Ive read up online and i think i have this problem. Only get it when doing the final reps of a set, and i can't train anymore after that, too painful.

Have had it the first time on Monday, today tried first rep of squats (warm up) and it kicked in.

I've read it could do something with not breathing properly etc, how can i get rid of it, as its really interfering with my training, as i can't go on.

Its a painfull throbbing in the back of the head, and a sharp pain.

Will a week or two rest cure this?

Any tips?

I've read it could do something with not breathing properly etcAre you breathing properly? Holding your breath can bring it on. If you want to do some more reading on it, try 'exercise induced headache' and 'Val Salva.'

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=24748

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=25449

If this is similar to what you have, then I'd just take a few days of rest/light exercise only. I did this and it just returned normal, although it took me almost a week and a few days before it completly went away for me though.

I think it was due to improper breathing and a vein or something exploded in my head, and it felt like what seemed to be an overabundance of fluid causeing a sharp pain+headache whenever my heart rate would get up to a certain point.

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=24748

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=25449

If this is similar to what you have, then I'd just take a few days of rest/light exercise only. I did this and it just returned normal, although it took me almost a week and a few days before it completly went away for me though.

I think it was due to improper breathing and a vein or something exploded in my head, and it felt like what seemed to be an overabundance of fluid causeing a sharp pain+headache whenever my heart rate would get up to a certain point.


:eek: a vein exploded in your head!! that can't be good...

The thing is i started training with my mate about 2 weeks ago, this time we decided to go hardcore and go to failure every set possibe. Now the first week was fine, no problems, second week when i was doing bench, on the second set and 5th-6th rep i could feel some pressure in the back of my head..

7th rep i needed just a little spot and was pushing hard, the pressure was increasing, 8th rep couldn't lift it at all, just failed and kept pushing trying to get it up (with mate spotting ofcourse) and thats when it just hit real hard. Very intense pain lasted for about 30-40 seconds, then after a few minutes it went away to a very very dull headache. I continued with the workout and it started comming back but i pushed through, and the end of the workout there was no problem.

Next day, on the first set of any exercise after i started straining it hit real hard. I took panadol and worked through it. The next day, was warming up with squats, about 50kg and on the first rep got it. I had to quit the workout, so much pain...

I've decided to take the rest of the week off and see what happens on Monday. I don't know what to do, its really ticking me off, im trying to workout but can't due to the pain. Any other thing i;ll work through, but i can't with the headaches...

Lastly, anything that can actually go wrong with these kind of headaches? I dont want to blow something up in my head...

Also, i think its mainly to do with my breathing, when i start pushing real hard then i just hold my breath i think, all reps up to that i breathe out, but when i strain, then i just hold it in....


Time to do some more research..

Well I was just guessing myself, that a vein exploded, because if I had to take any guess that would be the one.

So is your situation similar to mine and the other guys in the link? because if it is I'd just lay off the lifting until it goes, or possibly risk permanent damage.

I started getting what I believe to be exertion headaches a while back. They'd only happen toward the end of my leg extention sets, and occasionally on shoulder lateral raises. At first I though it was just breathing that I didn't realize, but I made sure I was breathing properly and they continued to happen. I think what happened in my case was I was tensing up my neck/head too much when trying to power through the pain to the end of the set. Since then I've tried to focus on my body being relaxed (particularly the upper body/neck and above) except for the muscles I'm specifically contracting while working out. This required working out each leg individually on extensions instead of both at once on the machine. For lateral raises, mentally focusing on form is all it took. I haven't had one in a while now, so it's something you can try. Take it easy though in case it is some sort of vascular problem.