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20-rep squat headache?

Dancelot

Dancelot

New member
I've been doing 20-rep squat for about 5-6 weeks, starting at 80kg x20 up to 105kg x20 on Saturday. Initially it was once a week on Tuesday then half way through, I changed to twice a week: Tuesday and Saturday.

I actually lost 2.5kg (all fat) during this time.

Initially it was really tough and I had to lie down after the set. Then between 90~100kg it felt easier and I only had to sit down for 2-3 minutes before doing powercleans. At 105kg I had to lie down again.

From 90kg onwards, between rep #12 and #15, I'd get a very sharp headache. Is it exertion headache? I just toughed it out for the rest of the session and got some panadol afterwards which seemed to help, but the headache made it hard to do the session, and it kept coming back even during rest days, although not as severe.

I'm taking a break from 20-rep this week to do heavier, low-rep squats mainly to test how much I've gained, but also I feel pretty tired mentally, like my CNS is fried. My sleep & diet have been consistently good through out this 5-6 weeks (except last weekend - lack of sleep - due to an audition, St Kilda Fest & V-Day).

Is this headache normal & nothing to worry about or should I get it checked?

Should I continue to do a few weeks of heavy, low-rep before resuming 20-reppers?
 
1. I don't believe in this frying your CNS crap
2. what is your breathing pattern throughout the set?
3. where excactly does the bar rest?
4. what is the position of your head throughout the set?
5. are your hands pulling down on your shoulders?
6. are you making a face?
I've had many years squatting 20 under my belt, i've seen it all.
 
not breathing properly can cause this

in my case it was sinusitus
sinuses were inflamed and were putting pressure on nerves hence giving a headache
went away after i got nasal spray from doctor
 
Thanks guys, it's my first time squatting 20-reppers and I haven't been training for very long (only seriously since Oct). Tons of things I'm clueless about.

Silverback said:
1. I don't believe in this frying your CNS crap
Click to expand...

This is what I read when I first came across 20 rep squat on the Internet. :confused:

Do you think I should take, say, 4 weeks break from 20 rep squat and do heavy low-reps then back to 20-rep for 6 weeks?

2. what is your breathing pattern throughout the set?
3. where excactly does the bar rest?
4. what is the position of your head throughout the set?
5. are your hands pulling down on your shoulders?
6. are you making a face?
I've had many years squatting 20 under my belt, i've seen it all.
Click to expand...

2. From rep #1 to 10, about 1 or 2 deep breathes before descending, , #11 to 15: 3-4, after that, as many as I needed.

My breathing gets quite poor in the last 5 reps due to exhaustion, but the headache happens between #12 and #15 when I'm still breathing fine.

3. High bar, on my traps.

4. Neck in normal position, not tense, looking straight ahead, but after looking at a video of me doing 100kg x20, I was tensing up the neck a little bit near the top.

5. Don't think so, but towards the end, as I was whiteknuckling the bar, I could be. I'll pay attention to that next time.

6. Yes, when it gets harder & harder towards the end.

###

upg said:
not breathing properly can cause this

in my case it was sinusitus
sinuses were inflamed and were putting pressure on nerves hence giving a headache
went away after i got nasal spray from doctor
Click to expand...

Oh this might be it! During the weeks that I got the headache from 20-rep squat, I had sinusitis, whereas before that, I didn't, and therefore, no headache.

I didn't have trouble breathing normally though, but I guess for a heavy exercise like 20-rep squat, it makes all the difference.
 
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It's critical were the bar rests.
If you move your left arm up as though you are holding the bar and feeling the trap with you right hand you can feel for a shelf already made for the bar to sit.

Also if you tilt you hard forward and run your hand down the back of your neck you will also feel a lump-basically where the neck ends, it must not sit on or above this as it can create serious issues.

I find if hold the bar tight, pulling down into my shoulder it not only gives the upper body a workout but stabilizes the bar and maintains stability of my upper torso.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
Also DO NOT move your head, even your eyes look straight ahead the whole time.
Your head should be in the same position as if you are standing, I don't prescribe to the- "look up or focus on a point in front"

lastly, posture is critical, trick is imagine your at the beach and you see a chick, you instictivly puff up your chest.
I want you to focus on this when you are at the top of your squat- fill your lungs with air and stick your chest out, hold that on the way down and blow out on the way up, then repeat-every rep excactly the same as the next, running out of breath? Breath at the top- suck in as much as you need but remember to take a big gulp of breath fill the lungs and stick that chest out.

Squat between the legs not on top of, practice with goblet squat first to grease the groove so to speak.
I love squatting it's the corner stone of my workout.
I could talk about it for hours
Posted via Mobile Device
 
silverback please do... i love reading about peoples experience on squat techniques as im still trying to find my happy place when it comes to squatting... i really gotta find my way down to ptc for a training week... lol
 
Thanks for the tips mate!

I got the bar in the right place, and while I'm not pulling it down to the shoulders, what I'm doing is keeping the elbows up and tight, so I think it has the same effect.

Got the posture w/ chest puffed up as well. The neck / head might be an issue.

I should get a camcorder and record my squat to get the form checked.
 
Did these for the first time today, mind you with only 45kg, but I got a massive headache. I have put it down to breathing. A couple of nurofen and a cold shower picked me up and I can faintly feel it.

Will work on breathing next time.

Can't believe how much I just want to curl up in bed haha.
 
I have found if I squeeze the crap out of the bar and have my shelf tensed during the set I get the headache + numbness starts to occur there, where as if I let the shelf be relaxed I don't get it.
 
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No, I feel awesome after conquering the beast, despite the headache.

I have found if I squeeze the crap out of the bar and have my shelf tensed during the set I get the headache + numbness starts to occur there, where as if I let the shelf be relaxed I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Doesn't a relaxed shelf reduce your performance?

I keep it tight at the start, but towards the higher reps, I was squeezing on it for dear life.
 
Dancelot said:
Doesn't a relaxed shelf reduce your performance?

I keep it tight at the start, but towards the higher reps, I was squeezing on it for dear life.
Click to expand...
Yes, at the beginning when I still have lots of energy I'm pretty relaxed, towards the end not so much lol
 
I always do the narrow grip, bunches up your traps and creates a shelf for the bar to rest on

Sounds like it was a case of to much load directly on your spine
 
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