Good evening all
This is my first post having suffered an SVT / AF 3 week ago. No episodes since then and I am now on 2.5 mg of Bisoprolol. I would be grateful if anybody has similar and continues with their gym weight training sessions. I am just a bit nervous about starting my training again.
If you really must then please listen to your body and don't push too hard. I know you gymn people love to work out but pushing too far may not be good for you. Also be aware that the bisoprolol will likely hold you back so don't be surprised if you can't manage your usual levels. With AF gentle exercise is good but over exercise not. Best advice I heard is that you should be able to carry on a normal conversation whilst exercising .
I have Proximal AFib with occasional SVT diagnosed June of 2017. I have continued to exercise swimming 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week cardio and weight lifting on the other days it seems to help. I do pace myself nothing full out start slow and work my way up. As mentioned listen to your body and just pace yourself I found this to work well for me.
Thanks very much for this. That is encouraging and makes me feel a bit more positive.
Hi Gymboy, I have had AF for about 10 years now and I usually weight train 4 times per week, as others have stated I do not push myself too hard, i.e I have found that If I lift too heavy so much so that I have to hold my breath to lift then this would bring on ectopic beats and would no doubt bring on AF if continued, therefore I lift slightly lower weights than I would choose and increase reps and sets, also listen to your body i.e when I am going through a bad spell with AF or ectopic then I do not lift, I resume a week or so after my irritable heart feels normal again, this works for me, I think that it is important to not let AF steal too much from you, I understand that if it makes it worse then it’s a no brainier you stop but if you can tolerate it by being sensible then this keeps you happy which in turn will relax you and keep your heart happy.
Cheers
Gymboy - Karl's advice is what I do as well - lighter weights, more reps and no breath holding! I also walk/slow run to get in some aerobic exercise. Wish I could still run fast, but the meds slow me down and frankly my bones can't take it either, so walking it is. I always feel better doing both these things. Talk to your dr and listen to your body.
Thankyou so much for your post, that's much appreciated
Also should state that I wear an Apple Watch to monitor heart rate, I make sure that I keep it in the Goldilocks zone (slightly increased but not too fast) and I also time my rests in between sets to ensure that I bring heart rate back to resting rate and not over exert myself - usually 2 minutes works for me
Hey Karl, thanks so much for that detailed response. Makes absolute sense about sensible weight levels and increase in volume and sets. Never thought about a heart rate monitor before but I am going to look at getting one now. Thanks again.
Hi, I had an episode of afib which landed me in hospital off and on for over five weeks. I started weight training within a few days of my cardioversion mainly because I was shocked by how much muscle tone I had lost. My legs were so weak I could hardly walk to the car when I left hospital so I did about 5 x sit-to-stands the same afternoon. Aerobically I walked for a month, then did light rowing/cycling for a month and then started running again ( walk/shuffle to be precise). The bisoprolol has killed my run speed but I dont notice it affects weights, but I only do 2 sets of 12-15 reps nothing really heavy, this was all I was doing before anyway. I only notice the bisoprolol when I get up from the floor. As Karl says avoid valsalva maneouvre (breath holding) and see how you feel, the betas will make you a bit breathless.
It's all really scary when you first start so if a HRM works for you use it too. Mine cannot cope with my etopic heart beat. Again as Karl says its important to do the things you love and also as you know, weight train g builds muscle, improves functionality, increases metabolism and improves quality of life. EVERYONE SHOULD DO IT!
My electrocardiologist was totally chilled about me exercising, I think there is a huge difference between us type of fitness buffs and training until you puke types. I've always been too lazy to do the latter!
Hope this helps. As well as a keen runner/cyclist/triathlete I am a level 4 trained Exercise on Prescription specialist including cardiac rehab so i do have a bit of knowledge. That said, your cardiologists advice always take precedence though in my experience they love the fact you exer ise as it keeps the heart stronger to cope with the afib.
I found it very reassuring to listen to Meditalk podcast about afib which you can download via an app like Podkicker, really reassuring and interesting.
Best of luck
Many thanks for your post. I certainly will pace myself and check out the podcast you mention.
I have been a gym rat my whole life. I did a lot of cardio and weights to stay in enough shape to go up to the mountians and ski moguls at 7-10k ft. elevation fo a day.
