I'm curious as well. I have ascending graft with ON-X AVR. My surgeon discouraged even (modified) pushups. I thought it might have been fatigue life of the graft. No- He explained that graft is relatively stiff while the remaining aorta is compliant, and the connection between the two are these sutures - that is where stress concentrations occur. ~60 bpm over 3 decades is a billion cycles!
Lifting weights
- Thread starter Meathead TV
- Start date
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Cactus52
Well-known member
I waited 4 months after my surgery and now I lift 4 times a week but only enough weight to do 15 reps per set. I make sure I'm breathing correctly and I am having no issues, getting stronger and I am getting stronger and adding weight.
Thomas
Well-known member
My cardio said 6 months before I could go back to light lifting. Last time I saw him in March (2 years and 2 months post surgery) he said no lifting restrictions but I don't think he's an expert on weight lifting other than maybe a golf bag...
I find now my body tells me when it's time to ease up or stop much more than pre-surgery. Maybe I'm just more aware.
I've been a drummer on cruise ships for many years (its how I used to make a living). After my surgery - on return to work, I initially tried to lift 3 days a week while playing 2 shows a day. I was continually fatigued and had to cut back the lifting intensity to compensate. Once I found the proper balance everything was better.
I find now my body tells me when it's time to ease up or stop much more than pre-surgery. Maybe I'm just more aware.
I've been a drummer on cruise ships for many years (its how I used to make a living). After my surgery - on return to work, I initially tried to lift 3 days a week while playing 2 shows a day. I was continually fatigued and had to cut back the lifting intensity to compensate. Once I found the proper balance everything was better.
Had my annual TTE check up last week. It’s been a rocky road the past years because of gradients over the valve and some para valvular leaks. We now know the leaks are stable and so is the gradient (30mm Hg) and is now linked to my 25mm StJude in my 200 lbs, 6’6” body; the valve is a little small apparently. Despite this, last year my cardiologist said ‘you can do everything’. So earlier this year I was running some 10 and 15 mile trail runs but then I got injured on my left calf. Because of that, Over the summer started doing bootcamps in the park and with one of the instructors started doing compound exercises as well. Really enjoying that. I also noticed that the strength from training has kept me from getting injured again although I have cut back a little on mileage.
Now, going over last weeks TTE results and the message ‘you can continue to do everything’ I mentioned my new regime. He made it quite clear that squatting 330 is not in the ‘everything’ category.
Have been going over the comments here while digesting my results and advise from the cardiologist. I guess it seems wise to stop what I was doing but now that I have experienced these compound exercises I can really relate to some of you mentioning the addiction, a set of clean and presses just feels amazingly good. Now that things have landed will write letter to cardiologist asking for advise, surely there must be something in between, I hope at least. A push-up in my case is still doing 120, would that be ok?
Now, going over last weeks TTE results and the message ‘you can continue to do everything’ I mentioned my new regime. He made it quite clear that squatting 330 is not in the ‘everything’ category.
Have been going over the comments here while digesting my results and advise from the cardiologist. I guess it seems wise to stop what I was doing but now that I have experienced these compound exercises I can really relate to some of you mentioning the addiction, a set of clean and presses just feels amazingly good. Now that things have landed will write letter to cardiologist asking for advise, surely there must be something in between, I hope at least. A push-up in my case is still doing 120, would that be ok?
pellicle
Professional Dingbat
remember, we exersize ultimately for health. If you're failing to observe that you are aging and also that you've had a break from the levels of fitness then you may just simply be hurting yourself. That's not a health oriented goal.
"I do have a lot of pressure, the audience never think I am getting old, they think 'Jackie, yes, he can do anything'. I'm not Superman, I'm getting old, I'm 60."
Jackie Chan
Absolutely, health comes first, and maybe because I took it for granted before it may not have always been like that. Therefore, I am now enjoying reclaiming some of that time I perhaps lost earlier in my roaring twenties when it comes to doing sports. I think at almost fourty, unlike J.C., the body is only just around the tipping point and because I am not an athlete, marine or stunt artist, I think I should still be able to focus on a bit of gain rather than maintain. Of course that’s all if the heart will let me. My main focus is on keeping it as strong as possible and that is definitely listening to advice from my cardiologist. I told my GP, I can get worried about the heart at any time but never during exercising that’s how much I enjoy it and therefore would like to know more about all it has to offer for me.
I have learned that cardiologists do not necessarily know a lot about all the different forms of exercise and therefore may give very good but generic and maybe conservative suggestions. Therefore I am quite curious if there are sports physicians that speak both languages allowing progression in a safe manner in a way Cardiac Rehab part II.
pellicle
Professional Dingbat
I'm sure it wasn't, life is change. We spend our formative years learning out limits and extending them. From about 40 it's learning how to adjust to changes we don't like. The most we can do is to learn how to do that and remain happy.
Meathead TV
Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2020
- Messages
- 8
One of the most frustrating things in trying to find out what is safe for me to do is that the answers I've gotten have varied so much. I've visited 3 "leading" cardiologists (2 of them sportscardiologists) in addition to the annual check-ups with different cardiologists.
The answers I've gotten regarding weightlifting:
- You can lift heavy, as long as you don't go below 6 reps
- Anything above 10 reps is okay
- You should keep your heart rate steady, do circuit training
- If you are going to do powerlifting, keep monitoring your condition actively, it might affect your condition.
in addition I've gotten the ridiculous "nothing above 20 kilograms" and "have you tried golf?" answers.
Drives me crazy.
