Squats make me lightheaded

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kayleesays
kayleesays Posts: 564 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I put together my new weight bench today, and was having fun doing bench presses with my boyfriend. I felt fine - awesome, actually, and went to do some weighted squats with the barbell on my shoulders and couldn't do more than ten even though the bar wasn't heavy at all. I felt nauseous almost immediately and got lightheaded like I was going to black out.

Sometimes this happens if I stand up too fast or get up from laying down without taking some deep breaths. My ears will pop and my eyes will black out, but it's become less frequent since I started drinking more water to increase my blood volume. I have low blood pressure (about 100/60 - 115/65) and that's probably why, but I can't understand why squats put me two seconds away from blacking out when I can do anything else - planks, sit-ups, push-ups, bench presses, dead lifts - and feel great.

Any input? :(

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Pretty normal. It's a huge strain on your muscles and nervous system to do weighted squats. I can barely stagger to the bench to sit down after squats sometimes. Deadlifts are bad too but not nearly to the same extent. Some people throw up after a particularly tough set of squats.

    It's funny you mention after "only" 10 squats. That's a lot of squats to do in a set. Most I'd do is maybe 8, most people do 5 for weighted squats. After 10 I'd probably pass out right there.

    Unfortunately, it seems to affect different people to different extremes, but I'd say it's very common. Your low blood pressure probably accounts for your lightheadedness in standing up sometimes, but I doubt it has as much to do with the squats. When you're doing squats your blood pressure is going to shoot through the roof and your heart rate skyrockets.
  • ijiiii
    ijiiii Posts: 61
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    That sounds frightening. I'd schedule an appointment with your general practitioner and get some vitals and blood tests done. When's the last time you've done this?
  • kayleesays
    kayleesays Posts: 564 Member
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    That sounds frightening. I'd schedule an appointment with your general practitioner and get some vitals and blood tests done. When's the last time you've done this?

    I've already spoken to my GP about it and the only conclusion we could come to is low blood pressure and low blood volume, so I was told to increase liquid intake, which I've mostly done. I honestly haven't squatted since my senior year of high school (four years ago) but this wasn't very heavy at all and I'm not too out of shape, so I'm not sure what's up. I've had a full blood panel done and nothing came back but occasional low vit D.
  • redcat17
    redcat17 Posts: 267 Member
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    I'll just add one thing and I could be wrong because you may be using perfect form.

    Make sure you are lowering from your hips and your weight is balanced toward your heels. Don't bend from the waist or pitch too far forward. And when you come up, use the power in your legs to lift. Keeping your spine in the most neutral alignment might help.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    Squats are nails.

    It sounds like low blood volume causing shock. Do what your doctor says. Going into shock from standing up too fast is not normal.It could be heat, dehydration, low blood sugar or many other more serious things.
  • mndamon
    mndamon Posts: 549 Member
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    I'll just add one thing and I could be wrong because you may be using perfect form.

    Make sure you are lowering from your hips and your weight is balanced toward your heels. Don't bend from the waist or pitch too far forward. And when you come up, use the power in your legs to lift. Keeping your spine in the most neutral alignment might help.
    This was going to my suggestion as well that maybe you're leaning forward on your way back up too much. The only other thing I can think of is to make sure you are getting a solid warmup to get the blood flowing beforehand, even just a couple minutes running or jumping jacks or whatever.

    Maybe a second opinion from another doc is needed?
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    Wow, and I know what you mean. I have experienced the same thing, especially in the beginning when first starting to lift...glad you thought to drink more water. No doubt as you become more and more hydrated that will help!! It's definitely something to be careful of, though, just in case it's a symptom of something more serious.
  • Pomoch325
    Pomoch325 Posts: 63 Member
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    If you are straining quite a bit, it could be a vasovagal response.
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
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    How are you breathing? This is common problem when starting squatting. Exhale on the effort, when you stand upright. Pause, then inhale during the squat position going down, standing upright, pause again then exhale on the effort standing upright. You are putting your body through an incredible amount of exertion and people tend to hold their breath or breath quick and shallow causing lack of oxygen and light headed feeling.

    Let your breathing control the rate of exercise, not the other way round. This is a strength and power exercise, not a sprint. Relax and enjoy the feeling in your muscles and you'll soon lose the light head.

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