Killer headache after squats

[Drummer]

WOW got a killer headache after doing my squats today, ended my workout dammit!

~D~

[tiramisu]

Were you holding your breath?

Vasalva's maneuver has been known to cause headaches although I find I can lift more when I do it. Good for a single... Not so good for reps :)

[O-Train]

Were you holding your breath?

Vasalva's maneuver has been known to cause headaches although I find I can lift more when I do it. Good for a single... Not so good for reps :)

Exactly. Focus on your breathing and see if that helps. I had the same problem not too long ago. It may help to take it easy for a while also (although I didn't). I found that the headache came back fairly easily within about a week of the time I first noticed it.

[LIVEHARD]

Let the air out on the way up

Your BP goes through the roof on AAS add squats heavy squats and TADA

Big headach head rush !!

Second how was your food / water intake pre workout ??

[punkrock]

I'd say breathing too. Sometimes when you're focusing to hard on the lift you don't realize your not breathing enough.

I'd also guess you might be using your neck a little in it. Let your back tighten but try to keep you neck loose. Look up as usual, but not so far your neck tightens up.

Just a suggestion. I don't claim to be a pro. :)

[davidjiao08]

that maybe it is because lack of oxygen of your head ,you can try to have a try to stand upside down .just my opinion...

[L3]

take some coenzyme Q10 and some hawthorne berry extract pills pre workout... should help regulate the BP

also avoid caffeine/stimulants on leg day!

[rated_rko]

breathe?

[JonnyO]

Yep what they said, practice breathing squats.

[tex]

yikes. this can be dangerous. 2 times in my life I had this happen when I was doing high rep squats (widowmaker) and the last 4-5 reps are soo damn hard that I would hold my breath and as soon as Id rack the weight I would get a screaming headache. Did not even feel like a headache...more like blood vessels exploding in my head.....I ended up taking a week off just in case then when I went back I made an effort to slow down and breathe.....

[Gemini]

I know the feeling, I got this major head rush when doing leg press. I stood up and went outside for a little while. I came back in 5 minutes later, starting doing squats and a I started having a major headache all the way to my neck area. It felt really odd and I know it wasn't good, I had to take a 2 week rest. I'm pretty sure it was because of my breathing because I was doing my max on the leg press tried to hold in my breath for 2 reps for maximum power so the blood just went straight to my head. Watch your breathing...

[scubadiver]

OP, thanks for this post. I've been getting awful headaches on leg day after every set. One time I threw up after I got home. I just thought it's because I'm trying to lift as much weight as when I was on and I'm overdoing it. I miss being on :(

Anyway, it only started a few weeks ago. I'll have to watch my breathing patterns.

[hommes]

scary shit happens when you don't breathe right.

[Rhinobolt10]

Ummm... I'm kind of going the opposite way on this one.

I always hold my breath on squats, and breathe between reps. Holding breath helps to stay tight. This is mostly on sets of 3 tho, I'm not sure what I do on higher rep sets to be honest.

I get a lot of headaches from the back of my neck and traps cramping up. This generally sucks and takes a while to go away.

[Drummer]

I have been practicing good breathing patterns lately on heavy lifts like squats and deads. Breath in on the eccentic and out through persed lips on the concentric. If i feel i need 1-2 seconds pause between reps I take it. No more headaches! I also use a squat pad now to protect my neck from the bar, as once i get over 315, I start to feel as if by vertebrae are taking too much punishment.

~D~