Feeling lightheaded and nauseous with intense training.

[AndyC]

Is it just me or does this happen to everyone?

In all honesty i haven't been training properlly for a good 6 month now. I recently managed to start going to my kungfu classes again. Except i seem to be really out of shape despite having been to the gym fairly frequently. I'm not sure if it's because my cardio is just crap or maybe i have some medical condition?
I don't run much because i get shin splints. This has got me on a cross trainer instead. A typical cardio workout would be 2000m warm up on the rower trying to beat the time i done it in the last session. Then on to the cross trainer for 15-20 mins set on the hill program (the resistance level starts low gradually getting higher peaking at half way then back down again), with at least 10 30 sec sprints throughout. At kungfu classes we usually run through a 15min warmup & stretching routine, then on to basic kicking and punching drills by which time i'm starting to feel sick and lightheaded.
I don't know whats going on and it's affecting my return to training. It feels like i've taken a step forward but then 50 steps back. The only other time i've really experienced anything similar was when i was a kid doing p.e. at school.

If anyone could give me some advice on this it would be appreciated. Maybe offer some ways to improve my cardio? Or maybe i should seek medical advice and get checked out?

[JadeMantis]

Yep that happened to me when I first started Kung Fu 18 months ago, and it still happens every now and then really with intense training sessions and especially gradings. I put it down to crap cardio and diet.

I started out doing lots of running for a while, then sorted out my diet a designed a training plan to improve my cardio/endurance. It seems to be working as I can now get through the session without dieing. The gradings are still an issue though.

My little bit of advice is check your diet is OK this will give you the need nutrients to feed the body through your training routines. You can find lots of info on the net regarding exercise and nutritional intake.

Do extra cardio outside of class, if you cant do running try cycling, jump rope, and keep going to the gym. The cross trainers pretty good. You could also do lots of forms training, this gets that heart pumping. Bag work, shadow boxing.

Ive also worked in Workout 1 from this website. http://www.trainforstrength.com.
That seems to be doing the job also.

Cheers

JM

[red5angel]

like JM says, check the usual suspects first - diet, how much water (water, not other liquids) you are getting everyday. Check to make sure you're not overdoing it as well.
If these things don't seem to be an issue, then it's time to go talk to a doctor and see if they can find anything wrong, just in case.

[mickey]

Greetings AndyC,

I agree with all that has been suggested. If you cannot get through what appears to be a typical workout at your school, your fitness level is nowhere near where it should be. I believe that one's conditioning level should exceed that which is required of him/her in class. Class training should be a warmup, review, learn/refine process. If you are struggling just to breathe, you are missing out on so much. I suggest that you look into interval training; in particular high intensity interval training (HIIT). Here is a basic one you can try:

Skip rope 5 minutes, then do 100 bodyweight squats, back to skipping rope 5 minutes, to 100 bodyweight squats, back to skipping rope 5 minutes, back to 100 bodyweight squats. Throughout this maintain the intensity level. No breaks. You should be skipping rope like a demon on speed.

The suggested numbers in the exercise are to be worked up to. You can substitute a different exercise such as lunges for the squats. You may eventually want to include weight lifting in the routine. It depends on your creativity and your goals. You can even include your class basics as an interval with jumping rope, as long as you keep it intense; e.g., 100-200 punches in a low horse,rope skipping, 100 punches in a bow and arrow, etc.

If that exercise suggestion looks incredibly daunting to you (even if you trim the numbers), seriously consider getting a physical.

Also, get more green leafy vegetables.

mickey