I had triple bypass at 29, my daughter was 6 weeks old. The fear is REAL. For years I was afraid of lifting anything. When I was about to turn 40 I decided to make a change, got in shape, lost 30 pounds. Put most of it back in muscle now. Been under a bar for about a year now and love it. The hardest step is the first one to the gym-
@@endofd-d7c at this point, I push as hard as I want. For a while, I was on a maintenance routine, but I've recently gone back to adding weight on a regular basis. Feels great.
I'm 53 from the UK, done weights , exercise most of my adult life up to last week on a regular basis. I'm not big or ripped, but I just had the belief that one day it will be beneficial. This Tuesday, I had what the cardiologist called a widow maker heart attack. I'm back home now , taking it easy at the moment because I've a lot to think about, But this is the important thing, the cardiologist said to me ' you're exercise no matter how irrelevant you thought of it more then likely saved your life" He called exercise as a way of putting money in the heart bank, which one day when you have something like this happen, withdraw from the heart bank and use to save your life.
I had a heart attack at 41 actually at the gym. I was doing one machine and felt a tear go right across my chest, seriously painful that i thought I ripped my pectoral muscle off. I stood up, felt awful, sweating, breathlessness, jaw aching, and finally my arm was killing me. One of the symptoms that alot of people dont talk about is the sense of impending doom, i knew just KNEW something was up I just left the gym immediately and just sat in my car. All the symptoms were there and I was just in denial about it but i knew in my heart of hearts excusing the pun that i knew it was a heart attack. I had to get home, luckily my mother in law saw me and she knew that i was in pain but i was in denial. A phone call later and an ambulance came, their portable ECG didnt show anything was up and they told me the only way to be certain was to go to hospital which i nearly didnt but something told me that this was different and I should just go. Fast forward in hospital and they confirmed it was indeed a heart attack. I was devastated, heart attacks were something that only old people got... NOPE... it can affect ANYONE... To cut the story shorter, I had an angiogram, confirmed 3 blockages, 1 serious, 2 very minor. 1 stent later and i was out of hospital in just under 48 hours... exercise was top of my priorities to restart but with other complications that come with the heart attack it wasnt as easy as I hoped but I got there in the end. Im now regularly excersing back at the gym, not to the standard i was because now my concentration is focused more on cardio rather than bodybuilding, that will come with time but at the moment, its purely cardio, couch to 5k and stationary biking, and lighter weights, much lighter but still something. Diet is incredibly important too, and take your damn pills too! My cholesterol was 7.0 at heart attack, low fat diet and statins has reduced that down to 2.3 a much more acceptable level! Eat right, and exercise is key.
Statins are useless bro , it will kill you ,my cholesterol was 1.2 when I had my heart attack, I am 53 , it’s just your life before that’s fault , get out of statins
Why strength matters to me: 1. It makes me more useful to those who depend on me. 2. It makes me confident in my own abilities. 3. There will be a day when I need every ounce of my strength to save someone I love.
You are like a big brother who encouraged me,I got heart this year in may,I got 2 stents and my heart EF was 30-35.. doctor told me not lift weight,do simple exercises but after researching I found that doctors's advice was not logical..I gradually increased my exercise,now I can do push ups too and soon I will start lifting weights also,,I lost almost 40kg.. thanks brother for your story..my life is changed for good after heart attack...❤️
December of 2019 I was blindsided by a widowmaker heart attack. Thankfully conditions were right to get me to the ER where I could be helped but the road to recovery is very long. I had one stent placed with plans for others and once my cardiologist cleared me to exercise I started going to the gym to walk on the treadmill. Between the night I had my heart attack and ~30 days later I lost 40 pounds (269-229) which I assume was almost all muscle. No appetite, no energy - it took everything out of me for a time. Prior to this I was big but I wasn't sedentary. Too many beers and too much pizza. My last cigarette was the night of my heart attack; no cravings or patches or anything after that. I started to use the treadmill and I gained some weight back along with my appetite but I believe that weight gain was healthy. Then the pandemic shut everything down and I was essentially trapped in my house. At first I tried to stick with some kind of exercise but I eventually just stopped. The pounds piled on. Before I knew it I was bigger than before my heart attack. I was constantly short of breath. Everything took far too much effort and I was setting myself up for more health concerns. I'd like anyone else that can relate to this story to pay attention to this next part. I've struggled with this for a long time and here's what I've learned: I was atrophied beyond belief. First, almost all the initial 40 pounds I lost had to be muscle because as I understand it you'll generally lose muscle far quicker than fat due to inactivity. Second, I gained a ton of weight back during the lockdown so I'm probably net negative 80 pounds of fat:muscle at this point. Talk about being behind the curve! I had to do something. So I bought a bike. I could go outside and get in exercise and social distance. I didn't need a facility to be open to accommodate me. I could go whenever I got the urge and for as long as I could keep my legs under me. I was hoping to see massive weight loss and was weighing myself everyday but hardly anything was changing on the scale. Around this time I started monitoring my calories and roughly sticking to 1,700 calories/day. More if I rode because I didn't want to harm what little muscle I'd managed to rebuild. I have to be honest, it was disheartening not seeing pounds melt off. I kept at it but stopped stepping on the scale everyday because it was only serving to demotivate me. I knew I was putting in the work and doing many things right. My first rides were short; 5-9 miles on average. I started to understand that body recomposition is a thing and how I thought it effected me. But even stepping on the scale once a week I was seeing the same thing - hardly any shift in weight but everything else was pointing to improvements. So I just stopped......getting on the scale :D But I kept riding and I kept watching my calories and I kept hydrating and I kept pushing myself. I've been doing this for a while now and my core is far stronger than it has been in almost 2 years. Replacing fat with muscle is a very slow, methodical process. It might be quicker with weights, but I'm honestly trying to lean out as I've always been bulky. I'm over 800 miles on the bike since I started. My current longest ride is 40 miles and my average is a 15 mile circuit. I can do more but the 15 miles is a perfect 1 hour ride for me and I can squeeze it into almost any day. My pace is up over 6mph from when I started (9mph vs 15mph). I wear a heart rate monitor from Wahoo and keep a close eye on the ol' ticker because you never know, but even my HR is lower during intense efforts. I've been monitoring calories for 250 days straight. Clothes I couldn't wear last July now fit me again. Don't get me wrong; there's still a lot of work ahead and many more pounds to lose. But I'm in the Arizona desert and I'm confident I can ride through the upcoming summer heat which is something I'd have never tried last summer. Yeah this turned into a book but I could've used information like this last year. Everything about it has been challenging and I'm hoping this resonates with someone that needs the support and maybe a tiny bit of motivation to get out there and do it (pending your cardiologist's approval, of course). It's going to take time but it has to be worth it. Everyday is a gift.
@@billdublewhopper3064 Hi Bill thanks for asking! I can't believe it's been so long since I posted that. I'm doing very well thank you. Over this past summer I swapped some gym time in exchange for some of the riding I was doing. Before I did that, I was struggling to stay motivated because I was still adding time/miles/pace to my rides and still struggling to lose any weight. Now I hit the gym 3x a week with a typical workout being 30 mins cardio followed by 60-90 minutes of weight training; however, each workout includes some core/midsection work like leglifts and crunches. I still ride but right now I reserve most of my time on the bike for weekend group rides that average 30-40 miles. I have some designs to get my imperial century (100-mile ride) during the nicer weather and may even try to get some bikepacking across the state on the books. As for weight, I'm finally starting to drop pounds but not at a mind-bending rate. Each week at the gym helps me lose 1-2 pounds. I think my body just needed variety to capitalize on my efforts. I also have to mention how helpful it is to have a partner in this - my wife has been tremendously supportive throughout even to the point of being my gym buddy. But again, thanks so much for asking! It's nice to know my comment above piqued someone's interest. I'm even dabbling with the idea of turning this whole journey into a sportswear venture, but my mind isn't entirely made up about that. There are so many middlemen in the retail supply chain 🤓
@@billdublewhopper3064 Admittedly I'm not familiar w/ those names but I'll look into them. We already support a fairly plant-focused diet in our home, and we tend to avoid processed foods so that a lot of our meals are homemade and rarely fried. I'll check, though. Thank you for the tip.
Same here , so afraid to restart going to the Gym . I decided to conquer my fears and start next week . I hope I can make it . Honestly , I would love to die in the Gym than to stay on the sofa for the rest of my life and live longer . Thank you for your Inspiration and Motivation
Wow, what a great video. Thanks for sharing this important message. I had a heart attack a little over a monty ago, and this video was just what I needed to hear.
My story matches your with one exception I'm 60. 48 hours ago I had a heart attack right after a really hard workout. I am laying in my hospital bed after 3 stints. I needed encouragement as I was really mourning the lose of working out. You have been that encouragement. Thank you
Good story,I was hospitalized for a massive heart attack back in 2016 I was in critical condition on life support, was given a 5% chance to live I was obese according to my cardiologist 5'8 220 High blood pressure blocked arteries lung failure kidney failure prediabetes couldn't walk shortness of breath TOTAL TRAIN WRECK. But for all the ones out there going through heart disease there is hope. My Cardiologist schedule me to get own the heart replacement list two years ago. Now here's the good news I lost the weight from 220lb to 159lbs I change my diet I went from not being able to climb stairs to riding my bike walking and I added weight training and I had to rid the stressful things going on around me that was a big help but you can recover it takes work but know its a way of life for me and I'm off the heart failure list.
Just goes to show you that exercise can kill. Do your research thoroughly and carefully and find what works best for your body. Rely on God because He is your only hope to survive a heart attack, even if you are doing everything right. Beware of pharma drugs because they can also kill and for any stresses that you can’t get rid of, or would lead to worse - such as divorcing or remarrying, rely on God. God is everyone’s real hope.
Nick that's a great inspiring story, thanks. At 65yrs old I also began strength training and diet changes targeting sugars. I lost 30 percent body weight and got a nice muscle toned body. I felt great all around. Then Major heart attack hit, I mean major widow maker! I attribute my survival to the condition I was in helping me fight. After stent I am now quickly increasing my walking as you said doubling easily. I have been anxious about hitting the weights as it's only been 5 days, however your video gives me much hope and confidence I will be back and even better because I know I can do the work. I plan to slowly build up my stamina and within a few weeks start the weights off easy light and controlled as usual. I understand I will also need more aerobic exercise as well as the weights. I hope this inspires folks my age to not get down and keep moving. I believe exercise saved my life once and now will prolong what's remaining. I'm almost 67 now and counting.
I had my heart attack this past December. I had 1 stent placed. I started my cardiac rehab today . I needed this video today as well! It’s hard to see at first, but I know I will get better. Thanks for posting your story bc ppl like myself definitely appreciate the honesty. It helps knowing I can get back to my old self again, maybe even better!!
How are you doing today? I have had Stent put in 3 days ago. Just a month ago I had extreme weakness and all over body pain, but no pressure in the chest, after traing MMA and Jiu-jitsu, so I went home tried to sleep it off, then next day i drove my self to er cause it wasn't getting any better. They diagnose me with Myocarditis, and stayed at hospital for 5 days with heart beat rare in 30s, then when heart rate got up in 60 they let me go, was home for a month and had scheduled nuclear stress test, when i went for that half way through they told me I have coronery artery blockage on left ventricle. That same day they put in the stent and now I am on blood thinners. I am kind of lost that this happened to me at 37y old, always ready in top shape, fit my whole life watch what I eat, train MMA 2 times a day for past 12y. Very bitter and disappointed.
It’s been a year. Friday Jan 13th 2023. My STEMI was had at age 49. 1 stent in the LAD. I walked into the ambulance and 2 to 3 hours later the stent was placed. No emergency ambulance sirens for me! EF was 35% at incident. Now at 53%. I’m not the same by any stretch, and fearful but hitting the light weights. I’ll never attempt to lift 2, 3,4,5 or 600lbs again. Time to coast. Hope you’re still doing great! Thx for the video.
Absolutely inspiring. Everything in life is linear progression. Although, I did not any health conditions, I was out of shape. I started out waking. To this day if I am at Walmart or any other store I park as far away from the door as possible. Extra calorie burn and good for the heart. Like Matt Reynolds said "voluntary hardship" makes us better. In my walks, I would make no excuse. I walk in 100 degree weather and have even walked in 9 below temperatures. I now strength train. I am 52 and pushed the limit of my novice progression. What strength means to me. I am actually writing an article on How I know I am stronger. Will share soon.
Great video! About 5 weeks ago I had a STEMI, 100% blockage of my LAD...the recovery process is wild, especially mentally....so tired of being hyper sensitive to feelings in my body & wondering if it's another issue with my heart. Start Cardiac rehab in a few days, looking forward to it. Was very athletic prior to this, so videos like yours, letting me know I can get bk to training eventually mean the WORLD to me. Thanks!
Very inspirational. I also had a massive heart attack at 35. I worked out after some of the fear left and stayed with it for a while. I dropped off over the years but I’m back at it at age 46. Stay strong brother
Thanks mate- I am in a similar situation (have family) and age but you are considerably stronger than me- I was a footballer (uk) and runner with a bit of weights- so nowhere near that strength!.lol. I am exercising regularly again but not at the intensity i used to - I need to step it up a bit to get back to feeling properly strong, so thanks for the motivation. Good health to you and yours.
Hi, thanks again for sharing. I posted earlier ( 6 weeks ago), which was close to my heart attack. Like you and all of us, I went from someone who was active, loved strenuous activity, and excercise to being afraid of doing anything that might, as you said, put me back in hospital. I also started with small walks, then longer and now im doing 2 mile walks. I started what in the UK is known as cardio rehabilitation which is focused on getting HA patients back into excercise safely. It felt scary going back to the rowing machine, then lifting weights ( far lower kg and reps) then i did prior to the HA but i got through it and realised ' hey i wont die by doing this'. I do have the odd bad day, but who doesnt but Im sure that as time passes and i regain my strength and confidence through training I will be that bloke i was pre HA. good luck to all of us going through this journey ❤
On March's 23rd 2024 I had a mild heart attack at age of 40. The main Cause were smoking and (bad cholesterol) bad diet. My symptoms were EXACTLY the same as yours. One artery was 90% blocked, whiles the other two were 30%. I got 1 stent placed. Quit smokes since and started a good diet plan. I can't wait to start doing my weights again. Its very important to know thr exact reason and what actually have triggered your heart attack, before you decide to do the exercise again.
Great story, thank you for sharing. I recently had stent placement due to 70% blockage in the right coronary artery. I have been lifting weights and riding a mtn bike for many years, and thought I was in great condition, I was wrong. I did not have a heart attack thank God, and thankfully the blockage was found before that happened, and it would have happened. It's been one month since my stent placement and I am now back to working out and riding my bike. You are so right when you said "training is a necessity not a luxury". Stay strong my friend!
I agree with you Nick. Had 3 stents 8 years ago.... unfortunately my CVD is aggressive and in the years since I have had a further 7 angio procedures leaving me with a total of 8 stents in every artery around my heart. THREE weeks ago I had a quadruple heart bypass.... I was marching on the spot (within 24 hours of the op) whilst in ICU, what has got me through all this is my ‘ physical condition AND bloody minded mental strength’. I can’t wait to get back to training again once I am a little more stronger. The amazing thing in all this, I have a strong heart and have never had a heart attack... by the grace of God. Ameen. 🤲🏼
@@BarbellLogic I’m doing good thanks, I’ve set myself the challenge of starting the couch to 5k challenge as soon as I hit 12 weeks post op (within next fortnight). I’ve been asked to keep a video diary to share with others so watch this space.
@@billdublewhopper3064 Thank you for asking. Had to adapt due to complications arising but grateful to our NHS for support. Hope you are doing and keeping well.
Dont eat junk food. Dont eat too much red meat if any. Dont use oils except fish oil. Do eat fruits and veggies. Do work out .dont smoke or drink alcohol. Hope you are still alive and well and kicking.
I have had heart issues a month ago too.. I am 37 How are you doing today? I have had Stent put in 3 days ago. Just a month ago I had extreme weakness and all over body pain, but no pressure in the chest, after traing MMA and Jiu-jitsu, so I went home tried to sleep it off, then next day i drove my self to er cause it wasn't getting any better. They diagnose me with Myocarditis, and stayed at hospital for 5 days with heart beat rare in 30s, then when heart rate got up in 60 they let me go, was home for a month and had scheduled nuclear stress test, when i went for that half way through they told me I have coronery artery blockage on left ventricle. That same day they put in the stent and now I am on blood thinners. I am kind of lost that this happened to me at 37y old, always ready in top shape, fit my whole life watch what I eat, train MMA 2 times a day for past 12y. Very bitter and disappointed. Thank you for sharing your story. I hope i have will to go back into everything i was doing, soon.
How you feeling after the stents? I am 38 and had abnormal nuclear stress test. Getting catheter tomorrow. Im hoping stents will fix whatever is wrong. I hope you recovered well and life is back to normal for you.
@@jeffewing6660 i feel amazing after the Stents, they try to tell me it's hogh protein diet. Which I think it bullshit. I feel now like nothing ever happened. I back to 100% was after 2 weeks. Training 2x a day MMA and weight. May God bless you my friend.
@@Nenad-ICXC-Shuput-GFAMMA thats great. Very encouraging to hear. I lift daily, at least before the dr told me to stop, so im ready to get this shit done so I can get back after it.
This is a very inspiring story and thank you so much for sharing. I am a Crossfitter, 56 years old and had a heart attack four months ago. My exercise physiologist is quite concerned about me returning to Crossfit and weightlifting in particular. Holding your breath to brace your core when lifting spikes your blood pressure and could lead to another event. I am a little skeptical of the advice as the comments seem to attest to the fact that people can return to things like lifting. I am wondering who are the medical professionals who are suggesting that a return to lifting is advisable? Has anyone had repeat heart events since returning to lifting? Much appreciated.
I'm 21 I had a heart attack 2 months ago I'm still recovering all I want to do is go back to the gym and work out Thank you , you gave me hope that I can do it too 👍
@Marcellus Banasiewicz Honestly there is no specific reason but the doctors leaned towards genetics like I got from my mothers side of the family who have history of heart conditions
@Marcellus Banasiewicz I'm good brother A lot of progress made I'm waiting for the doctor to give the green signal to workout Everyone is against that bcuz thats where it happened and I get that But I don't care I love working out and I'll keep doing even if it kills me Wish me good luck ig 😂
Thank you for making this video. I am 53, was working out 6 times a week of cardio (I had stopped resistance training after bicep tendinitis last year allowing healing time) and got two stents placed last week. I was wondering what I can do next and this video provides a lot of encouragement. I had two heart attacks before which I dismissed as acidity, before the third one where I had to go to ER. The doctors told me the same thing, as I was working out regularly I was able to make that mistake. One thing I will tell you is, even if you are working out regularly listen to your body and look for signs and don't dismiss any warning signs.
I survived 2 heart attacks in 2012 at 48. I have a stent. I always have trained and continue to train daily. I do bodyweight exercise, weights, cycling, walking and shadow-boxing. The cardiologist said being fit before the heart issues helped me to survive.
@@ferozemalik7171 I have since been diagnosed with an upper thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm and an arrhythmia. So I get tested frequenly (watchful waiting) and I continue to watch my diet, don't drink, don't smoke, don't consume caffeine and I exercise daily as per the Cardiologist instructions. I just can't do any heavy weight lifting. I am feeling okay...some days I am more fatigued than other days... but pretty good considering. Thanks for asking.
@@marquisgowdy5423 No. No drugs, No smoking. I ate very healthy...people used to make fun of me because my salad was bigger than my meal in the cafeteria. I exercised from 12 years old 1-2 hours ever day. I just have very bad genetics and very bad luck. I also have stress to blame.
@@25inspector wow sir...found u again...Sir I am also scared of blockage in my arteries b/c I have been suffering from erectile dysfunction since last year. As I have read that ED may be an early warning sign of heart disease...☹️☹️.
Had a heart attack last year, have gained too much weight because of it. I love your video, same as you I had mine in the gym. One stent fitted. Your video gives me hope
I'm 61...I workout 6 days a week. I was at 6'4 200 lbs before going to India for a month this last spring where from being on a very light vegetarian diet I lost a good 20lbs. By October I was back up to 200 lbs and went to Central America. I got sick and have losing muscle very fast. My illness seems to be easing and today I am going to head out for a walk. I've always thought that not training is worse than training. Today I begin
It's not just training to be strong, it's also the will to live and fight for your life. I've been active since my teens and was heavily involved in Tae Kwon Do with the plan to eventually go and compete in the Olympics. I got injured and dropped out of that and then eventually got into lifting weights. Fast forward 20 years and I'm working at a desk job doing IT work and little time to exercise and I have a widow maker, 25 percent survival rate and usually just 10 percent . The previous will to fight from my fight training and weight lifting gave me the will to not die. I simply told myself "You will not die". I even drove myself to the hospital. Four years later I had a second widow maker and same issue, drove myself their and refused to die. Pushing through adversity such as a fighting spirit or pushing through that last set matters as much as the exercise itself. Remember that people. You're only as strong as you're willing to be.
I had two stents Putin 4 months ago after my second heart attack in 4 years went back to the gym after cardio rehabilitation and start lifting again after 4 months I am lifting heavy weights again and I feel great everything is easier at fist I was afraid not now going to keep going and oh ya I am 70 years old 😂😂💪💪
Hi David, my name is Simon I had 2 stents put in 18 months ago ,I am 46 ,I played rugby for 20 years and then stop all exercise with kids and work ,do you fell better for going gym and how did you start back
3 days ago I had to rush to the ER at the age of 42 . Doctor said I was having a heart attack and had to do a stent procedure on one if my heart arteries. Hoping within weeks I can go back to heavy lifting .
Had a heart attack last year, aged 42. 5 stents needed. 6mths later, I am still worried about lifting again. I just don’t feel like my heart could take it; I feel like my body has ‘let me down’ it will do so again. I’m impressed with your progress, and want to take that first step. But….I’m not sure I’m ready. I’m a little scared, and I’m pissed at my body for failing me once’s already.
I just got released released from the Hospital two weeks ago after a double bypass, plus an Aortic Aneurism and a Aortic valve replacement. I had complications and had to go for a follow up surgery one week later. I am 62 years old and have been training with weights since I was a teenager. The Doctors and nurses were amazed at how much strength I had after the two surgeries back to back. I have lost 30 pounds and have started my walking program. Looking forward to cardiac rehab and getting back to the gym to train again, I think being fit saved my life! I have a long way to go to rebuild but this was very encouraging, thank you for posting
March 25th 2022 I had another heart attack. Long story short I had been in the hospital 6 times over the last five months but no one discovered the main reason why…right artery was blocked 100%. After the heart attack it was thought I needed ablation surgery to correct the timing in heart because before attack I kept having V-tach episodes. However my EP asked Cardiologist to checkout armies first. Thank God they did because as stated earlier the right heart artery was causing the problem. It’s now just over 60 days post heart attack and two stints to clear up blockage. The meds I’m on make me tired and sleepy 80% of the time. Just went to new PCP who said this is to keep blood pressure low and stable while heart heals and that I will need to be this way for at least another 3 -4 months. I’m a former bodybuilder who has gotten out of shape since my first heart attack and stints in 2015. I want to train progressively increasing over time because I’m 60 and know life doesn’t have to be over. Any suggestions? I have modified my old exercise plan for more reps with light weight for now over the next 3 - 4 months and plan on going to the gym here in our new complex.
What you're doing sounds good in terms of lifting. I would recommend adding in some cardio (start light). Lastly, think about how you can improve nutrition. Could certainly talk more if you email podcast@barbell-logic.com. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this. 42 years old, fit, been lifting for a long time, jiujitsu practitioner for last 4.5 years, and had a heart attack after morning class last week. Familial cholesterol was the culprit and needed one stent. On various meds now, most lifelong, including aspirin for bloodthinning. Are you on any meds like statins, beta blockers etc, and are you back on the mats? That's my biggest worry not being able to continue rolling. Thanks brother 🤙
Thank you for sharing as well. This isn't our most popular video, but the RUclips comments are pretty dang inspiring. Not sure about his meds (and not sure he would want to share) but he is doing BJJ & lifting, for sure.
I am exactly like you. 44 and exercise a ton. I watch what I eat. I don’t have diabetes, don’t smoke, not obese at all, borderline high LDL. Discovered I have a 70% block and need a stent. I also need to be on lifelong meds. It’s tough but we need to keep going
Just went through the same thing about two months ago while I was doing the NLP. I’ve only started in the last year to do start doing the starting strength program. I’m 47 and and am working on getting my endurance up, but I can’t wait to get back under the bar in a month or so. Thanks for the story.
Never give up! I've had a hear attack myself at 36 and it was terrifying. But what is worse is the anxiety and fear that comes after the event. In 8 months went from 200 lb to 155 lb. Now I am trying to build up some muscle again but seems so hard... maybe I should try to push harder on my workouts.. also I heard that the statins makes it even harder...
I had a heart attack and a stent placed at 35. I was living a healthy lifestyle with the exception of smoking marijuana a lot; I quit the day of the heart attack. I also have an autoimmune liver disease (Diagnosed 2004 when I was 18), had a living donor transplant at 30. After the heart attack my cardiologist placed me on statin’s. My doctor told me I would have to take them the rest of my life. The very first day I took them i noticed they made it hard for me to breathe and I felt weak, always tired and in pain. Before taking them my cholesterol was normal, my blood sugars normal my kidney function was normal. I watched these levels rise through the roof for the next month, with the exception of cholesterol. I decided to do a lot of research and digging because most doctors especially on RUclips and the main webmd media sites use the same information and say the exact same things. I was looking for the truth (which is surrounded by lies). I finally found many doctors AND reporters, some of whom were actively being silenced, who saw that the big pharma studies most doctors use as as evidence to back up the efficacy of statins was skewed and the numbers were altered (see “absolute vs relative risk”) to make it seem as if statin’s were good when in fact more people get heart attacks on them than not and it lowers your overall health to the point where the rate of death is higher among long time statin drug users. By the time some people figure this out they have lost all their teeth or are in a wheelchair or have some other, totally avoidable, life altering complications! I was 100% convinced that statins, the biggest selling drug in the world, was at fault for my weakened state, my hair was also thinning and I was near pre-diabetic (hypoglycemic) not to mention my kidneys (ALT levels) were being TAXED! So I gathered all my evidence and made lists of doctors who pointed to these facts and explained the big pharma statistics. Go figure, they funded THEIR OWN research! They compared that with other, NON-BIASED (albeit smaller) peer reviewed studies, including their own and found statin drugs to be ineffective and the risks outweighed the benefits of taking them by a long-shot! I took them for 1 month only and I quit cold turkey. Im still alive, despite the fact my doctor told me I would literally die if I stopped taking them. I feel great with my decision. I noticed the very next day my breathing was better, my hair grew in thicker, my chronic pain went away, my ALT, blood sugar and other blood levels returned to normal. The statin drugs also cause muscle wasting. I felt stronger! All of this is to say that you should do your own research and decide for yourself if statin drugs are worth the side-effects and monitor your blood levels carefully because the statins can cause more harm than good. I scheduled an appointment with my cardiologist and had a nice long talk/debate with him. I ended up discovering he had a personal stake in the drug as he takes them and so does his father. He assured me he receives no “kick-backs” from the statin drug reps, which I believe he is telling the truth but I know that many other doctors get rewarded with kick-backs from prescribing it to people. Statins are literally rat poison. Do research and talk to your doctor as an informed patient, don’t blindly trust them. It’s your life, not theirs.
@@ferozemalik7171 Sorry for not replying earlier. I am doing great, working out 3-5 days a week, with 2 of those days weightlifting with moderation. Still on statins, blood pressure med and blood thinner. Sometimes still having some anxiety issues but overall doing well. Thank you for asking!
@@estrivoful I’m with you pal 48 yrs old and had a heart attack a month ago. On cholesterol, blood pressure meds and blood thinners as well. The pills are not bad but the whole mental aspect , anxiety and depression can be tuff if you let it sink in
I've recovered from stress induced cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome) and have Ptsd as a result of what happened. Passed a stress echocardiogram last week and hearing my doctor tell me to excercise has lifted me man. Just hard to start out.
I am 55 and had a heart attack 3 months ago and had one stent put in my LAD. I always had high cholesterol but was putting off taking a station drug because of potential side effects. I think this was my biggest mistake and I highly recommend taking this medication if you can't get your LDL low enough with diet. I have been taking it since without any noticable side effects and my cholesterol is almost 65 percent lower. I have always lifted weights to some degree and had just come off a solid year of regular lifting and eating a lot of everything before this happened. I made decent gains but still had kind of a dad bod thing going on. I never did cardio but when I went to cardiac rehab, I took it as a challenge and it really built my confidence and I ended it up taking the option to go longer. I was started stressing out when I started losing weight without doing any serious lifting, thinking I was going to lose all my muscle but was pleasantly surprised that after losing 10 pounds, my physique actually looked better. I had inadvertently done a bulking and cutting phase. After a month, I started lifting with lighter weight and higher reps and I am feeling and looking pretty good. I have been searching online about how close to failure I can go on compound exercises but haven't found much information. I asked my cardiologist and he said I really shouldn't be lifting over my head (bench and ohp) so I'm a little hesitant, although I've been breaking the rules with lighter weights. My blood pressure is very low now due to the medication and he said pushups are fine so I can probably get by with those and raises for shoulders. Sorry about the long post without paragraphs. I don't know how to do that. I just wanted to share my story with my fellow survivors and remind everyone to take their meds, watch the fat and cholesterol you eat and if you want to lift, you can maybe do some circuit training with a handful of lighter dumbbell exercises back to back with little rest in between. This way you can get cardio and resistance training at the same time.
I was a competitive powerlifter (hobbyist) until April 2022 when it all came crashing down with a heart attack. I haven't lifted in 6 months due to immediate career changes, restructuring of my life and unable to fit in with a family (im making excuses i shouldve made time).I just performed my first workout in 6 months and it was beyond humbling. I will perform my 2nd tomorrow. I know its a long road, but in actuality it's really short. It took 40 years for me to do damage but it will probably only take me a year to rebuild how can one complain. The human body is clearly the most amazing machine ever created and will never take it for granted again.
Just had my fourth stent installed, third time in cath lab and the routine that follows. I’ve been so keen to get back into the gym everytime. I even take my dumbbells with me when we take a road trip. I’ll be 60 soon, so those of you sitting on the couch please get up and move. No point in letting the fear rule you. There is so much helpful free information on you tube. Also, try to maintain a connection with your cardiologist. Cheers,💪🤙
Really appreciate you sharing your story! On June 29th, 2020 I was doing squats at the gym, I actually felt great that day and just finished my second set and got ready for my 3rd set when my wife had finished her set and needed some advice. I was rested and hadn't even broke a sweat when i felt a major pain in my neck, started to sweat heavy and next thing I know I'm on my back at the ER and they tell me I'm having a major heart attack. (100% blockage) I'm 50 yrs old and normally in really good shape, so it was a shocker for me. I'm working out again but I was nervous about if I should and how much should I push my body. I hope you are doing great, you live a long and happy life. God bless brother
Thank you so much for sharing your story and it's a relief to hear that you've overcome such a scare. Definitely refer to your doctor for advice on how to proceed with training during your recovery! Please keep us updated!
Thank you for this video. I believe you are absolutely correct. I just had a heart attack this past Monday. I was working hard removing cypress knees from my yard. Horrible pain in the chest and down the left arm. Had two stents put in and released from the hospital Wednesday morning around 8am. I absolutely believe my life long desire to train, to be strong, saved my life. I also believe that’s what helped me get released from the hospital less than two days after the heart attack. I shared your video to spread your knowledge.
I’d like to pretend to be a beast and say I wasn’t scared. I think fear after something like that is healthy. I wanted to stay strong. Just knew that I had to come back slow. Couldn’t go crazy out of the box. My workouts have gotten stronger. I’m happy with my progress. With the progress the fear dissipates.
Hi Nick, I am 41 and had an surprise heart attack last month i.e. end of May-21. I have 2 stents in my body now. Like you, I am also a fitness freak and like to stay fit. But due to this heart attack , I am advised by doctors not to do any workout for 1 month. I am very confused about when to start any physical activity. At this moment, I am feeling more weak as I am idle for more than 2 weeks. Can you give more details about your workout schedule after heart attack, mentioning about in how many days you started walking, running, doing lighter gym workout and heavy gym workout? This will provide me some guidance about how I should go ahead in my life now on. Thanks!!
Thank you Nick! So good to hear this. At 66 I recently had 2 heart-attacks. Have always done sports and worked out. But very high stress caused scarring in the arterial walls, allowing for cholesterol/calcium to build up. Interestingly, not everyone with a high cholesterol level has major buildup. Question: Are you on a statin? Statins can destroy muscle. You seem okay though. Thanks again.
Inspiring story. 8 weeks ago I suffered a heart attack, which required triple bypass surgery. I've lifted since I was in my early teens and am 63yo now. I hope to get under a bar again at some point, but with my sternum having to be opened up, not sure when lifting again will be possible. In any event, glad everything is looking up for you and thank you for sharing your story.
im glad ive seen this it has given me hope, im only 17 and i had had a heart attack not like you but from myopericarditis i hope to be cleared to train soon. Thankyou for the hope
41 male here, did not have any symptoms and found that 2 of my arteries were blocked 100%. Have placed stent on one and waiting for the date for the next one. I've been training for 13 years. But should admit I was bad on diet. Where I bought protein cooked from outside and too many fried things. Not to mention 7-8 eggs a day (half of them with the yellow). Now I've been placed on almost a veggie diet. Lost most of my muscles. My cardiologist is against weight training. Though I believe he misunderstands weight training to what he sees in gym. I have been doing body weight exercises, well within the point of failure. My blood work looks amazing with little LDL (which has not been the case for more than a decade). Overall, I think I can get back to what I was doing before in the gym, albeit at a controlled pace.
@@billdublewhopper3064 stented the other one too last month. They still couldn’t fix some minor artery blocks, but my ecg came out alright. It seems in my case it’s mostly genetics. I should have taken cholestrol control pills
Had a heart attack march 26th of this year at 31 years old. 78% blockage of the left anterior descending artery had one stent put in. Yesterday I was given a full clearance from the doctor today I was back in the gym wasted no time went light but not to light felt good to be back. Little to no damage to the heart tissue I got lucky. Everyone is different be clear with your doc and always lift safe don't push to hard lift smarter and hope you all the best. Stay strong and stay healthy.
Bro, I am bhasky from India living in SFO, last year March 13th I had severe chest pain and I couldn't walk to hospital which was 2 blocks away. I had a heart attack and I had an emergency surgery with 1 Stent of angioplasty. I am age 31 when it happened. I was so scared and took me 3 months to accept myself and my new condition. I went through the same process that you went through. It's been 1 year now. Waiting to do what you doing right now.
Two open heart surgeries within five year at 40. No heart attack, born with bicuspid aortic valve, not found until car accident at 38. Now have mechanical valve and mesh around my aorta. It is very hard to not be as strong as once was and can be discouraging having a weight limit on my lifting. Its light! But Arnold said once ,every minute you're not lifting or exercising the other guy is. SO... I use that in my own way to remember to get it in! Now i exercise with weights every second day (bro splits essentialy) and never stop moving need to be satisfied with that. Its a weird adjustment from being a "young guy" that can do anything to thinking " i shouldn't pick that up its to heavy".
Thank you for this helpful video. I've recently had 6 stents fitted after a heart attack, I've just started walking around 2 to 3 mile a day, it's tough and a bit scary tbh, I used to power walk 10 to 12 mile a day, watching this video has given me hope to get fully fit again. Thank you from the UK.
I’m afraid,used to do 300 pushups a day,did 50 today,felt pain,infected with fear it seems.afraid to cough,go more than 1000 metres from home.heart attack 9 days ago,3 stents put in 2 days later.I’m broken...
I am from India particularly from south India and my family history shows I'm prone to a heart attack, so I have got regular routine of brisk walking in my Treadmill from 2004, and cycling etc but in recent days due to big exigencies in job I lost my regular routine of work out at my jogger ,cycle etc work pressure resulted in untimely food, some food poisoning resulted in a vomiting and diarrhea but once I vomitted it was a pool of blood, got dizzy and sinking I waited for a day unknowingly as the case is internal hemorrhage, but next day I was admitted to Gastero enterologist and he performed on spot endoscopic non invasive procedures to tie up with elastic bands to stop bleeding, but after recovery he prescribed a tablet to decrease my blood pressure, which he prescribed for a lifetime, I am ashamed of my situation , but your video helps me to understand that more and I can manage to have my regular workout schedule back and improve my life Thanks for your kind words and example
I started training at 15 and kept it up until my heart attack at 65. I didn't even know I had a heart attack. I think if I hadn't put in the time at the gym I would be in a care home right now.
I’m 52 and had a HA and stents on Oct 27 2020 while doing Dumbbell rows at home. I lost 28 pounds of muscle that took decades of build. It’s a little over 4 months now and I’m back working out regularly albeit lite weights and high reps. I have been warned not to go heavy (forever) which is disappointing but understandable and I’ve accepted this. I am going to gain some of that muscle back! Thanks for this video.
Thanks for sharing. It's about getting better and stronger and healthier and doing the best you can. We wish you the best, and it sounds like you've got the right attitude. Keep us posted!
So glad I found your videos. A little over a year ago I had a heart attack at work training on the fire ground. I am a fireman and I thought I was immortal. Now I’m very cautious about working out like I did. But here I go!!!!!!! Looking forward to more videos
Nutrition can get complicated (or not). You're looking for appropriate quantity & quality. Quality is generally going to mean less processed. There is some disagreement here, but veggies, meats, fruits, dairy, grains. Want more protein, fiber. One heuristic (not perfect) but it's getting items in the outside of the grocery store, not the inside.
Hey, I had a HA on 16th Feb2024, And I was a gym goer. Please, advise when should I restart WL, I had one stent in my main artery. Also, little scared to go for WL.
We're sorry, but we can't give out medical advice. This is where finding a coach and doctor is super helpful. We do find that in general it is good to start easy - weightlifting doesn't have to be heavy squats. It might be some easy air squats first, some light dumbbell work, etc.
@BarbellLogic When did you restart lifting? I tried to restart a novice 5x5 program with a MWF cadence...got through the Mon workout fine....but when i tried the Wed workout it felt like my ❤ was about to jump out my chest...scared the sh*t outta me. Think I started bk too early.
Im just 41 I was active as hell I love working out and one morning I was at work I felt weird and went to get the mail and grabbed my chest and felt odd I started to panic I rushed to the guard shack and weeks later I was diagnosed with coronary heart failure and at that moment I felt scared to work out again just like you any words of encouragement Do you have a Facebook
This is one of biggest fears. I love to lift. However, I recently had an abnormal nuclear stress test. Indicated possible blockage on left side of heart. Getting a catheter done tomorrow. Im afraid its bad and I wont be able to lift after recovery. Your video is inspirational. Thank you and I hope you have a long prosperous life!!
I just had my heart attack two days ago. Im home, had a stent put in, and they found congenital issues. Somehow plaque was only on that valve, the messed up one. Now Im terrified. BP is still very good (I always have very low bp). I do smoke, and unfortunately couldnt quit (its been just two days, BUT, I am cutting back, and will stop. Its not the same. It used to calm me down, but now it freaks me out and Im terrified Ill die from just one of them!) Im 40 and had my heart attack. Had cancer twice, broke my spine twice (took 10 years to go from wheelchair to training again) and now this, so Im not gonna lie. I am reluctant to do anything...but that to me is unacceptable. Im set to call cardio rehab tomorrow and see what will happen. I know its an old video, but had to ask.... I will say this, Aspirin is in my pocket wherever I go. That will be a must for me. It saved my life and saved me from any myocardial damage,
First & foremost good luck. You said "had to ask" but I didn't see a question. If you're a little hesitant to start lifting, that's okay, take it easy.
@@BarbellLogic You know, youre right. I got so down writting it all (its the reason I didnt try to redo VA disability stuff. I hate being reminded of my shortcomings, and why I started lifting hard). So the question is if I can return to where I was, and how long until you were lifting again? Thanks for answering. I didnt expect it, but I appreciate it. In fact Im blown away by the support lots of people have shown. There is still good out there.
@@RipRoaringGarage There definitely is still good out there. Depends what you mean by lifting. What can you do right now? Can you go for walks? Can you do some light bodyweight squats or push-ups? Just do something light & easy to begin the habit of exercise - the intensity can go up.
I recently had a tachycardia like symptom after overdosing on salbutamol (inhalers) doctor said its not a heart attack but a warning sign. Nevertheless i was advised to not lift, had about 2 year under my belt at that time. Took medication and time off and about another 2 years later im starting off again with light calisthenics ( whenever i exercise it makes my heart feel tight, so i kept my distance from weights for now) but i am doing something and that counts. Today i came across ur video n it really gave me more motivation to keep going and for that god bless u sir.
2 months ago I hard a heart attack. 100% blockage in my right artery. Im 47 years old. I had 1 stent placed. Im currently half way through cardio rehab. I'm wondering if it any point it'll be safe for me to lift weights in the gym?
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I concur. My same story exactly. Heart attack 5 years ago,3 stents, Ive been going to the gym ever since. At68 I’m in the best shape of my life.
@Mike Brown how are you feeling now?
@@ferozemalik7171 We'd love to hear too!
I got an heart attack at the age of 32, after that I never did exercise because we don't have proper cardiac rehabilitation center here to guide.. 😒
Right on bro 💪🔥
Mike, do you have an update?
I had triple bypass at 29, my daughter was 6 weeks old. The fear is REAL. For years I was afraid of lifting anything. When I was about to turn 40 I decided to make a change, got in shape, lost 30 pounds. Put most of it back in muscle now. Been under a bar for about a year now and love it. The hardest step is the first one to the gym-
Good for you! That Fear can be crushing. We're proud of you.
@William Digman how are you feeling now?
How hard do u push yourself in the gym
@@endofd-d7c at this point, I push as hard as I want. For a while, I was on a maintenance routine, but I've recently gone back to adding weight on a regular basis. Feels great.
@@williamdigman8968 I’m 6 months post stent and heart attack and on generally good condition can I start pushing harder
Good vid. I died for 5 minutes May 22, 2020. Today I got cleared to start exercising again.
Strength training doesn’t just add days in your life, it adds life in your days, you can do more when you’re strong 💪
Thanks for sharing this message.
Thank You, Sir you helped with some of my fears and depression!!🙏🏻💪🏻💞
What an inspiration. I'm glad you are still alive and that Rebecca and your children still have you.
Thanks Nick for your encouraging story. Just recovering now after 4 stents 2 weeks ago. Can’t wait to get back to the gym.
Thanks for sharing - we wish you good luck!
I'm 53 from the UK, done weights , exercise most of my adult life up to last week on a regular basis. I'm not big or ripped, but I just had the belief that one day it will be beneficial.
This Tuesday, I had what the cardiologist called a widow maker heart attack.
I'm back home now , taking it easy at the moment because I've a lot to think about, But this is the important thing, the cardiologist said to me ' you're exercise no matter how irrelevant you thought of it more then likely saved your life" He called exercise as a way of putting money in the heart bank, which one day when you have something like this happen, withdraw from the heart bank and use to save your life.
Thanks for sharing! Good luck!
I had a heart attack at 41 actually at the gym. I was doing one machine and felt a tear go right across my chest, seriously painful that i thought I ripped my pectoral muscle off. I stood up, felt awful, sweating, breathlessness, jaw aching, and finally my arm was killing me. One of the symptoms that alot of people dont talk about is the sense of impending doom, i knew just KNEW something was up I just left the gym immediately and just sat in my car. All the symptoms were there and I was just in denial about it but i knew in my heart of hearts excusing the pun that i knew it was a heart attack. I had to get home, luckily my mother in law saw me and she knew that i was in pain but i was in denial. A phone call later and an ambulance came, their portable ECG didnt show anything was up and they told me the only way to be certain was to go to hospital which i nearly didnt but something told me that this was different and I should just go. Fast forward in hospital and they confirmed it was indeed a heart attack. I was devastated, heart attacks were something that only old people got... NOPE... it can affect ANYONE...
To cut the story shorter, I had an angiogram, confirmed 3 blockages, 1 serious, 2 very minor. 1 stent later and i was out of hospital in just under 48 hours... exercise was top of my priorities to restart but with other complications that come with the heart attack it wasnt as easy as I hoped but I got there in the end. Im now regularly excersing back at the gym, not to the standard i was because now my concentration is focused more on cardio rather than bodybuilding, that will come with time but at the moment, its purely cardio, couch to 5k and stationary biking, and lighter weights, much lighter but still something.
Diet is incredibly important too, and take your damn pills too! My cholesterol was 7.0 at heart attack, low fat diet and statins has reduced that down to 2.3 a much more acceptable level!
Eat right, and exercise is key.
Thanks for sharing - good luck!
Statins are useless bro , it will kill you ,my cholesterol was 1.2 when I had my heart attack, I am 53 , it’s just your life before that’s fault , get out of statins
THANKS for taking the time to share your story! SO appreciated.
Why strength matters to me:
1. It makes me more useful to those who depend on me.
2. It makes me confident in my own abilities.
3. There will be a day when I need every ounce of my strength to save someone I love.
I just had heart attack dec 2020.. Im down and depressed.. Now I saw all this comments.. It make me feel alive again..
Yep, the comment section on this video is pretty great. We wish you the best of luck!
You are like a big brother who encouraged me,I got heart this year in may,I got 2 stents and my heart EF was 30-35.. doctor told me not lift weight,do simple exercises but after researching I found that doctors's advice was not logical..I gradually increased my exercise,now I can do push ups too and soon I will start lifting weights also,,I lost almost 40kg.. thanks brother for your story..my life is changed for good after heart attack...❤️
thank you i had a heart attack last month. I quit jiu jitsu and i am lifting light weights now. I also got 3 stents at 54 years old .
Thank you for sharing and GOOD LUCK!!!
December of 2019 I was blindsided by a widowmaker heart attack. Thankfully conditions were right to get me to the ER where I could be helped but the road to recovery is very long. I had one stent placed with plans for others and once my cardiologist cleared me to exercise I started going to the gym to walk on the treadmill. Between the night I had my heart attack and ~30 days later I lost 40 pounds (269-229) which I assume was almost all muscle. No appetite, no energy - it took everything out of me for a time. Prior to this I was big but I wasn't sedentary. Too many beers and too much pizza.
My last cigarette was the night of my heart attack; no cravings or patches or anything after that. I started to use the treadmill and I gained some weight back along with my appetite but I believe that weight gain was healthy. Then the pandemic shut everything down and I was essentially trapped in my house. At first I tried to stick with some kind of exercise but I eventually just stopped. The pounds piled on. Before I knew it I was bigger than before my heart attack. I was constantly short of breath. Everything took far too much effort and I was setting myself up for more health concerns.
I'd like anyone else that can relate to this story to pay attention to this next part. I've struggled with this for a long time and here's what I've learned:
I was atrophied beyond belief. First, almost all the initial 40 pounds I lost had to be muscle because as I understand it you'll generally lose muscle far quicker than fat due to inactivity. Second, I gained a ton of weight back during the lockdown so I'm probably net negative 80 pounds of fat:muscle at this point. Talk about being behind the curve! I had to do something.
So I bought a bike. I could go outside and get in exercise and social distance. I didn't need a facility to be open to accommodate me. I could go whenever I got the urge and for as long as I could keep my legs under me. I was hoping to see massive weight loss and was weighing myself everyday but hardly anything was changing on the scale. Around this time I started monitoring my calories and roughly sticking to 1,700 calories/day. More if I rode because I didn't want to harm what little muscle I'd managed to rebuild. I have to be honest, it was disheartening not seeing pounds melt off.
I kept at it but stopped stepping on the scale everyday because it was only serving to demotivate me. I knew I was putting in the work and doing many things right. My first rides were short; 5-9 miles on average. I started to understand that body recomposition is a thing and how I thought it effected me. But even stepping on the scale once a week I was seeing the same thing - hardly any shift in weight but everything else was pointing to improvements.
So I just stopped......getting on the scale :D
But I kept riding and I kept watching my calories and I kept hydrating and I kept pushing myself. I've been doing this for a while now and my core is far stronger than it has been in almost 2 years. Replacing fat with muscle is a very slow, methodical process. It might be quicker with weights, but I'm honestly trying to lean out as I've always been bulky.
I'm over 800 miles on the bike since I started. My current longest ride is 40 miles and my average is a 15 mile circuit. I can do more but the 15 miles is a perfect 1 hour ride for me and I can squeeze it into almost any day. My pace is up over 6mph from when I started (9mph vs 15mph). I wear a heart rate monitor from Wahoo and keep a close eye on the ol' ticker because you never know, but even my HR is lower during intense efforts. I've been monitoring calories for 250 days straight. Clothes I couldn't wear last July now fit me again. Don't get me wrong; there's still a lot of work ahead and many more pounds to lose. But I'm in the Arizona desert and I'm confident I can ride through the upcoming summer heat which is something I'd have never tried last summer.
Yeah this turned into a book but I could've used information like this last year. Everything about it has been challenging and I'm hoping this resonates with someone that needs the support and maybe a tiny bit of motivation to get out there and do it (pending your cardiologist's approval, of course). It's going to take time but it has to be worth it. Everyday is a gift.
Awesome.
How are you doing today ? Would love to hear your progress!
@@billdublewhopper3064 Hi Bill thanks for asking! I can't believe it's been so long since I posted that. I'm doing very well thank you. Over this past summer I swapped some gym time in exchange for some of the riding I was doing. Before I did that, I was struggling to stay motivated because I was still adding time/miles/pace to my rides and still struggling to lose any weight.
Now I hit the gym 3x a week with a typical workout being 30 mins cardio followed by 60-90 minutes of weight training; however, each workout includes some core/midsection work like leglifts and crunches. I still ride but right now I reserve most of my time on the bike for weekend group rides that average 30-40 miles. I have some designs to get my imperial century (100-mile ride) during the nicer weather and may even try to get some bikepacking across the state on the books.
As for weight, I'm finally starting to drop pounds but not at a mind-bending rate. Each week at the gym helps me lose 1-2 pounds. I think my body just needed variety to capitalize on my efforts. I also have to mention how helpful it is to have a partner in this - my wife has been tremendously supportive throughout even to the point of being my gym buddy.
But again, thanks so much for asking! It's nice to know my comment above piqued someone's interest. I'm even dabbling with the idea of turning this whole journey into a sportswear venture, but my mind isn't entirely made up about that. There are so many middlemen in the retail supply chain 🤓
@@amacen4515 have you looked at Dr Caldwell B Esselstyn or Dr Ornish. Whole food plant based nutrition diets?
@@billdublewhopper3064 Admittedly I'm not familiar w/ those names but I'll look into them. We already support a fairly plant-focused diet in our home, and we tend to avoid processed foods so that a lot of our meals are homemade and rarely fried. I'll check, though. Thank you for the tip.
Same here , so afraid to restart going to the Gym . I decided to conquer my fears and start next week . I hope I can make it . Honestly , I would love to die in the Gym than to stay on the sofa for the rest of my life and live longer . Thank you for your Inspiration and Motivation
Same, man. I want to be as strong, healthy, and active as I can up until the end. Good luck with your training and thanks for listening
Wow, what a great video. Thanks for sharing this important message. I had a heart attack a little over a monty ago, and this video was just what I needed to hear.
My story matches your with one exception I'm 60. 48 hours ago I had a heart attack right after a really hard workout. I am laying in my hospital bed after 3 stints. I needed encouragement as I was really mourning the lose of working out. You have been that encouragement. Thank you
Glad his story could give encouragement. Hang in there!
Good story,I was hospitalized for a massive heart attack back in 2016 I was in critical condition on life support, was given a 5% chance to live I was obese according to my cardiologist 5'8 220 High blood pressure blocked arteries lung failure kidney failure prediabetes couldn't walk shortness of breath TOTAL TRAIN WRECK. But for all the ones out there going through heart disease there is hope. My Cardiologist schedule me to get own the heart replacement list two years ago. Now here's the good news I lost the weight from 220lb to 159lbs I change my diet I went from not being able to climb stairs to riding my bike walking and I added weight training and I had to rid the stressful things going on around me that was a big help but you can recover it takes work but know its a way of life for me and I'm off the heart failure list.
Thank you for sharing! Inspiring - good luck!
God bless you man! How old were you when this happened? How do you feel today. Gives me hope.
@@billdublewhopper3064 He is still doing good, coaching and lifting - not sure how old he was.
Just goes to show you that exercise can kill. Do your research thoroughly and carefully and find what works best for your body. Rely on God because He is your only hope to survive a heart attack, even if you are doing everything right. Beware of pharma drugs because they can also kill and for any stresses that you can’t get rid of, or would lead to worse - such as divorcing or remarrying, rely on God. God is everyone’s real hope.
That's awesome man! Keep on training
Love your story man
I have had 2 heard attacks ,in 2017 now 3022 I’m still scared to move forward.
Thank u for sharing your story 👍🏿👍🏿
Thanks for sharing yours & good luck!
Thanks for the Motivation. "Strong People are harder to kill" will be on my T-Shirt!!!
Nick that's a great inspiring story, thanks. At 65yrs old I also began strength training and diet changes targeting sugars. I lost 30 percent body weight and got a nice muscle toned body. I felt great all around. Then Major heart attack hit, I mean major widow maker! I attribute my survival to the condition I was in helping me fight. After stent I am now quickly increasing my walking as you said doubling easily. I have been anxious about hitting the weights as it's only been 5 days, however your video gives me much hope and confidence I will be back and even better because I know I can do the work. I plan to slowly build up my stamina and within a few weeks start the weights off easy light and controlled as usual. I understand I will also need more aerobic exercise as well as the weights. I hope this inspires folks my age to not get down and keep moving. I believe exercise saved my life once and now will prolong what's remaining. I'm almost 67 now and counting.
Thanks for sharing!!!
I had my heart attack this past December. I had 1 stent placed. I started my cardiac rehab today . I needed this video today as well! It’s hard to see at first, but I know I will get better. Thanks for posting your story bc ppl like myself definitely appreciate the honesty. It helps knowing I can get back to my old self again, maybe even better!!
Good luck...we wish you and your loved ones the best!
How are you doing today? I have had Stent put in 3 days ago. Just a month ago I had extreme weakness and all over body pain, but no pressure in the chest, after traing MMA and Jiu-jitsu, so I went home tried to sleep it off, then next day i drove my self to er cause it wasn't getting any better. They diagnose me with Myocarditis, and stayed at hospital for 5 days with heart beat rare in 30s, then when heart rate got up in 60 they let me go, was home for a month and had scheduled nuclear stress test, when i went for that half way through they told me I have coronery artery blockage on left ventricle. That same day they put in the stent and now I am on blood thinners. I am kind of lost that this happened to me at 37y old, always ready in top shape, fit my whole life watch what I eat, train MMA 2 times a day for past 12y. Very bitter and disappointed.
@@Nenad-ICXC-Shuput-GFAMMA Nenade pricas li srpski?
@@Tribalius da
It’s been a year. Friday Jan 13th 2023. My STEMI was had at age 49. 1 stent in the LAD. I walked into the ambulance and 2 to 3 hours later the stent was placed. No emergency ambulance sirens for me! EF was 35% at incident. Now at 53%. I’m not the same by any stretch, and fearful but hitting the light weights. I’ll never attempt to lift 2, 3,4,5 or 600lbs again. Time to coast. Hope you’re still doing great! Thx for the video.
Thanks for your comment!!!!!!
Absolutely inspiring. Everything in life is linear progression. Although, I did not any health conditions, I was out of shape. I started out waking. To this day if I am at Walmart or any other store I park as far away from the door as possible. Extra calorie burn and good for the heart. Like Matt Reynolds said "voluntary hardship" makes us better. In my walks, I would make no excuse. I walk in 100 degree weather and have even walked in 9 below temperatures.
I now strength train. I am 52 and pushed the limit of my novice progression.
What strength means to me. I am actually writing an article on How I know I am stronger. Will share soon.
Amen brother 50yrs old walked out of the gym feeling better than ive ever felt in my life less than an hour later i was having a heart attack.
was it a clog?
Great video! About 5 weeks ago I had a STEMI, 100% blockage of my LAD...the recovery process is wild, especially mentally....so tired of being hyper sensitive to feelings in my body & wondering if it's another issue with my heart. Start Cardiac rehab in a few days, looking forward to it. Was very athletic prior to this, so videos like yours, letting me know I can get bk to training eventually mean the WORLD to me. Thanks!
Very inspirational. I also had a massive heart attack at 35. I worked out after some of the fear left and stayed with it for a while. I dropped off over the years but I’m back at it at age 46. Stay strong brother
Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Thanks mate- I am in a similar situation (have family) and age but you are considerably stronger than me- I was a footballer (uk) and runner with a bit of weights- so nowhere near that strength!.lol. I am exercising regularly again but not at the intensity i used to - I need to step it up a bit to get back to feeling properly strong, so thanks for the motivation. Good health to you and yours.
Hi, thanks again for sharing. I posted earlier ( 6 weeks ago), which was close to my heart attack. Like you and all of us, I went from someone who was active, loved strenuous activity, and excercise to being afraid of doing anything that might, as you said, put me back in hospital. I also started with small walks, then longer and now im doing 2 mile walks. I started what in the UK is known as cardio rehabilitation which is focused on getting HA patients back into excercise safely. It felt scary going back to the rowing machine, then lifting weights ( far lower kg and reps) then i did prior to the HA but i got through it and realised ' hey i wont die by doing this'. I do have the odd bad day, but who doesnt but Im sure that as time passes and i regain my strength and confidence through training I will be that bloke i was pre HA. good luck to all of us going through this journey ❤
Yes, good luck!
On March's 23rd 2024 I had a mild heart attack at age of 40. The main Cause were smoking and (bad cholesterol) bad diet. My symptoms were EXACTLY the same as yours. One artery was 90% blocked, whiles the other two were 30%. I got 1 stent placed. Quit smokes since and started a good diet plan. I can't wait to start doing my weights again. Its very important to know thr exact reason and what actually have triggered your heart attack, before you decide to do the exercise again.
Thanks for sharing...we wish you good luck!!!
Great story, thank you for sharing. I recently had stent placement due to 70% blockage in the right coronary artery. I have been lifting weights and riding a mtn bike for many years, and thought I was in great condition, I was wrong. I did not have a heart attack thank God, and thankfully the blockage was found before that happened, and it would have happened. It's been one month since my stent placement and I am now back to working out and riding my bike. You are so right when you said "training is a necessity not a luxury". Stay strong my friend!
Thanks for sharing!
I agree with you Nick. Had 3 stents 8 years ago.... unfortunately my CVD is aggressive and in the years since I have had a further 7 angio procedures leaving me with a total of 8 stents in every artery around my heart. THREE weeks ago I had a quadruple heart bypass.... I was marching on the spot (within 24 hours of the op) whilst in ICU, what has got me through all this is my ‘ physical condition AND bloody minded mental strength’. I can’t wait to get back to training again once I am a little more stronger. The amazing thing in all this, I have a strong heart and have never had a heart attack... by the grace of God. Ameen. 🤲🏼
We are so glad to hear that it went well and that you're looking forward to training again. How are you doing recovery-wise?
@@BarbellLogic I’m doing good thanks, I’ve set myself the challenge of starting the couch to 5k challenge as soon as I hit 12 weeks post op (within next fortnight). I’ve been asked to keep a video diary to share with others so watch this space.
@@FM-UK how are you doing? I am hoping for your continued good health.
@@billdublewhopper3064 Thank you for asking. Had to adapt due to complications arising but grateful to our NHS for support. Hope you are doing and keeping well.
You're looking great now man!
Thanks!
Had one Easter Sunday. I'm waiting for the doc to say I can lift again. Right now I'm just doing cardio walking 10k steps every day.
We're glad that you're here and doing what you can. We wish you the best of luck!
Dont eat junk food. Dont eat too much red meat if any. Dont use oils except fish oil. Do eat fruits and veggies. Do work out .dont smoke or drink alcohol. Hope you are still alive and well and kicking.
John Kimball there’s tons of other oil you can use, like olive, grape seed and coconut oils.
I have had heart issues a month ago too.. I am 37
How are you doing today? I have had Stent put in 3 days ago. Just a month ago I had extreme weakness and all over body pain, but no pressure in the chest, after traing MMA and Jiu-jitsu, so I went home tried to sleep it off, then next day i drove my self to er cause it wasn't getting any better. They diagnose me with Myocarditis, and stayed at hospital for 5 days with heart beat rare in 30s, then when heart rate got up in 60 they let me go, was home for a month and had scheduled nuclear stress test, when i went for that half way through they told me I have coronery artery blockage on left ventricle. That same day they put in the stent and now I am on blood thinners. I am kind of lost that this happened to me at 37y old, always ready in top shape, fit my whole life watch what I eat, train MMA 2 times a day for past 12y. Very bitter and disappointed.
Thank you for sharing your story.
I hope i have will to go back into everything i was doing, soon.
How you feeling after the stents? I am 38 and had abnormal nuclear stress test. Getting catheter tomorrow. Im hoping stents will fix whatever is wrong. I hope you recovered well and life is back to normal for you.
@@jeffewing6660 i feel amazing after the Stents, they try to tell me it's hogh protein diet. Which I think it bullshit. I feel now like nothing ever happened. I back to 100% was after 2 weeks. Training 2x a day MMA and weight. May God bless you my friend.
@@Nenad-ICXC-Shuput-GFAMMA thats great. Very encouraging to hear. I lift daily, at least before the dr told me to stop, so im ready to get this shit done so I can get back after it.
@@jeffewing6660 yes only thing is the blood thinners they put me on make everyone bruise like banana.
@@Nenad-ICXC-Shuput-GFAMMA best of luck homie. Im sure it will get better with time.
This is a very inspiring story and thank you so much for sharing. I am a Crossfitter, 56 years old and had a heart attack four months ago. My exercise physiologist is quite concerned about me returning to Crossfit and weightlifting in particular. Holding your breath to brace your core when lifting spikes your blood pressure and could lead to another event. I am a little skeptical of the advice as the comments seem to attest to the fact that people can return to things like lifting. I am wondering who are the medical professionals who are suggesting that a return to lifting is advisable? Has anyone had repeat heart events since returning to lifting? Much appreciated.
I'm 21 I had a heart attack 2 months ago I'm still recovering all I want to do is go back to the gym and work out
Thank you , you gave me hope that I can do it too 👍
Thank you so much! We wish you the best of luck!
Do you have a stent? Go for it 💪
@@m.k2593 I don't have a stent but thank you
@Marcellus Banasiewicz Honestly there is no specific reason but the doctors leaned towards genetics like I got from my mothers side of the family who have history of heart conditions
@Marcellus Banasiewicz I'm good brother
A lot of progress made I'm waiting for the doctor to give the green signal to workout
Everyone is against that bcuz thats where it happened and I get that
But I don't care I love working out and I'll keep doing even if it kills me
Wish me good luck ig 😂
Thank you for making this video. I am 53, was working out 6 times a week of cardio (I had stopped resistance training after bicep tendinitis last year allowing healing time) and got two stents placed last week. I was wondering what I can do next and this video provides a lot of encouragement. I had two heart attacks before which I dismissed as acidity, before the third one where I had to go to ER. The doctors told me the same thing, as I was working out regularly I was able to make that mistake. One thing I will tell you is, even if you are working out regularly listen to your body and look for signs and don't dismiss any warning signs.
Thank you for sharing your story. We wish you the best!
What a great story! God bless you!
Thanks for the kind comment!
I survived 2 heart attacks in 2012 at 48. I have a stent. I always have trained and continue to train daily. I do bodyweight exercise, weights, cycling, walking and shadow-boxing. The cardiologist said being fit before the heart issues helped me to survive.
@Cowtownbaldie how are you feeling now?
@@ferozemalik7171 I have since been diagnosed with an upper thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm and an arrhythmia. So I get tested frequenly (watchful waiting) and I continue to watch my diet, don't drink, don't smoke, don't consume caffeine and I exercise daily as per the Cardiologist instructions. I just can't do any heavy weight lifting. I am feeling okay...some days I am more fatigued than other days... but pretty good considering. Thanks for asking.
@@25inspector
Were you n heavy drinker?
@@marquisgowdy5423 No. No drugs, No smoking. I ate very healthy...people used to make fun of me because my salad was bigger than my meal in the cafeteria. I exercised from 12 years old 1-2 hours ever day. I just have very bad genetics and very bad luck. I also have stress to blame.
@@25inspector wow sir...found u again...Sir I am also scared of blockage in my arteries b/c I have been suffering from erectile dysfunction since last year. As I have read that ED may be an early warning sign of heart disease...☹️☹️.
Thank you I needed to hear this
Glad you heard it - good luck!
Had a heart attack last year, have gained too much weight because of it. I love your video, same as you I had mine in the gym. One stent fitted. Your video gives me hope
I'm 61...I workout 6 days a week. I was at 6'4 200 lbs before going to India for a month this last spring where from being on a very light vegetarian diet I lost a good 20lbs. By October I was back up to 200 lbs and went to Central America. I got sick and have losing muscle very fast. My illness seems to be easing and today I am going to head out for a walk. I've always thought that not training is worse than training.
Today I begin
Great inspiration , what was your ejection fraction after heart attack and how much has it improved, keep up the great videos
Not sure - he's doing better though.
It's not just training to be strong, it's also the will to live and fight for your life. I've been active since my teens and was heavily involved in Tae Kwon Do with the plan to eventually go and compete in the Olympics. I got injured and dropped out of that and then eventually got into lifting weights. Fast forward 20 years and I'm working at a desk job doing IT work and little time to exercise and I have a widow maker, 25 percent survival rate and usually just 10 percent . The previous will to fight from my fight training and weight lifting gave me the will to not die. I simply told myself "You will not die". I even drove myself to the hospital. Four years later I had a second widow maker and same issue, drove myself their and refused to die. Pushing through adversity such as a fighting spirit or pushing through that last set matters as much as the exercise itself. Remember that people. You're only as strong as you're willing to be.
Thanks for the comment!
Can you say what happened that night you drove yourself? What was the circumstance? How did you survive
I had two stents Putin 4 months ago after my second heart attack in 4 years went back to the gym after cardio rehabilitation and start lifting again after 4 months I am lifting heavy weights again and I feel great everything is easier at fist I was afraid not now going to keep going and oh ya I am 70 years old 😂😂💪💪
Hi David, my name is Simon I had 2 stents put in 18 months ago ,I am 46 ,I played rugby for 20 years and then stop all exercise with kids and work ,do you fell better for going gym and how did you start back
@David Dwyer how are you feeling after a heart attack?
3 days ago I had to rush to the ER at the age of 42 . Doctor said I was having a heart attack and had to do a stent procedure on one if my heart arteries. Hoping within weeks I can go back to heavy lifting .
Did you?
@@Diabolik3 yes I did
Had a heart attack last year, aged 42. 5 stents needed.
6mths later, I am still worried about lifting again. I just don’t feel like my heart could take it; I feel like my body has ‘let me down’ it will do so again.
I’m impressed with your progress, and want to take that first step. But….I’m not sure I’m ready. I’m a little scared, and I’m pissed at my body for failing me once’s already.
Go to doctor , do the test ....
Thank you for this.
I just got released released from the Hospital two weeks ago after a double bypass, plus an Aortic Aneurism and a Aortic valve replacement. I had complications and had to go for a follow up surgery one week later. I am 62 years old and have been training with weights since I was a teenager. The Doctors and nurses were amazed at how much strength I had after the two surgeries back to back. I have lost 30 pounds and have started my walking program. Looking forward to cardiac rehab and getting back to the gym to train again, I think being fit saved my life! I have a long way to go to rebuild but this was very encouraging, thank you for posting
Thank you for sharing and we wish you the best of luck!
Thank you Nick for doing this video.
Thanks for the kind comment!
March 25th 2022 I had another heart attack. Long story short I had been in the hospital 6 times over the last five months but no one discovered the main reason why…right artery was blocked 100%. After the heart attack it was thought I needed ablation surgery to correct the timing in heart because before attack I kept having V-tach episodes. However my EP asked Cardiologist to checkout armies first. Thank God they did because as stated earlier the right heart artery was causing the problem. It’s now just over 60 days post heart attack and two stints to clear up blockage. The meds I’m on make me tired and sleepy 80% of the time. Just went to new PCP who said this is to keep blood pressure low and stable while heart heals and that I will need to be this way for at least another 3 -4 months. I’m a former bodybuilder who has gotten out of shape since my first heart attack and stints in 2015. I want to train progressively increasing over time because I’m 60 and know life doesn’t have to be over. Any suggestions? I have modified my old exercise plan for more reps with light weight for now over the next 3 - 4 months and plan on going to the gym here in our new complex.
What you're doing sounds good in terms of lifting. I would recommend adding in some cardio (start light). Lastly, think about how you can improve nutrition. Could certainly talk more if you email podcast@barbell-logic.com. Good luck!
I had a heart attack 10 days ago. Thank you for telling the truth. If i stop the gym i die
Good luck! Thanks for watching & commenting. We wish you the best.
Thank you so much for this. 42 years old, fit, been lifting for a long time, jiujitsu practitioner for last 4.5 years, and had a heart attack after morning class last week. Familial cholesterol was the culprit and needed one stent. On various meds now, most lifelong, including aspirin for bloodthinning. Are you on any meds like statins, beta blockers etc, and are you back on the mats? That's my biggest worry not being able to continue rolling. Thanks brother 🤙
Thank you for sharing as well. This isn't our most popular video, but the RUclips comments are pretty dang inspiring.
Not sure about his meds (and not sure he would want to share) but he is doing BJJ & lifting, for sure.
I am exactly like you. 44 and exercise a ton. I watch what I eat. I don’t have diabetes, don’t smoke, not obese at all, borderline high LDL. Discovered I have a 70% block and need a stent. I also need to be on lifelong meds. It’s tough but we need to keep going
Just went through the same thing about two months ago while I was doing the NLP. I’ve only started in the last year to do start doing the starting strength program. I’m 47 and and am working on getting my endurance up, but I can’t wait to get back under the bar in a month or so. Thanks for the story.
Thanks for sharing yours as well. Good luck!
Never give up! I've had a hear attack myself at 36 and it was terrifying. But what is worse is the anxiety and fear that comes after the event. In 8 months went from 200 lb to 155 lb. Now I am trying to build up some muscle again but seems so hard... maybe I should try to push harder on my workouts.. also I heard that the statins makes it even harder...
Do lp. Get to work. Don't worry about the statins. Nearly everyone is on them.
@Tae Ho Kang how are you feeling now?
I had a heart attack and a stent placed at 35.
I was living a healthy lifestyle with the exception of smoking marijuana a lot; I quit the day of the heart attack. I also have an autoimmune liver disease (Diagnosed 2004 when I was 18), had a living donor transplant at 30.
After the heart attack my cardiologist placed me on statin’s. My doctor told me I would have to take them the rest of my life.
The very first day I took them i noticed they made it hard for me to breathe and I felt weak, always tired and in pain. Before taking them my cholesterol was normal, my blood sugars normal my kidney function was normal. I watched these levels rise through the roof for the next month, with the exception of cholesterol.
I decided to do a lot of research and digging because most doctors especially on RUclips and the main webmd media sites use the same information and say the exact same things. I was looking for the truth (which is surrounded by lies). I finally found many doctors AND reporters, some of whom were actively being silenced, who saw that the big pharma studies most doctors use as as evidence to back up the efficacy of statins was skewed and the numbers were altered (see “absolute vs relative risk”) to make it seem as if statin’s were good when in fact more people get heart attacks on them than not and it lowers your overall health to the point where the rate of death is higher among long time statin drug users. By the time some people figure this out they have lost all their teeth or are in a wheelchair or have some other, totally avoidable, life altering complications!
I was 100% convinced that statins, the biggest selling drug in the world, was at fault for my weakened state, my hair was also thinning and I was near pre-diabetic (hypoglycemic) not to mention my kidneys (ALT levels) were being TAXED! So I gathered all my evidence and made lists of doctors who pointed to these facts and explained the big pharma statistics. Go figure, they funded THEIR OWN research! They compared that with other, NON-BIASED (albeit smaller) peer reviewed studies, including their own and found statin drugs to be ineffective and the risks outweighed the benefits of taking them by a long-shot!
I took them for 1 month only and I quit cold turkey. Im still alive, despite the fact my doctor told me I would literally die if I stopped taking them. I feel great with my decision. I noticed the very next day my breathing was better, my hair grew in thicker, my chronic pain went away, my ALT, blood sugar and other blood levels returned to normal. The statin drugs also cause muscle wasting. I felt stronger!
All of this is to say that you should do your own research and decide for yourself if statin drugs are worth the side-effects and monitor your blood levels carefully because the statins can cause more harm than good.
I scheduled an appointment with my cardiologist and had a nice long talk/debate with him. I ended up discovering he had a personal stake in the drug as he takes them and so does his father. He assured me he receives no “kick-backs” from the statin drug reps, which I believe he is telling the truth but I know that many other doctors get rewarded with kick-backs from prescribing it to people. Statins are literally rat poison. Do research and talk to your doctor as an informed patient, don’t blindly trust them. It’s your life, not theirs.
@@ferozemalik7171
Sorry for not replying earlier. I am doing great, working out 3-5 days a week, with 2 of those days weightlifting with moderation. Still on statins, blood pressure med and blood thinner. Sometimes still having some anxiety issues but overall doing well. Thank you for asking!
@@estrivoful
I’m with you pal 48 yrs old and had a heart attack a month ago. On cholesterol, blood pressure meds and blood thinners as well. The pills are not bad but the whole mental aspect , anxiety and depression can be tuff if you let it sink in
I've recovered from stress induced cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome) and have Ptsd as a result of what happened.
Passed a stress echocardiogram last week and hearing my doctor tell me to excercise has lifted me man. Just hard to start out.
Very motivating. I guess I am going down in my basement gym and do a workout...
Nick, you are the man! Wish you the best !
Thank you for the encouraging words🙏🏾
I am 55 and had a heart attack 3 months ago and had one stent put in my LAD. I always had high cholesterol but was putting off taking a station drug because of potential side effects. I think this was my biggest mistake and I highly recommend taking this medication if you can't get your LDL low enough with diet. I have been taking it since without any noticable side effects and my cholesterol is almost 65 percent lower. I have always lifted weights to some degree and had just come off a solid year of regular lifting and eating a lot of everything before this happened. I made decent gains but still had kind of a dad bod thing going on. I never did cardio but when I went to cardiac rehab, I took it as a challenge and it really built my confidence and I ended it up taking the option to go longer. I was started stressing out when I started losing weight without doing any serious lifting, thinking I was going to lose all my muscle but was pleasantly surprised that after losing 10 pounds, my physique actually looked better. I had inadvertently done a bulking and cutting phase. After a month, I started lifting with lighter weight and higher reps and I am feeling and looking pretty good. I have been searching online about how close to failure I can go on compound exercises but haven't found much information. I asked my cardiologist and he said I really shouldn't be lifting over my head (bench and ohp) so I'm a little hesitant, although I've been breaking the rules with lighter weights. My blood pressure is very low now due to the medication and he said pushups are fine so I can probably get by with those and raises for shoulders. Sorry about the long post without paragraphs. I don't know how to do that. I just wanted to share my story with my fellow survivors and remind everyone to take their meds, watch the fat and cholesterol you eat and if you want to lift, you can maybe do some circuit training with a handful of lighter dumbbell exercises back to back with little rest in between. This way you can get cardio and resistance training at the same time.
Thanks for sharing.
Amazing advice!
I was the same after getting stent ...but love weight lifting and slowly gradually I'm back on the gym 💪
Awesome...good luck, and thanks for sharing.
Glad I found you, exactly the same happen to me , sept 30 and i am back to working out lil by lil . Thanks for your story
Good luck!
I was a competitive powerlifter (hobbyist) until April 2022 when it all came crashing down with a heart attack. I haven't lifted in 6 months due to immediate career changes, restructuring of my life and unable to fit in with a family (im making excuses i shouldve made time).I just performed my first workout in 6 months and it was beyond humbling. I will perform my 2nd tomorrow. I know its a long road, but in actuality it's really short. It took 40 years for me to do damage but it will probably only take me a year to rebuild how can one complain. The human body is clearly the most amazing machine ever created and will never take it for granted again.
Thanks for watching & commenting. Good luck!
Just had my fourth stent installed, third time in cath lab and the routine that follows. I’ve been so keen to get back into the gym everytime. I even take my dumbbells with me when we take a road trip. I’ll be 60 soon, so those of you sitting on the couch please get up and move. No point in letting the fear rule you. There is so much helpful free information on you tube. Also, try to maintain a connection with your cardiologist. Cheers,💪🤙
Just had 5 stents , it's good to hear inspiring stories like your's.
Really appreciate you sharing your story! On June 29th, 2020 I was doing squats at the gym, I actually felt great that day and just finished my second set and got ready for my 3rd set when my wife had finished her set and needed some advice. I was rested and hadn't even broke a sweat when i felt a major pain in my neck, started to sweat heavy and next thing I know I'm on my back at the ER and they tell me I'm having a major heart attack. (100% blockage) I'm 50 yrs old and normally in really good shape, so it was a shocker for me. I'm working out again but I was nervous about if I should and how much should I push my body. I hope you are doing great, you live a long and happy life. God bless brother
Thank you so much for sharing your story and it's a relief to hear that you've overcome such a scare. Definitely refer to your doctor for advice on how to proceed with training during your recovery! Please keep us updated!
@General Patton how are you feeling now?
So what happened after the surgery? They opened up the artery? How did you recover?
Thank you for this video. I believe you are absolutely correct. I just had a heart attack this past Monday. I was working hard removing cypress knees from my yard. Horrible pain in the chest and down the left arm. Had two stents put in and released from the hospital Wednesday morning around 8am. I absolutely believe my life long desire to train, to be strong, saved my life. I also believe that’s what helped me get released from the hospital less than two days after the heart attack. I shared your video to spread your knowledge.
Thank you so much. We hope you are doing better now - good luck!
I doing really good. Thanks.
@@RandyAusitn Awesome!
@@RandyAusitn amazing. How is your mind? Was it difficult to overcome fear?
I’d like to pretend to be a beast and say I wasn’t scared. I think fear after something like that is healthy. I wanted to stay strong. Just knew that I had to come back slow. Couldn’t go crazy out of the box. My workouts have gotten stronger. I’m happy with my progress. With the progress the fear dissipates.
Hi Nick, I am 41 and had an surprise heart attack last month i.e. end of May-21. I have 2 stents in my body now. Like you, I am also a fitness freak and like to stay fit. But due to this heart attack , I am advised by doctors not to do any workout for 1 month. I am very confused about when to start any physical activity. At this moment, I am feeling more weak as I am idle for more than 2 weeks. Can you give more details about your workout schedule after heart attack, mentioning about in how many days you started walking, running, doing lighter gym workout and heavy gym workout? This will provide me some guidance about how I should go ahead in my life now on. Thanks!!
Thank you Nick! So good to hear this. At 66 I recently had 2 heart-attacks. Have always done sports and worked out. But very high stress caused scarring in the arterial walls, allowing for cholesterol/calcium to build up. Interestingly, not everyone with a high cholesterol level has major buildup. Question: Are you on a statin? Statins can destroy muscle. You seem okay though. Thanks again.
Thanks for responding. Won't share his medical situation now / what he's taking, but he's doing well!
Thanks for sharing!
Inspiring story. 8 weeks ago I suffered a heart attack, which required triple bypass surgery. I've lifted since I was in my early teens and am 63yo now. I hope to get under a bar again at some point, but with my sternum having to be opened up, not sure when lifting again will be possible. In any event, glad everything is looking up for you and thank you for sharing your story.
Hi there! Thank you so much for sharing your story. How is your recovery going?
im glad ive seen this it has given me hope, im only 17 and i had had a heart attack not like you but from myopericarditis i hope to be cleared to train soon. Thankyou for the hope
Good luck!
41 male here, did not have any symptoms and found that 2 of my arteries were blocked 100%. Have placed stent on one and waiting for the date for the next one. I've been training for 13 years. But should admit I was bad on diet. Where I bought protein cooked from outside and too many fried things. Not to mention 7-8 eggs a day (half of them with the yellow). Now I've been placed on almost a veggie diet. Lost most of my muscles. My cardiologist is against weight training. Though I believe he misunderstands weight training to what he sees in gym. I have been doing body weight exercises, well within the point of failure. My blood work looks amazing with little LDL (which has not been the case for more than a decade). Overall, I think I can get back to what I was doing before in the gym, albeit at a controlled pace.
That's awesome - good job.
2 arteries blocked at 100%? Omg. What happened. How did you get this fixed?
@@billdublewhopper3064 stented the other one too last month. They still couldn’t fix some minor artery blocks, but my ecg came out alright. It seems in my case it’s mostly genetics. I should have taken cholestrol control pills
@@billdublewhopper3064 Medical treatment and some type of luck. He's doing well!
@@abominusrex3205 what started you down the path to look at your arteries and see a cardiologist?
Had a heart attack march 26th of this year at 31 years old. 78% blockage of the left anterior descending artery had one stent put in. Yesterday I was given a full clearance from the doctor today I was back in the gym wasted no time went light but not to light felt good to be back. Little to no damage to the heart tissue I got lucky. Everyone is different be clear with your doc and always lift safe don't push to hard lift smarter and hope you all the best. Stay strong and stay healthy.
Good luck! Thanks for sharing!
Brother of your Hindi language person , I’ll suggest you a RUclips channel you must follow his guidence
Bro, I am bhasky from India living in SFO, last year March 13th I had severe chest pain and I couldn't walk to hospital which was 2 blocks away. I had a heart attack and I had an emergency surgery with 1 Stent of angioplasty. I am age 31 when it happened. I was so scared and took me 3 months to accept myself and my new condition. I went through the same process that you went through. It's been 1 year now. Waiting to do what you doing right now.
Thanks for sharing your story! We're glad you're doing better.
Two open heart surgeries within five year at 40. No heart attack, born with bicuspid aortic valve, not found until car accident at 38. Now have mechanical valve and mesh around my aorta. It is very hard to not be as strong as once was and can be discouraging having a weight limit on my lifting. Its light! But Arnold said once ,every minute you're not lifting or exercising the other guy is. SO... I use that in my own way to remember to get it in! Now i exercise with weights every second day (bro splits essentialy) and never stop moving need to be satisfied with that.
Its a weird adjustment from being a "young guy" that can do anything to thinking " i shouldn't pick that up its to heavy".
Thanks for sharing! Good luck.
Thank you for this helpful video. I've recently had 6 stents fitted after a heart attack, I've just started walking around 2 to 3 mile a day, it's tough and a bit scary tbh, I used to power walk 10 to 12 mile a day, watching this video has given me hope to get fully fit again. Thank you from the UK.
Thank you for sharing your story! We wish you the best of luck.
I’m afraid,used to do 300 pushups a day,did 50 today,felt pain,infected with fear it seems.afraid to cough,go more than 1000 metres from home.heart attack 9 days ago,3 stents put in 2 days later.I’m broken...
Thanks mate I needed this
Hope it helped.
I am from India particularly from south India and my family history shows I'm prone to a heart attack, so I have got regular routine of brisk walking in my Treadmill from 2004, and cycling etc but in recent days due to big exigencies in job I lost my regular routine of work out at my jogger ,cycle etc work pressure resulted in untimely food, some food poisoning resulted in a vomiting and diarrhea but once I vomitted it was a pool of blood, got dizzy and sinking I waited for a day unknowingly as the case is internal hemorrhage, but next day I was admitted to Gastero enterologist and he performed on spot endoscopic non invasive procedures to tie up with elastic bands to stop bleeding, but after recovery he prescribed a tablet to decrease my blood pressure, which he prescribed for a lifetime, I am ashamed of my situation , but your video helps me to understand that more and I can manage to have my regular workout schedule back and improve my life
Thanks for your kind words and example
Good luck and thanks for sharing.
You are a strong guy.Wish you a healthy and happy life.
I started training at 15 and kept it up until my heart attack at 65. I didn't even know I had a heart attack. I think if I hadn't put in the time at the gym I would be in a care home right now.
Thanks for sharing!
Great words of advice this will help my recovery at 72 I still want to get stronger after the heart gave me some problems.
Thank you!
Congrats on your recovery. You're a true warrior bro
i had a heart attack 2 years ago and I'm afraid to work out with weights or push myself to workout hard..but i have lost 63 lbs
Sounds like you're doing lots of good things. If you start lifting weights, start easy.
I’m 52 and had a HA and stents on Oct 27 2020 while doing Dumbbell rows at home. I lost 28 pounds of muscle that took decades of build. It’s a little over 4 months now and I’m back working out regularly albeit lite weights and high reps. I have been warned not to go heavy (forever) which is disappointing but understandable and I’ve accepted this. I am going to gain some of that muscle back! Thanks for this video.
Thanks for sharing.
It's about getting better and stronger and healthier and doing the best you can. We wish you the best, and it sounds like you've got the right attitude. Keep us posted!
Any update on your training?
So glad I found your videos. A little over a year ago I had a heart attack at work training on the fire ground. I am a fireman and I thought I was immortal. Now I’m very cautious about working out like I did. But here I go!!!!!!! Looking forward to more videos
Thanks for sharing, and thanks for your service as a fireman.
Glad to hear you turned out well. How have you been since?
Great video ....i to had two heart attack.. Things never returned to normal.. ... What foods are you avoiding . Thanks
Nutrition can get complicated (or not). You're looking for appropriate quantity & quality.
Quality is generally going to mean less processed. There is some disagreement here, but veggies, meats, fruits, dairy, grains. Want more protein, fiber.
One heuristic (not perfect) but it's getting items in the outside of the grocery store, not the inside.
Excellent words , just had op, 5 days later , feel excellent
Hope you heal up...good luck!
Hey, I had a HA on 16th Feb2024, And I was a gym goer. Please, advise when should I restart WL, I had one stent in my main artery. Also, little scared to go for WL.
We're sorry, but we can't give out medical advice. This is where finding a coach and doctor is super helpful. We do find that in general it is good to start easy - weightlifting doesn't have to be heavy squats. It might be some easy air squats first, some light dumbbell work, etc.
Thanks for revert reply, though I started lifting light weights!
Is Nick still with you?
@@kakashiwithdrip332 Yes, still works for us.
glad to hear!
@BarbellLogic When did you restart lifting? I tried to restart a novice 5x5 program with a MWF cadence...got through the Mon workout fine....but when i tried the Wed workout it felt like my ❤ was about to jump out my chest...scared the sh*t outta me. Think I started bk too early.
We did...can't give medical advice, but definitely take it easy as you get back into lifting and listen to your body.
Thank you
Im just 41 I was active as hell I love working out and one morning I was at work I felt weird and went to get the mail and grabbed my chest and felt odd I started to panic I rushed to the guard shack and weeks later I was diagnosed with coronary heart failure and at that moment I felt scared to work out again just like you any words of encouragement Do you have a Facebook
This is one of biggest fears. I love to lift. However, I recently had an abnormal nuclear stress test. Indicated possible blockage on left side of heart. