Fitness

Wonder why youngsters are getting heart attacks after hitting the gym? Expert shares cautions to follow when working out

Published

2 years ago

December 11, 2022

Wonder why youngsters are getting heart attacks after hitting the gym? Expert shares cautions to follow when working out

At present, there’s a worrisome development of coronary heart assaults amongst fitness center goers within the nation and the current deaths of celebrities Siddhaanth Surryavanshi and Raju Shrivastav, who succumbed to coronary heart assaults whereas understanding, have left folks questioning why kids are getting coronary heart assaults after hitting the fitness center. Kids below 50 are getting coronary heart assaults after hitting the fitness center and well being consultants insist upon some vital directions that one ought to observe earlier than hitting the fitness center.

It’s a incontrovertible fact that exercising each day can enhance one’s coronary heart well being however now, the circumstances of coronary heart assaults whereas exercising is rising at a speedy price amongst males above 45 years the place it’s believed that over-exercising can elevate the chance of coronary heart issues. In an interview with HT Life-style, Dr Bipeenchandra Bhamre, Guide Cardiac Surgeon at Sir HN Reliance Basis Hospital and Analysis Centre in Mumbai, shared, “First we should perceive that in train we should always not ignore symptom of coronary heart ache like heaviness, left shoulder ache, throat ache, again ache. In case you are getting such signs, you must cease train.”

He highlighted, “Folks with pre-existing diabetes, hypertension, smoking historical past, household historical past of coronary heart illness ought to be extra cautious to not overexert in fitness center. When one is understanding, it’s important for the particular person to keep away from an excessive amount of or exercising too quick. Senseless exercising can put a pressure on the guts. So, going for too many reps, having extra weight, operating with none breaks, and exercising for an extended time will result in a coronary heart assault whereas doing any exercise. Furthermore, this occurs when one has not been lively since childhood and immediately takes up any exercise with out realizing his health degree.”

He defined, “Not many individuals are lively bodily after which they immediately plan to develop into match and undertake a wholesome way of life however it’s essential to know the well being standing earlier than hitting the fitness center. Cease exercising instantly when you really feel heaviness in chest or again, really feel nauseous, dizzy or really feel like you’ll collapse as this may point out an underlying drawback. Sudden cardiac arrest whereas exercising occurs as a consequence of present blockages, recognized or undiagnosed, in a single’s coronary heart. Additionally, an excessive amount of strain on the guts results in plaque rupture or triggers electrical disturbances within the coronary heart and that’s how one can get a sudden cardiac arrest.”

Speaking about some important ideas that gymgoers ought to observe, Dr Bipeenchandra Bhamre suggested, “If one is planning to undertake any train routine the n makes certain you communicate to your physician earlier than doing so. Don’t overlook to get your cardiac screening achieved to learn about your coronary heart well being. Go for actions resembling brisk strolling, jogging, biking, swimming, and yoga for 150 minutes no less than 5 days every week. It’s higher to train for 45 minutes day by day as a substitute of doing it for 2-3 hours at a stretch. Don’t train you probably have physique ache, or really feel breathless or weak. Begin exercising slowly and steadily. If you happen to really feel unwell then skip exercising on that specific day as a substitute of pushing your self. Train as per your capabilities and keep away from pushing your self simply because others are doing it.”

Provided that ‘health’ has emerged because the new-age mantra of younger and outdated alike in India at the moment, it’s common information that common train helps the guts and likewise lowers long run threat of cardiovascular issues however the identical doesn’t maintain good for strenuous train, which, actually, will increase the instant threat for a coronary heart assault and a sudden cardiac arrest, particularly in people who find themselves already predisposed to coronary heart illness, both as a consequence of genetic components or a poor way of life. Dr Adil Sadiq, Head, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical procedure at Sakra World Hospital in Bangalore, revealed, “Unaccustomed strenuous exercise, may cause a sudden mismatch within the blood supply-demand equation of the guts, precipitating a coronary heart assault. As well as it could trigger the rupture of a pre-existing plaque within the arteries of the guts, or set off an irregular coronary heart rhythm, each of which may trigger cardiovascular collapse. In uncommon situations, folks with a genetic abnormality of the guts muscle like obstructive cardiomyopathy can be topic to the identical issues on strenuous train.”

