Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : September 11, 2024 2:18 PM IST
Excessive Weight Lifting At The Gym Can Cause Heart Attack: Fact or Myth?
Your heart health depends majorly on your lifestyle habits, including eating right, managing stress, and most importantly, working out daily. However, in recent times, several incidences of heart attack and cardiac arrest right after a workout, or among those who are actively taking care of their fitness, have raised questions about the gym being one of the culprits for heart health. But is this even true?
NO! Gymming doesn't lead to heart attacks, however, excessive gymming and overexertion can certainly strain your heart muscles, leading to fatal outcomes. In this article, we shall look into how exercising can contribute to better heart health, and on the same lines, how overdoing it can lead to your death due to heart attack and cardiac arrest.
Exercising regularly is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. The practice offers tons of benefits for the heart, lungs, and overall well-being. However, a growing body of research suggests that excessive exercise can have unwanted and serious health consequences, including an increased risk of heart attack and cardiac arrest. But before we get into the facts, let's understand how these two are related.
Following a moderate exercise routine is crucial for maintaining good heart health. As per studies, indulging in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, is enough for an individual to keep the heart healthy. Some of the benefits of working out daily include:
Till here, things are fine and safe. However, the worst begins when you overdo your workout routine, and ignore your body's needs. What is meant by the body's need? Well, each individual comes with a separate set of needs as per their bodies. One with an underlying condition will need a different exercise routine set, compared to another individual with no health problems. Similarly, your workout routine must change with your age.
The reasons why heart attacks are happening among fit people lie in the format of the workout routine that they are following. While moderate exercise is beneficial, excessive exercise can have detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system. Research has shown that prolonged periods of intense exercise can lead to:
Therefore, the mantra is - workout daily, but do not ignore your body's signal when it wants you to pause. Understand how much exercise your body needs to stay fit, and most importantly avoid excessive exercising. Scroll down for more tips on managing your heart health after a workout.
While the risks associated with excessive exercise are real, they can be mitigated by taking a few simple precautions:
Always pay attention to every sign or indicator that your body is giving. Some of these may include: chest pain, and discomfort, jaw pain, excessive sweating, etc.
You must drink water (under control) even during your gym sessions to avoid dehydration and its dangers.
Keep track of your heart rate during exercise and adjust your intensity accordingly. Aim for a moderate intensity, where you can still hold a conversation.
Tip #1: Proper training and supervision are essential for safe exercise. Make sure to consult a fitness coach before following a workout routine. Do not get influenced by social media celebs and start following a workout routine blindly.
So what did we understand - Can exercising cause a heart attack? Well, the crux is while exercising is good for your heart health, excessive exercise can put your heart at risk of suffering severe consequences, including an increased risk of heart attack and cardiac arrest. To ensure that you are following just the right workout routine and that your heart is safe, remember to listen to your body. Start your workout session with proper warm-up workouts, and end the same with some cool-down exercises.
Understand that With the right approach, exercise can be a powerful tool for maintaining cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
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