Overhead press euphoria
November 6, 2010 10:29 AM Subscribe
When I'm working out and do the overhead press I often get a feeling of full body euphoria. Why is that?
My guess is it would have something to do with my spine but I'm not sure. No other lifts I'm doing give me this feeling. It feels like an energy through my back and my arms. What is physiologically happening?
My guess is it would have something to do with my spine but I'm not sure. No other lifts I'm doing give me this feeling. It feels like an energy through my back and my arms. What is physiologically happening?
Response by poster: I'm curious as to why it would only happen on one lift, though. Why not squats or dealifting?
posted by josher71 at 10:55 AM on November 6, 2010
posted by josher71 at 10:55 AM on November 6, 2010
Wonder if it could be akin to people who get emotional doing the pigeon pose. From one response in that thread:
posted by carsonb at 11:04 AM on November 6, 2010
The way it has been explained to me is that, if you live in a society where you are expected to 'manage' your emotions rather than express them, you tend to tense certain muscles as an alternative to letting your emotions rip. So for example, a tough day at work can leave you with tense shoulders and neck muscles. Different people will tense up different muscles, and there's no particular association with certain muscles and certain emotions.- girlgenius
I am not sure how relaxing the muscles causes an emotional response in your brain, but I assume it is some sort of biochemical signal released that your brain interprets as "hey it's time to feel these emotions now".
posted by carsonb at 11:04 AM on November 6, 2010
Perhaps something about that particular exercise tweaks a specific nerve in your body, triggering an endorphin rush.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:04 AM on November 6, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:04 AM on November 6, 2010
I think it's like that John Mellencamp song "hurts so good," It kind of hurts, but you're in control, and so maybe it's feeling proud as well as feeling whatever endorphins?
posted by SaharaRose at 11:07 AM on November 6, 2010
posted by SaharaRose at 11:07 AM on November 6, 2010
I know what you mean. I don't get it so strongly as to describe it as "euphoria," though. My guess is that it's the old," RRRRGH ME LIFT THE SHIT OUT OF HEAVY THING," exacerbated by the triumphant gesture of hoisting something over your head.
posted by cmoj at 11:19 AM on November 6, 2010
posted by cmoj at 11:19 AM on November 6, 2010
I absolutely would use the word "euphoria" — with me, it happens when I do chest flies.
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:38 AM on November 6, 2010
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:38 AM on November 6, 2010
From my experience, this has to be a physiological thing. It's not just a feeling in my head, it's a full-body sensation of joy centered in my chest.
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:41 AM on November 6, 2010
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:41 AM on November 6, 2010
I think this is like the rush from auto-erotic choking and happens for exactly the same reasons: you are temporarily cutting off the supply of blood/oxygen to your brain.
I wish you would find another way to work those muscles.
posted by jamjam at 12:27 PM on November 6, 2010
I wish you would find another way to work those muscles.
posted by jamjam at 12:27 PM on November 6, 2010
Hm, the closest thing I've experienced while lifting is that I would sometimes get light-headed when doing power cleans; it went away as my technique improved and I either stopped catching the bar with my neck or improved my breathing patterns. Are you keeping your body tight while you're lifting? Are performing the Valsalva maneuver when you lift? These are things you may want to consider.
posted by indubitable at 2:04 PM on November 6, 2010
posted by indubitable at 2:04 PM on November 6, 2010
That lift expands your lungs greatly...if you're breathing full gulps of air while doing it you're getting more oxygen than usual...I always start my workouts with my hands extended over my head, fingers locked, 5 or 6 deep, full breaths and I get that feeling.
posted by vito90 at 2:16 PM on November 6, 2010
posted by vito90 at 2:16 PM on November 6, 2010
I wish you would find another way to work those muscles.
posted by jamjam at 3:27 PM on November 6
Not sure how serious you are, but a press done with reasonable weight for your strength is the safest lift I can think of. Even if this euphoria is brought on by oxygen deprivation, it's a short enough movement that there is no way it could result in brain damage. People routinely hold their breath for twenty seconds at a time and no lift takes that long.
As for the question itself, I'm not sure. Make sure you're tight, your breath is held, and enjoy it.
posted by Gandhi Knoxville at 2:40 PM on November 6, 2010
posted by jamjam at 3:27 PM on November 6
Not sure how serious you are, but a press done with reasonable weight for your strength is the safest lift I can think of. Even if this euphoria is brought on by oxygen deprivation, it's a short enough movement that there is no way it could result in brain damage. People routinely hold their breath for twenty seconds at a time and no lift takes that long.
As for the question itself, I'm not sure. Make sure you're tight, your breath is held, and enjoy it.
posted by Gandhi Knoxville at 2:40 PM on November 6, 2010
Are you doing the exercise at roughly the same point in time during every workout session?
posted by circular at 3:42 PM on November 6, 2010
posted by circular at 3:42 PM on November 6, 2010
Is it euphoria or is it an energy/shock/electrical feeling? If it is some kind of chemical or "energy" release that's one thing, but if you're affecting some nerves that's another. An overhead press isn't really all that safe, besides weight droppage, improper technique could create impingement. The Long Thoracic Nerve and the Brachial Plexus can be easily affected and would give you strange feelings down your arms and back. Damage could lead to scapular winging and worse.
Are you doing a Push Press? Are you using excessive wieght? Are you bending backwards? Do you keep a neutral neck alignment?
Simple answer is, don't mess around with your nerves. They don't really heal that well.
posted by P.o.B. at 7:04 PM on November 6, 2010
Are you doing a Push Press? Are you using excessive wieght? Are you bending backwards? Do you keep a neutral neck alignment?
Simple answer is, don't mess around with your nerves. They don't really heal that well.
posted by P.o.B. at 7:04 PM on November 6, 2010
Response by poster: Yes, I'm doing the push press. I am bending backwards but I'm not sure of neutral neck alignment and I don't think I'm using excessive weight. Currently at 70 lbs. I feel like it is a mixture of euphoria/energy so perhaps nerves are being affected. What you've written sounds like it could be the reason.
posted by josher71 at 6:08 AM on November 7, 2010
posted by josher71 at 6:08 AM on November 7, 2010
Response by poster: Yes, also doing Valslalva and doing exercise at the same time every work out.
posted by josher71 at 6:09 AM on November 7, 2010
posted by josher71 at 6:09 AM on November 7, 2010
I guess you could condense all my question into the neutral spine alignment question. The Push Press, excessive weight, and bending backwards could possibly mean you're using bad form but not necessarily. You may want to try to tighten up your form or see if someone can spot anything wrong with it the next time you do it.
Just to be clear, I wouldn't know offhand, and it would maybe take a neurologist to do some testing to tell you if you're doing nerve damage but it's just something think about. If you were impinging the nerves I don't necessarrily think it would have a "good" feeling to it that you're describing with the word euphoria, and probably only be happening down one side or the other.
I think circular may have been getting at the idea that if you were doing the exercise at the same time every workout than that is when you are getting the endorphin release and not how.
posted by P.o.B. at 11:47 AM on November 7, 2010
Just to be clear, I wouldn't know offhand, and it would maybe take a neurologist to do some testing to tell you if you're doing nerve damage but it's just something think about. If you were impinging the nerves I don't necessarrily think it would have a "good" feeling to it that you're describing with the word euphoria, and probably only be happening down one side or the other.
I think circular may have been getting at the idea that if you were doing the exercise at the same time every workout than that is when you are getting the endorphin release and not how.
posted by P.o.B. at 11:47 AM on November 7, 2010
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posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:44 AM on November 6, 2010