pressure in head on heavy squats

[maccaz]

So recently I noticed I was losing a lot of tightness by breathing out just as i come out of the hole on a heavy squat and exhaling up through the ascent. this has been creating a sticking point the moment i start exhaling.

 

I have started taking a deep breath, brace against belt, and hold it in until i complete the rep. this is a big improvement in staying tight and keeping chest up etc, but i feel like my head may pop coming out of the hole. Is this normal? My bp is not bad last i checked and it doesn't happen in any other exercises.

 

probably normal, just checking as dont want to stroke out or something lol

[jimmybro1]

I exhale half way up not sure if thats the idea approach but helps me a lot and don't have issues with tightness. Although I do get tomato status and get tracing light vision sometimes 

[maccaz]

I exhale half way up not sure if thats the idea approach but helps me a lot and don't have issues with tightness. Although I do get tomato status and get tracing light vision sometimes 

sweet maybe i hold off on the exhale until im in the clear, but not right at the end of the rep, il give it a try

[BeastBuilder]

I know that feel bro !!

Definitely rate holding breath the entire movement though, breath in big into the belly to push against your belt, hold it the whole rep, breath out at the top.

Blood Pressure definitely goes up under a heavy squat holding tightness like this (Have seen numbers somewhere of some PLers systolic reading being upwards of 300 under a heavy squat !)

Burst blood vessels under or in eyes, around neck/chest, bleeding noses, beetroot face are just part of the territory once you get into the heavy weights I think.

Might as well ingrain the good breathing techniques now then as you get stronger it'll just be natural.

[Leeroid]

Yep I think people that yell when coming up are losing tightness in their core by releasing all that pressure. I'd definitely recommend holding the breath but it will cause extremely high blood pressure temporarily. I've had a burst capillary in my eye as well as a few nose bleeds while maxing out on squats.

[maccaz]

Yep I think people that yell when coming up are losing tightness in their core by releasing all that pressure. I'd definitely recommend holding the breath but it will cause extremely high blood pressure temporarily. I've had a burst capillary in my eye as well as a few nose bleeds while maxing out on squats.

sweet all good thanks for the input everyone

 

il keep doing as i am and stop being a pussy thinking im going to have a stroke or something lol

[BeastBuilder]

il keep doing as i am and stop being a pussy thinking im going to have a stroke or something lol

Good call bro, unless you have ongoing/underlying heart problems I don't think it would cause any major issues as it is fora very short time.

There's a photo of me in the GPC album on Facebook from Nats and you can literally see the moment I burst a blood vessel in my eye at the bottom of my squat haha.

Getting your first bleeding nose on Squat or Deads is like a right of passage to manliness. Just ride the Gain Train and embrace it haha

[Realtalk]

Well if it's a set you want to breathe obviously... On the way up breathe out. Once licked out breathe in. Repeat. Holding breathe completely for 8 reps and only breathing after each rep is s good way to loose power.

But a single yeah hold breath push out.

Sometimes I yell in my squat reps because that is my breathe. Sometimes I yell on single at bottom cause weight blows the air out of you. This is why a belt is good in the squat.

[maccaz]

Well if it's a set you want to breathe obviously... On the way up breathe out. Once licked out breathe in. Repeat. Holding breathe completely for 8 reps and only breathing after each rep is s good way to loose power.

But a single yeah hold breath push out.

Sometimes I yell in my squat reps because that is my breathe. Sometimes I yell on single at bottom cause weight blows the air out of you. This is why a belt is good in the squat.

yeah bro, im talking only on heavy singles.  if i try do 8 reps or something with my breath held, prob go purple and collapse haha

 

sweet thanks

[soundsgood]

Yep head pressure goes through the roof when I squat too.  You can see the strain in this pic on the way out of the hole with 370kg at nats.   Like Beast Builder I also blew the capilleries in my eyeballs too lol

 

 

Im notorious for my yells, one YUP at the top and then a kind of YEWWWP on the way out of the hole.  They are habitual cues for me mentally but they possibly do rob me of a little bit of tightness.  So I wouldnt recommend losing any unnecessary air by making noises if possible.

 

I have really been working on my breathing and I try to take a massive gulp of air just before I start the squat.  I do believe in exhaling on the way up, it gives me a bit of a boost of strength.  The power of correct breathing through the main movements is hugely underrated and should be trained along with your muscles.

[tyreguy]

Woahh! so how does it take to recover from one of these burst eye capillaries. Does it actually affect your vision? Is it sore? sheesh.

[BeastBuilder]

Woahh! so how does it take to recover from one of these burst eye capillaries. Does it actually affect your vision? Is it sore? sheesh.

Lol doesn't affect vision or hurt bro, well I haven't had any like that anyway. Just get some funny looks when half the white of your eye is red haha.

Usually goes away over a few days, no longer than a week even if it was a big one.