Triple bypass op Jan 2020, minimal meds and cardiac rehab since end of 2020 unsupervised since Dec 2020 to date 23/07/2022. Gym visits progressed from 1hr x 3 per week to now 2hrs x 6-7 per week, consists now of mon-wed-fri 1hr 10k erg row, 31 min 3k crosstrainer, 3 x leg resistance m/c's + Pilates. Tues-Thur weights, upper lower resistance m/c's, Pilates. Sat as Tues & Thur just diff eqpmnt. Sun 1 - 1.5hrs Pilates.
My question is very simple, during all rehab have never done any exercise that req arms being lifted above head / shoulders due to a cardiac trained instructor advising not to due to the pressure on heart pumping blood up to the extremities and the rush of blood coming back. Not been able to get in touch with rehab physio from hospital and not sure about doctors opinion as one previous dr a bit sketchy with his advise of should be pulling trees up after 12 weeks.
Would just like your opinion.
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Tugger1
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Hello Tugger1, what a fabulous role model you are to all of us. I naturally can only talk of my experience. When we do cardio rehab we lift our arms above our head and back down again in a sweeping movement breathing in as we lift our arms over our head and out as we bring them down. We do this as part of the warm up process and cool down. Not sure if that helps but it is so good to hear you are doing so brilliantly.
Thanks for the reply and kind words, yes I have no problem with doing the same as part of my Pilates / stretching moves but doing some hardcore lol weights and or resistance m/c work I am assuming may be different. I could have been given a bum steer but you have to trust what someone who should know is telling you, I am obvs getting mixed messages now from a new but not cardiac trained instructor. Any way sounds like you are at the start of your journey as I was 2 yrs ago, I wish you all the best and just be committed to a healthy new you. It takes control and effort but everyday you awake is a bonus.
Two years is a long time. Unless there is an underlying problem I can only go by my own experience. After 12 weeks was told ok to carry on with light lifting and increase my exercise. After 16 weeks was back playing golf. Not unless your a champion weight lifter not sure what the problem would be. But as always consult with your cardio team or GP
Oh no its not taken me 2yrs to recover, about 12mnths in reality and largely due to covid. I just changed my lifestyle as advised and hit the gym a lot these days because i can and enjoy it - its all good for my damaged heart. I was also diagnosed at the same time with T2 diabetes and sleep apnoea.
You should of course rely on advice from your GP, all I can say is that I'm nearly four years post CABG and I weight train and cardio train. I bench press and do sets of chin ups, both resistance exercises that involve the arms above the head.
I've never had any ill effects, nor any dizziness in the gym, even though like many Bisoprolol users I'll have the odd "woozy" moment if I stand up too quickly after being seated for a long period.
Congratulations on adopting such a rigorous exercise regime, it's great to see people bouncing back after open heart surgery and taking responsibility for their own well being. Good luck!
Thanks for that info just what i want to hear. I am not even on any of them olols haha, aspirin - enalapril & covedilol. I hit the erg rower pretty hard at 3 x 10k's a week and have done half marathons on it at 21k just since Jan 22. Just felt i could do more upper body to help my rowing.
Usually there will be a personal trainer or similar at your gym who has been trained in this kind of thing so worth seeking him/her out and asking them the question.
Okay but that is very unusual, I have joined several gyms and have had to receive an induction part of which the personal trainer took into account my medical history and advised me accordingly. I had presumed that under a duty of care all gyms had to do this.
I did my first three months cardio rehab under supervision at the main town gym, and then when due for second 3 months and not under supervision moved to my local small unmanned gym. They had back in May last year a cardiac trained instructor but he was only there at random times during the day / week, I just touched base with him every few weeks before changing my routine.
Hi Tugger1, tge usual caveat about advice, I'm not qualified to give advice, but I workout in the gym the samee as everyone else there. This includes wheits and resistance traing, running and using all the equipment as normal, including above the head weights. I'm 65, had my bypass in September 2019. I was told not to lift above the head for the first 12 weeks or so while the bones knitted back together. I now think my body is back to normal.
Thanks for that info, the only thing the hospital rehab team told me they didnt want me doing in a roundabout way was 'no running'. The way they they did that was to say get as much out of walking with inclines and if must run HR max of 116bpm. I can do 116bpm just looking at the treadmill lol. For time efficiency i get the most benefit out if my erg rowing and ellytical cross trainer. Set my own HR to 80% and 131'ish.
220 less your agae is a good guide for maximum heart rate (so they say). Mine does go in to the max sometimes so I stop running and walk or slow down. It soon goes back to within limits and I feel fine.
Yes the 220 is the generic figure used, there is a school of thought saying this can underestimate HR by up to 40bpm in seniors. So I use the new 208 figure, if your interested Google 'new heart rate calc' and take a read. My HR too sometimes peaks at maybe 140 if I am going hard on the rower but soon returns to normal'ish - I do wear a chest HR strap on the rower if i think i am going to go for a hard row.
Wow, you are a superb example to follow. I have enrolled under a cardiac trained PT and will be sure to ask as many questions. Part of me follows my instincts and know when my body is saying 'stop'.
Good luck on your journey - i hope you enjoy, i did and still do. Not been as fit since my teens & early 40's. Do not be afraid of pushing when ready, the heart is just a muscle and needs exercising too. Just going through the motion is not going to benefit you. BUT TAKE CARE.
I’ve been doing Lat pull downs as part of my gym routine for years without any problems at all, 3x CABG in November 2000 at 34 years of age and I’m now 56. Go with what your body tells you and an not a so called cardiac trained instructor as you know more about you than he or she does ! Keep it up !
I wasn’t told not to run, I’ve always gone by the “listen to your body” advice and it’s not let me down yet. I train when I want to and go harder when I feel like it. If I’d have listened to all the people with negative opinions I’d have missed out on so many things, it’s about living not existing so do what makes you feel good !
Wow, that's some seriously major gym work! Unfortunately gym work has never floated my boat and I prefer to get my exercise more naturally. My interest is hill / mountain walking. While this obviously involves the legs, I often end up doing some scrambling on the higher ones with my arms above my head. I have never had any issues of any kind.
As regards HR, I find my beta blocker does tend to have a limiting effect and I rarely get anywhere near 140. My leg muscles tend to start complaining before I get up there, despite them being the main muscle group that I use. However, I never get a build up of lactic acid which was an issue before I had my heart attack.
I've never been told not to run. Was there ever a reason given to you? It sounds rather unusual to me. If it is specific to you, you should have had a very clear explanation of the reasoning, which does not appear to be the case.
I was lifting my arms above head in the first few weeks as part of rehab. After 12 weeks the consultant said I I could do anything just build it up slowly
I was lucky, after my double bypass three years ago, and recovered quickly. I was unlucky, in that I was one of the 1-2% who get an infection, and some free bonus extra weeks in hospital. That threw all the timings out so, when I got to the physio team, I was longer post-op but less time out of hospital than they wanted, because I was pushing to get going.
So they didn't let me do the full test to establish heart rate, and were cautious, working off a lower rate, whilst the consultant said the same as @CyclingTime's, that I could do anything, and he wasn't bothered about heart rate.
Now I'm back cycle racing (badly, but I was never any good) and doing longer rides (100 miles yesterday). Not back in the gym post-Covid, so not really thought about the lifting thing, but I lift anything I think I reasonably can in normal situations.
Had my cabg x 5 in 2018 I cycle,circuit train,and go on the punch bag. 3 times a week.I have always lifted weights above my head.My cardiologist told me do what feels good,you will know when to stop.So I say go for it mate.
Hi, great to hear what you have been doing since the op. I had a triple bypass in Jan 2019.. my opinion, no one knows your body like you do and mentally how you feel for what you want to do.. I do weights, but make sure I have built up my heart rate before I start. I don't want to contradict medical opinion, but there is always the right balance and doing it in moderation.. I do more free weights that bench press.. Best of luck!
Well done you. I’d recommend you talk to Angela who is a PT and Heart Health Expert. If anyone will know it’s her. You can find her on Instagram at instagram.com/healthyhearti... or as attached contact details.
Never heard of such advice. CABG May 21, and told 12 weeks to heal fully. So 12 weeks later I went back to my badminton. Took it easy at first, but as I gained confidence I'm doing all the movements I was doing before including high overhead smashes. 2 hour sessions. I would proceed with caution and listen to your body. I could understand the advice in the early stages but not now. Maybe ask your cardiologist or GP.
I'm not really a gym bunny - but I did go to cardiac rehab after my CABG×4 on 21/12/06 (shortest day). 6 months to the day 21/06/07 I climbed Snowdon with 2 of my sons. You can read about it here: myluckyheart.blogspot.com/2...
Rather than aiming for specific heart rates, I think it is more important to keep track of your perceived exertion (Borg). I learnt about it in rehab. In simple terms, if things are getting too knackering and your heart is pumping away hard, then you probably need to take it easy. Slow but steady usually gets you there. After a heart event, you're rarely likely to excel as an Olympic athlete ... but you can still be reasonably fit. I think rehab helps give you the confidence ... but there probably comes a time when you feel the need to push things. My main advice is to listen to the body and not overdo things.
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