What causes nausea and vomiting during strength training?

Most cases of nausea and vomiting during strength training are not a sign of "training is in place", but a short-term imbalance of supply and demand in the body, or a stress response caused by adverse stimulation. Don't believe the saying on the Internet that "vomiting means you have practiced thoroughly". It is easy to cause accidents if you push hard.

Last week, I led a new member of the gym to do leg training. The young man started to push forward with 120kg of kicks. He was holding his breath and did not dare to let go. One group came down and held the equipment, their faces turned pale. Within two minutes, they squatted next to the trash can and vomited. This is also the most common trigger: subconsciously holding their breath when exerting heavy weight, and the chest cavity The pressure suddenly shot up so high that the venous blood could not flow back to the heart smoothly, and the amount of blood pumped to the brain was insufficient. Incidentally, it also stimulated the vagus nerve that controls gastrointestinal motility. It made you dizzy and nauseated, just like when you stand up suddenly after squatting for a long time and your eyesight turns black and you feel nauseated.

I have been in a similar trap before. I ate beef noodles with meat and spices for lunch, and after resting for 20 minutes, I went to practice deadlifting. When I leaned over and did the first pull, I felt something in my stomach rising straight up. I held on for 3 sets, and finally I squatted in the toilet and vomited for ten minutes, which completely delayed my training plan. I have just finished eating and my stomach is busy with digestion. When you exert force on your abdominal muscles and diaphragm, your stomach will be squeezed hard. In addition, during exercise, blood will preferentially go to the skeletal muscles that are exerting force. If the blood supply to the stomach and intestines is insufficient, digestion will not be able to digest it. The food stuck there will naturally flow upward.

There are also those old friends who haven’t touched the iron for three months and have just hit their previous peak weight as soon as the lockdown is lifted. I met one last month. In the middle of the shoulder training, he not only felt sick but also sweated. He sat on the edge for a long time to recover. This is because the muscles suddenly consume too much sugar and the blood sugar cannot keep up.； If it's hot and the gym has poor ventilation and is as stuffy as a steamer, and there's not enough oxygen in the second half of the workout, you'll easily feel dizzy and want to vomit.

Now there are different opinions on the Internet. It is said that practicing to the point of vomiting is a sign of breaking through the limit. It is not entirely wrong. Athletes preparing for professional competitions sometimes push the extreme weight or do high-density training with very short rest between sets. This kind of physiological reaction may indeed occur. However, there are professional team doctors watching behind them, and the supplements and recovery plans are adequate. We ordinary enthusiasts cannot commit the pursuit of this "ritual sense". If you really feel nauseous after practicing, quickly find a ventilated place to sit down. Don't lie down suddenly. Sip some warm salt water and you'll be over after about ten minutes. If you still feel flustered, dizzy, and persistently uncomfortable, don't hold on. It's safer to see a doctor as soon as possible.