i'm not new to exercise, have been doing it for a good 9-10 yrs and consider myself an advanced exerciser, however, it's just been lately that i've added using a barbell on my back with your s&h series, crosstrain express series and your ps series, etc. i've noticed when i do this, i get VERY lightheaded when i do squats or lunges, almost at times, to the point of seeing black...you know those spots before your eyes? and i was just wondering if perhaps my barbell isn't placed right on my back/shoulders or not. i've never had this before, well i did when i was prego, but BELIEVE me that's impossible now! my barbell isn't loaded when i do this, sometimes only 20 to 35#s. can you try and tell me EXACTLY where to put the barbell...i may be holding it to low. i've been looking for a bar pad, but haven't been able to find one around here (a small country town). ANY thoughts would be appreciated! thanks!
From what I know of anatomy, I don't think it's your barbell, but I am not dead sure. I have this happen to me occasionally in PS Legs towards the end of the sit and stands, and sometimes at the very end of a long set of squats in Leaner Legs. I think all my blood must be in my legs or something! I am only half kidding. I have to be very careful to quickly remove and put down the barbell and take some deep breaths to recover. Then I am fine. It _feels_ like I am just not getting enough blood/oxygen/whatever to my brain. Maybe for you this happens with more cases because you are not used to the Extreme Cathe mode Sometimes I feel slightly faint during the Blast at the end of MIC and a couple of the Imax intervals if I am having a bad day, so I have decided for me it's just that I am very close to the line, however I get there. Does it happen when you do plie squats with the barbell in front of your neck?
I am sorry to say that I don't have an answer for you, but I know where you can get the Barbell pads, if that helps. You could get it at www.fitness1st.com for $12, 1-800-421-1791. I have heard others using the pipe insulation (you can get that at almost any hardware store) for the Barbell pads.
Hey Lil!
I get the same thing when I do squats with a barbell. Not sure what causes it as I get the effect no matter if I have a pad on the bar or not. The lightheadedness seems less severe if I go really slow when coming out from under the bar after finishing a set and take deep breaths. Perhaps the blood is going away from your head and upper body and into your legs, where the muscles are working very hard. Or,maybe it's the same sort of thing as when you sit up too fast and sometimes you get lightheaded. Also people don't realize how aerobic squats actually are!.....my heart is racing by the end of 3 sets of 8 with about 230 pounds on the bar. And the sweat is pouring! I will tell you though, I LOVE squats and even though they are tough I wouldnt consider my workout routine complete w/o them.
Trevor
thank you all for responding and giving me your thoughts. i kind of thought it was all just part of cathe's workout "mode" .i just wanted to make sure, that perhaps, i wasn't alone in this. i will try and really get the deep breaths going more so now than what i was doing before. thank goodness, you guys have experienced this as well. thanks again!
my barbell isn't loaded when i do this, sometimes only 20 to 35#s. can you try and tell me EXACTLY where to put the barbell...i may be holding it to low. i've been looking for a bar pad, but haven't been able to find one around here (a small country town). ANY thoughts would be appreciated! thanks!