Exercising For Heart Patient Conditioning #112

I would like to make some changes to my workout routine.  This comes not long after I have told you how settled into my current routine I am.   I may want to do more cardiovascular exercises.  Specifically I am thinking about adding 15-20 minutes a day on a cycling machine.  At the same time I may not do all of the strength exercises I do.  Maybe reduce the number of chin ups, pull ups, and push ups.  One reason is I am beginning to show some upper body strength as the result and that is not what I need or want to do.  I really would like to be more muscle tone as a runner and not strength oriented.  Now I think this is a good example of  directing my efforts on what is good for my heart health circumstances.  Which is of course what you, as a heart patient should also be doing.  We are sharing what has worked for us individually.  I really think my efforts, presently, should be more about maintaining a healthy weight.  Not weight loss.  Continuing to build cardiovascular strength.  Not muscles.  Increasing my stamina and endurance, much like a distance runner.  As we have discussed before, as a heart patient and accepting the effects of age, I am not pushing myself to be a runner.  Running is what I would like my next step in exercise becoming, but I am afraid it is too late for me to begin running.  Now before you tell me otherwise, I know some of you probably do run and you are probably long past being a spring chicken. I would think you have been running for quite some time and your body, muscles, bones, and joints are in shape and conditioned for running.  But to start running at this point I am not so sure about in my circumstances.  I am certain I could run a respectful pace and distance for my age and not hurt my heart.  I truly believe my heart would be up to a moderate level of running. I am quite sure my bones and joints however would not be up to the task.   You know my daughter Michelle and her husband are still competing in triathlons and those events do have an age class and competitors who are well past 65 and  into the 70's years of age.  But most of these folks are seasoned athletes and are not newcomers.  I am sure there are some who have started late in life, but more than likely they have lived a pretty healthy lifestyle for most of it.   Now, with all of that being said, it is never too late, as far as age is concerned, and especially for us heart patients, to completely change to a heart healthy lifestyle.

Michelle and her husband remain highly competitive within their respective triathlon classes.  They will normally finish within the top 6 and it is not unusual for them to place in the top 3.  Whoever finishes the highest has "bragging rights" and it motivates them to train that much harder for the next event. 

I just finished reading the book 'Unbroken' by Laura Hillenbrand.   It is an amazing story about the life of an Olympian runner of the 1930's,  Louie Zamperini.   He is 95 years old and continues to live an active and athletic life.  If you are still suffering from the effects of heart surgery, the loss of your normalcy and maybe feeling sort of sorry for yourself, read this book.  Surely it will  inspire you to reclaim your health and better your heart health lifestyle.