Mouth Guards - Who Uses Them?

[Skid]

I have been using a mouth guard for 6 months or so and now won't lift heavy without it. I clench my teeth when the weights get heavy. The mouth guard prevents damage to my teeth, and gives me something to bite down onto.

I'm using the new age performance 5ds. I don't know if it improves performance although the makers claim it does by somehow aligning the spine.

I tried the 6ds type and it is a little too big in my mouth and I get the gag reflex from it, but the smaller 5ds is just right. Not sure what other brands are out there but these work quite well.

I won't provide a link but just Google them if interested...

[AaronM]

In the spirit of Pharaoh, "the search function reveals" http://exodus-strength.com/forum/viewto ... uth+guards

Since that thread I've started doing open mouthed valsalva, which works well, and helps keep me from seeing stars and getting light headed. For me, clenching with a mouthguard tended to produce dizziness.

[Skid]

My bad,

I was reading someone's log and they mentioned putting their tongue on the roof of their mouth to help their valsalva and thinking that clenching might work better for them

I did a search in the equipment forum and didn't see anything on mouth guards. Didn't look but I probably posted in the other thread too. Damn oldtimers...

[perman]

I do the open mouth valsalva most of the time by impulse now. Ever since I started using technical RPE for my filmed deadlift sets based on keeping almost perfect extension, hard valsalvas have become even more important. Open mouth valsalvas seem to be better for keeping the air in the stomach where you want it, YMMV.

[broseph]

I definitely prefer to clench my teeth when I lift. It just feels right.

Tried a mouthguard after the dentist told me I'm wearing my teeth down. As a mouth breather, the guard was super annoying and distracting whenever I wasn't bearing down and clenching.

Now I try to either bite my lip or my tongue to prevent tooth-on-tooth grinding because open mouth valsalva feels really weird.

[Wilhelm]

Kept the guard for deadlifts.
Will probably use it when i go back to ohp.
I found that sets of 8 on two breaths had me clenching much more than i expected.

[cole]

like wilhem, i have become dependent on mouthguard for dead lifts. seems to help with heavier loads. i also grind my teeth in my sleep so i dont need extra grinding

[Jay870]

I'm a clencher. No idea if it is impacting my teeth at all but I do get some jaw soreness from time to time so I am going to give one of these a try.