Arm falling asleep during squats

[Pennyboy]

Doing Boss Hogg and during the last couple reps of each set, my arm falls asleep, tingling and almost numb. I don't feel a lack of strength. I get my BP checked once a month. I have mirrors all around and my form looks good. Only thing I can think of is bar positioning is maybe too high or too low? Thoughts?

[Shackles]

Doing Boss Hogg and during the last couple reps of each set, my arm falls asleep, tingling and almost numb. I don't feel a lack of strength. I get my BP checked once a month. I have mirrors all around and my form looks good. Only thing I can think of is bar positioning is maybe too high or too low? Thoughts?

how long are you taking to do the sets? How does it fall asleep so fast? Ive never experienced this... ill get a tingling feeling somtimes because i have to grip to close to my shoulders for comfort because of the width of the rack, but thats it...

[md45]

Maybe your new routine is making you so damn big and strong your muscles are squeezing your veins shut!...nahh j/k

Try stretching out your pecs and lats really good before doing your squats. You have an artery that runs though there that gets squeezed when you rotate your upper arm in that position

[waterfall]

pennyboy, your arm may be falling asleep because the bar is pressing on your spine and impinging the nerves that go to your arm while you are squating. If this is the case you could really do some damage to your spine and nerves if you continue. This has happened to me once before. It is a matter of adjusting the position of the bar, putting more padding on the bar, etc. imho do not continue to squat until you have figured the problem out and fixed it.

[Pennyboy]

how long are you taking to do the sets? How does it fall asleep so fast?

Sets of 8 and 7. 5 minutes rest between sets. Between reps, long enough to take 1-2 deep breaths.

Maybe your new routine is making you so damn big and strong your muscles are squeezing your veins shut!...nahh j/k

Try stretching out your pecs and lats really good before doing your squats. You have an artery that runs though there that gets squeezed when you rotate your upper arm in that position

Honestly, the new routine has made me quite large. This past week was week 10 of BossHogg and week 9 of my cycle. I'm a bouncer at a bar, so recently with the semester break I've had some old regulars coming up to me commenting on it. I don't really notice but it could be that's due to my (failed) attempts at flaring my lats in the mirror daily. Waaay too much checking myself out.

It is a matter of adjusting the position of the bar, putting more padding on the bar, etc. imho do not continue to squat until you have figured the problem out and fixed it.

I had to actually buckle down and buy one of those wrap around pads for the barbell. I figured if pros can squat 800-1,000 without, I should be able to at least hit 405 before being concerned. Once I hit 3 plates, it was over ... but yeah, I'm going to have to pay attention to where the bar sits from now on.

[md45]

I bet if you stretch REALLY good before you do it, you wont get numb. Traps unstretched can also impinge on a nerve causing the numbness.....stretch your traps, lats and pecs out extremely well...and put your hands a bit further out on the bar.

[md45]

Here are some good stretches....the DC way.

Stretching:

CHEST: Flat bench 90lb dumbbells chest high--lungs full of air-- I drop down into the deepest flye I can for the first 10 seconds or so with my lungs full of air and chest out---then staying there I arch my back slightly and try to press my sternum upward --this is absolutely excruciating--the rest of the 60 seconds I try to concentrate on dropping my elbows even farther down (I try to but I don't think they are going any lower--LOL)---the last 15 seconds I'm pretty much shaking like a leaf, I have tears in my eyes and I think about dropping bodybuilding and becoming a tap dancer on Broadway (ok that parts not true)--My opinion is people should use dumbbells that are a little over half of what your heaviest set of 6-8 reps would be. I cant state this enough--extreme stretching royally sucks!!! Its painful. But I have seen amazing things with people -especially in the quads.

TRICEPS: Seated on a flat bench-my back up against the barbell---75lb dumbell in my hand behind my head (like in an overhead dumbell extension)--sink dumbell down into position for the first 10 seconds and then an agonizing 50 seconds slightly leaning back and pushing the dumbell down with the back of my head I like one arm at a time in the bottom position of a dumbell triceps extension----going to the extreme stretch and then slightly pushing on the dumbell with the back of my head.

SHOULDERS: This one is tough to describe--put a barbell in the squat rack shoulder height--face away from it and reach back and grab it palms up (hands on bottom of bar)---walk yourself outward until you are on your heels and the stretch gets painful--then roll your shoulders downward and hold for 60 seconds.

BICEPS: Olympic bar in a power rack or squat rack about neck high---face away from it and reach back and put both hands over the bar gripping it----now either sink down with one leg forward/one leg back or better yet squat down and try (I say try because its absolutely excruciating) to kneel. Go down to the stretch that is almost unbearable and then hold that for 45 to 60 seconds. Your own bodyweight is the load. What I do is put the bar at a place on the squat rack in which I can kneel at a severe stretch and then try to sink my ass down to touch my feet. If its too easy I put the bar up to the next rung.

BACK: Honestly for about 3 years my training partner and I would hang a 100lb dumbell from our waist and hung on the widest chin-up bar (with wrist straps) to see who could get closest to 3 minutes--I never made it--I think 2 minutes 27 seconds was my record--but my back width is by far my best body part--I pull on a doorknob or stationary equipment with a rounded back now and its way too hard too explain here--just try it and get your feel for it.

HAMSTRINGS: Either leg up on a high barbell holding my toe and trying to force my leg straight with my free hand for an excruciating painful 60 seconds or another exercise I could only show people and not type here.

QUADS: Facing a barbell in a power rack about hip high --grip it and simultaneously sink down and throw your knees under the barbell and do a sissy squat underneath it while going up on your toes. then straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can---60 seconds and if this one doesn't make you hate my guts and bring tears to your eyes nothing will---do this one faithfully and tell me in 4 weeks if your quads don't look a lot different than they used to.

CALVES: my weak body part that I couldn't get up too par until 2 years ago when I finally thought it out and figured out how to make them grow (with only one set twice a week too) I don't need to stretch calves after because when I do calves I explode on the positive and take 5 seconds to get back to full stretch and then 15 seconds at the very bottom "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand etc" --15 seconds stretching at the bottom thinking and trying to flex my toes toward my shin--it is absolutely unbearable and you will most likely be shaking and want to give up at about 7 reps (I always go for 12reps with maximum weights)--do this on a hack squat or a leg press--my calves have finally taken off due to this.

[martyrobbins]

I bet if you stretch REALLY good before you do it, you wont get numb. Traps unstretched can also impinge on a nerve causing the numbness.....stretch your traps, lats and pecs out extremely well...and put your hands a bit further out on the bar.

Good info.......... Ive even seen guys go so wide they touch the first plate.

Padding should help.