I would talk to your doctor about having a rythem control drug as a pill in the pocket (PIP) incase you have another episode. Bisoprolol keeps rate down but wasn't much help for stopping AF events for me. I had a TIA and lost my ability to read for a few hours. I had a couple more events spanning 18 months before I was diagnosed with AF. 23 different tests found no other conditions to attribute the TIA too. Every AF episode makes it easier for the next one so minimizing them is key. AF is considered progressive. My PAF were separated by 1yr, then 6mos, the 3 mos then 1 mos.
Check out AF triggers and avoid them. Alcohol, stimulants, many herb and drug side effects. . If drug or supplimant side effects include rapid HR I avoid it.
Anything that adds stress to your heart including lack of sleep and stress.
Prolonged elevated HR is considered a trigger. A trigger for one isn't necessarillay a trigger for all. But if you stack enough triggers you are risking an event. It is better to limit strenous workouts but check around. I no longer do +2hr mountain biking trips with lots of hills. I do more hill walking but usually not more tha 1-1/2 hrs and that is with my wife and our dog.
After going on a rythem control drug, (Flecainide) dropping my BMI from 25 to 21, and cutting alcohol consumption from 2-3 a day to 1-2 a week my cardiologist told me I may never have another AF event. That was + 3 years ago. He was adament that 1-2 drinks a week was good but none was better. I am down to the equavelent of 1 a week but spread over the week with just enough wine to savour the taste. I will be 65 soon. I am heading up skiing for the day tomorrow.
Thanks to this group I got enough information to actively participate in my treatment. I requested Flecainide as a PIP and when I had another event I went on to taking it full time. My cardiologist also said that treatment was improving all the time so the longer you can postpone the need for treatment like alblation the better,
I would also take an online stroke risk test. CHADS2...
That is the dangerous part of this condition.
Best of luck.
Very interesting comments, as a 64 year old who has been running since he was 19 the combination of getting AF in September 2018 and my knees getting worn out has been a bit of a pain. The eight months after ablation with no medication fooled me into thinking all sorted by three episodes in eight weeks the summer of 2019 has me now on 100 mg Flecainide twice a day until February when my cardiologist is going to review it. The arthroscopy in August didn’t transform my knee as I had hoped but a visit to a sports podiatrist and custom insoles have made a massive difference. Also use of the WaterRower has kept my aerobic capacity up, again all stuff my cardiologist says is good. Going to start the 5:2 diet again this week. Lost a stone three years ago and would like to see if it has any effect on the AF.
Thanks for the advice, especially on the triggers and avoiding stress situations. I am not interested in high intensity cardio that will max your HR, but rather high rep weight training with more volume rather than heavy weight. I do like my beer but whilst I have never been a heavy drinker, I will proceed with extra caution.
I know the feeling of being nervous to restart but if you take things gradually, you'll know what works and what doesn't.
From my own experience, weights going above the head (shoulder press) and traditional press-ups are not a great idea for me - you can feel the muscles in the neck starting to tighten, which is my warning. However, one of the trainers at the gym did a load of research and got me doing slanted shoulder presses - I set a bench at 30 degrees angle top and bottom, so end up lying diagonally on it, and then push the weights straight up in the air. That way, they don't go overhead, but the shoulders still get a workout. Same goes with press-ups - instead of being on the floor, I hold onto a bar in the weights cage so end up moving diagonally again. The higher the bar, the easier it is and again, it's not putting all the weight directly through the upper chest. Abs stuff is ok, apart from traditional crunches, which I avoid at all costs! (Maybe not entirely due to AF...!) Reverse crunches seem ok, though.
It takes time to work out what is possible, but you'll probably be surprised at just how much you can do. I found a trainer who was willing to learn more about AF and who I trusted to work with me, which stopped me keeping myself back. That was 4 years ago now and I haven't looked back.
Caroline
Thanks for the advice Caroline and the change in angles is a very useful and practical point to note. My gym has a lot of machines and so I should be able to put together what works for me. Great to hear that you have a trainer that works with your condition.
My programme is written for me by the Cardiac rehab trainer in the gym. I am confident he has my best interests. My Cardiologist has recommended CV exercise. Medication can slow me down and effect my motivation. Hey ho. If I can't go to the gym I use the stairs.
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