He insisted that it’s crucial to grasp that going to the fitness center isn’t the issue however the lack of a structured, progressive and monitored train regime is the perpetrator. He steered, “If an individual has a predisposing situation to coronary heart illness like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking or a household historical past of coronary heart illness, you will need to be evaluated alongside cardiovascular strains, previous to beginning with strenuous train. Simply as the guts is in a dynamic state, gym-goers have to hold a look ahead to any uncommon signs throughout train, like light-headedness, shortness of breath, chest tightness or ache and get themselves evaluated in the event that they expertise the identical. Choosing the proper fitness center is one other level of consideration. Information has proven {that a} fitness center that’s geared up with an AED (automated exterior defibrillator) system or has personnel educated in CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation), is at all times higher geared up to take care of a coronary heart assault on the exercise place, than one which lacks these services. All-in-all, the fitness center is good spot to train, prepare and enhance your power however getting your self evaluated previous to any unaccustomed exercise, or any strenuous exercise together with information of the ominous signs throughout train is vital to holding the fitness center a protected place and stopping numerous attainable cardiovascular occasions.”

Bringing his experience to the identical, Dr Vikram Kolhari, Guide Heart specialist at Apollo Hospitals in Bangalore’s Seshadripuram, mentioned, “There’s substantial proof that average depth train is related to lowered cardiac occasions, nonetheless vigorous train can typically set off a coronary heart assault and sudden demise in folks with pre-existing coronary heart circumstances and people with sedentary way of life. A examine in US discovered that about 16% of indoor sudden cardiac arrests occurred in train services. Intense train can improve coronary heart price, blood strain and adrenaline hormone ranges, which may result in a plaque rupture, precipitating a coronary heart assault.”

He advisable, “We must always know our threat components for cardiovascular ailments and have them addressed with acceptable medical recommendation. If somebody has a household historical past of coronary heart assault or different threat components like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and excessive ldl cholesterol, it’s higher to get sure checks prematurely earlier than beginning train and get acceptable remedy, if required. Preventive check-ups together with checks like ECG, ECHO, TMT and CT or CAT and coronary angiogram are helpful to recognise asymptomatic blockages within the coronary arteries. It’s advisable to do average depth workout routines like brisk strolling, jogging, swimming or biking for no less than 5 days every week for a wholesome life. Begin sluggish and steadily improve the depth and know your limits.”

Dr CH Praveen, Guide, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical procedure, Omni Hospital in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, echoed that just lately, now we have witnessed an growing upward development for cardiac arrests or cardiac points through the years, as a consequence of immediately resuming exercises and poor fitness center practices. In line with him, the growing threat of coronary heart ailments in kids is multi-factorial –

1. Pushing one’s limits past his or her capability is a development in fitness center at the moment, which has led to elevated demand or pressure of coronary heart. One should evaluate coronary heart with a motor and pushing the motor past its capability heats it up. Pushing your coronary heart for an extended length ends in its arrest.

2. Elevated dehydration throughout work out in fitness center does not solely imply lack of fluids like water but additionally important electrolytes like potassium and sodium. Each are important for the conventional rhythm of coronary heart.

3. Routine annual well being examine as much as display screen asymptomatic people with cardiac ailments in early stage, isn’t adopted in our nation. We should all do not forget that “Well being is Wealth”.

4. Improve in unhealthy and sedentary way of life amongst youthful generations with smoking (lively and passive), consumption of alcohol, diabetes, hypertension, weight problems and household historical past.

Sharing his opinion, he adviced:

I. ‘Know when to cease’ – Gymming is nice to maintain your physique wholesome, however don’t push your self past a restrict. Don’t transcend the capability of your coronary heart.

II. ‘Hydrate your self with water and minerals’ – To forestall life threatening arrhythmias resulting in sudden cardiac arrest, one ought to hydrate themselves intermittently. A really costly oxygen enriched water isn’t wanted. Plain ORS can even do. Oblique proof of impending cardiac arrhythmia is a muscle spasm which is mostly results of hypokalemia (much less potassium).

III. “Prevention is healthier than treatment” – Preserve your self away from avoidable threat components like tobacco (in any kind), alcohol (in any kind), junk or fatty meals and steer clear from weight problems. Continued medical check-ups is a should for unavoidable threat components like diabetes, hypertension or every other household historical past. A routine annual well being checkup for all people over 30 years of age, as a substitute of 40, ought to be mandated with current state of affairs of cultural shift.

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Fitness

Manayunk gym aims to provide source of physical and mental wellness

Published

10 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Manayunk gym aims to provide source of physical and mental wellness

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — GoalsFit, nestled in Philadelphia’s Manayunk neighborhood, has been a community staple for 16 years.

Kasey Manwaring-Loos, who is at the helm, has created an environment that gets people coming back for their fitness fix.

“Kasey has a superpower, she has a lot of them,” said Dan Leinhauser, who’s been a client at Goals for eight years. “But one of them is she can take old guys like me, and young, very fit people, and somehow everybody gets an incredible workout out of it. No one is made to feel less than the other person.”

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Manwaring-Loos realized the impact her gym had on her clients. It was an outlet for their physical and mental wellness. So, she felt the push. She decided to enroll in a master’s program at her alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University, to pursue a degree in mental health counseling. Her hope was to provide her clients with more tools in the future.

“I happen to have a client who was in eighth grade, and after six sessions I just saw how good she was feeling,” Manwaring-Loos reflected. “I remember one session saying, ‘You look so strong.’ And she was like, ‘I just feel so good.’ So, I thought it was the perfect spot to start with because I think it will be so impactful.”

So “Generation Move” was born. It’s a program launching in the New Year for 7th and 8th graders who may experience anxiety surrounding sports, exercise, and movement.

Manwaring-Loos said it will be a combination of exercise and “chit-chat.”

“One week will be called ‘Lifting to Feel Empowered,’ one week will be ‘Moving for a Clearer Mind,’ one week will be ‘Teamwork Makes Dreamwork.’”

At a time when professional athletes like Eagles tackle Lane Johnson have spoken out about the intersection between sports and mental health, people like Manwaring-Loos are doing the work in our communities.

“When it comes down to it, I want to do this because at least they will leave feeling in a good mood,” Manwaring-Loos shared. “Sure, there will always be struggles, sadness, problems, but at least they will find a tool that will put them in a better mood.”

Generation Move is set to begin its six-week program on January 15. You can learn more about the various offerings at GoalsFit at goalsfit.com.

Fitness

RFK Is a Big Proponent of Exercise as Medicine. We Agree.

Published

18 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

RFK Is a Big Proponent of Exercise as Medicine. We Agree.

IT’S GREAT TO see Robert F. Kennedy Jr elevating exercise in the national conversation, and at Men’s Health we’ve been saying exercise is strong medicine for 35 years—because nothing advances health and can’t be patented by Pharma as much as consistently working out.

We’ve been reporting on the styles of strength and fitness that you need to optimize your health for years—and the pandemic, which saw those who struggled with fitness suffer more than strong, healthy people, put a spotlight on that. Since then, gym memberships are booming; 2023 saw with 72.9 million people with gym memberships.

These days, healthspan (the portion of life during which you’re able to do what you want instead of being frail and weak) is a buzzword, as we’ve covered in our stories with Peter Attia, M.D., author of Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity. According to Attia: “Exercise is by far the most potent longevity ‘drug.’ The data are unambiguous: Exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline better than any other intervention. It is the single most potent tool we have in the health-span-enhancing toolkit—and that includes nutrition, sleep, and meds.”

Over the years MH has covered the ideal amount of exercise people should do, and, like Dr. Attia, MH recommend more exercise weekly—ideally 7 to 10 hours— than the government’s regulations. Currently, the CDC says:

Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. There are multiple ways to break this up, but an easy way to think about it is that you should fitness 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

Adults also need 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week.
The CDC does also note that you’ll gain even more health benefits if you go beyond 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or week – or if you have 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity (think: a pickup hoops game).

The latest research reveals that you need a combination of different intensities of cardio, as well as consistent strength training and stability exercises to be your best self. Here’s how much you should get to be at your best.

Your Cardio Goals

4+ Hours/Week

Dr. Attia says your VO2 max is a good proxy measure of physical capability: It indicates what you can—and cannot—do. Studies suggest that VO2 max will decline by roughly 10 percent per decade after your 20s and up to 15 percent per decade after age 50. Increasing your VO2 max makes you functionally younger. So having average or even above-average VO2 max has long-term ramifications. Dr. Attia’s goal for his patients is to be at an excellent level for the decade (or two) below their age. Many smartwatches can estimate VO2 max, but a real test (e.g., the Cooper 12-Minute Run) is better and VO2-max charts are easy to find online.

The good news?

You can improve VO2 max by as much as 17 percent per year. But you need to put in the work. Dr. Attia advises that patients do at least three 45 to 60-minute cardio sessions per week in zone 2 of their heart rate (57 to 65 percent of max heart rate, a gentle intensity during which you can say a complete sentence). They can involve running, cycling, rowing, even rucking. This is optimal for the health and efficiency of your mitochondria, the factories that burn fat and glucose to power your muscles and that decline as you age.

Along with cruising in zone 2, Dr. Attia recommends that patients do a weekly 30-minute VO2-max effort, such as high-intensity intervals that last anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes. For instance, you can run, ride, row, or ruck uphill for four rounds of four minutes, with four minutes of rest in between. “This is a much higher level of intensity—a hard, minutes-long effort,” he says. By testing your VO2 max and committing to cardio, you can nudge up your score and win in the long run.

Your Strength Goals

3+ Hours/Week

Age-related muscle loss—which starts insidiously in your 40s and picks up the pace in your 50s—is called sarcopenia, from the Greek words for “poverty of the flesh,” says Dr. Attia. Think of strength training as a form of retirement saving, he says. Just as you retire with enough money saved up to sustain you for the rest of your life, you want to reach an older age with enough of a “reserve” of muscle to protect you from injury and allow you to continue to pursue the activities that you enjoy. That muscle also acts as a buffer against the natural age-related decline in muscle mass. The larger the reserve you build up early on, the better off you will be over the long term. And, there are many categories to train:

Grip Strength

New research reveals that American adults have far weaker grip strength—and thus less muscle mass—than they did even a generation ago. In 1985, men ages 20 to 24 had an average right-handed grip strength of 121 pounds, while in 2015, men of the same age averaged just 101 pounds. Dr. Attia notes that many studies suggest that grip strength predicts how long you are likely to live. In these studies, it’s acting as a proxy for overall strength, but it’s also a broader indicator of general robustness and your ability to protect yourself if you slip.

Try These: Weighted carries, dead hangs, and plate pinches. Your goal: Do a farmer’s carry with a quarter of your bodyweight in each hand for one minute.

Concentric and Eccentric Loading

You need strength when your muscles are shortening (concentric) and lengthening (eccentric) under load. In other words, you must be able to lift the weight up and put it back down, slowly and with control. In life, especially as you age, eccentric strength is where many people falter.

Eccentric strength in the quads is what gives us the brakes required when we are moving down an incline or walking down a set of stairs. It’s really important to keep us safe from falling.

Try These: Focus on the “down” phase of lifts, whether doing pullups, curls, or deadlifts. Practice slow stepdowns—can you step off an 18-inch box in three seconds or more?

Pulling Motions

Pulling motions help bulletproof your shoulders against injury, and they’re critical in other underrated ways, too, driving your motion when you open car doors, lift boxes from the floor, and give somebody a hug.

Try These: Practice pulling at all angles. Start with dumbbell rows and progress to overhead moves like pullups.

Hip Hinges

You bend at the hips—not the spine—to harness your body’s largest muscles, the glutei maximi and the hamstrings. It is a very powerful move that is essential to life. If you are jumping, picking up a penny off the sidewalk, or simply getting out of a chair, you are hip hinging.

Try These: Deadlifts, hip thrusts, and kettlebell swings.

With all this exercise, your body may need more TLC. And that’s where stability and mobility training and low impact things like yoga and walking come in. These kinds of activities help your body recover and you can target weak areas to build your overall strength.

If you need somewhere to start and aren’t sure how to get going: Try this simple bodyweight workout: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Start by doing 30 seconds plank walkout, then do 30 seconds of alternating reverse lunges, then do 30 seconds of jumping jacks. Rest 30 seconds, then repeat until time is up. This simple session fires up your core and burns calories, and it gets you moving in multiple planes, an underrated quality you want to preserve for longevity. It also challenges many of the key functions we’ve already listed above. A bonus: As you gain fitness, this can become a warmup drill for any workout you do.

If you’re looking for exercise guidance, check out our Men’s Health MVP Training Lab, which is full of month-long workouts that can help you improve your VO2 max, build total-body muscle and strength, shed excess pounds, and get into optimal shape.

Fitness

A new way to exercise is now open at the Smith River Sports Complex

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

A new way to exercise is now open at the Smith River Sports Complex

A new fitness court is now open for public use at the Smith River Sports Complex.

The fitness court, located at the Smith River Sports Complex, was completed in partnership with Aetna for its National Fitness Campaign across Virginia. It was created to cater to people ages 14 and older and with multiple levels of fitness in mind by allowing them to move at their own pace.

“We would like to thank Aetna for their support in bringing this important program to our community,” Henry County Director of Parks and Recreation Roger Adams said. “And for recognizing the need to support healthy lifestyles for all Virginians.”

The Smith River Sports Complex Fitness Court is one of the first communities in Virginia selected for the initiative, Adams said.

The fitness court base is a concrete pad with a connecting wall that features different equipment allowing users to work different muscles. The court is separated into seven different sections including: core, squat, push, pull, lunge, agility and bend.

Some of the different exercises possible on the fitness court include: mountain climbers, pushups, lunges at the lunge station, pullups, burpees and different core exercises.

“The fitness court is a wonderful example of partnerships across the public and private sectors to help break down barriers to accessible community programming,” Adams said. “Living a healthy lifestyle and taking preventative measures can help reduce the risk of developing chronic yet preventable diseases.”

“By practicing healthy habits through regular exercise on the fitness court with body weight training, individuals could significantly lower their risk of developing these diseases,” Adams said. “A body weight workout enhances coordination, balance and mobility in particular. We encourage everyone to walk, jog and cycle to our new fitness court and spend a little more time outside every day.”

“We know that when your physical health is better, your mental health is also better,” Henry County Board of Supervisors Iriswood District Representative Garrett Dillard said. “When you become a healthier community, that impacts your work, your school, your daily life.”

“We need to do better in Henry County,” Dillard said.

Henry County ranks 119 out of 133 counties in Virginia in terms of health outcomes, the county life expectancy is almost five years less than the state average, 42% of the population is considered obese and 26% of the county population reports having access to exercise opportunities, Dillard said.

“The key word there is opportunity,” he added. “Yes, we have a fair share of problems, but we also have an opportunity to solve them if we work together.”

“By partnering with Aetna, the National Fitness Campaign … the county is now able to offer free, accessible and high-quality fitness equipment for people of all ages and abilities,” Dillard said. “The fitness court is designed to bring the benefits of exercise to everyone, regardless of fitness level, and its right here in our community.”

Along with the fitness court, users can download the free Fitness Court App which provides a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym with a digitally supported wellness experience.

The Martinsville-Henry County YMCA also plans to hold classes on the fitness court in the future.

“This is sure to be the first of many initiatives that will encourage healthy habits in our community,” Dillard said. “I encourage everyone to take full advantage of this incredible resource as we work together to improve the health and quality of life for everyone in our community.”