on the nerves in the brain. They say it can take up to a month to fully heal.... I myself would have a hard time taking that much time off of training so will take it a little easier. Mine was caused by doing a heavy leg drop set with 10 second iso holds and as it turned out would hold my breath while doing the iso hold
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    I agree with the water thing and also with the neck/upper traps tension. If you tense a lot it could lead to headache?

    I am trap dominant and really have to focus on keeping the traps OUT of my lifts. Ask your trainer to look at your neck/traps
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    I have suffered from both dehydration headaches and neck/shoulder tension headaches, could be either.

    For dehydration I take electrolytes and for the tension headaches I pretty much have to smother myself in deep heat and take a couple of ibuprofen, I tend to get these more from long drives than from weight lifting but have had it after a tough rowing session before.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    It doesn't sound like you're leaning your head back on a back rest, but I used to get headaches a few hours after I lifted and I eventually realized it was because my high ponytail wasn't allowing my head and neck to rest properly on the back rest. I was straining my neck muscles too much.
  • MichelleMcKeeRN
    MichelleMcKeeRN Posts: 450 Member
    My best guess is not breathing enough. Are you taking a nice breathe between each rep? Are you putting down lots of preworkout?
  • cattyw
    cattyw Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks everyone for your replies. It seems to be on the "heavy" lifts when I'm getting the pain - deadlifts, pull-ups, squats. So I'm gonna to try take it easy as my PT is pushing me harder than I would do on my own. It happened again last week, intense pain on one side of my head when into my final rep of deadlift and had to stop. I've been left with a dull ache ever since, so I'm gonna get seen by the doctor too.

    Sounds like it is exertion, hopefully nothing more sinister!!

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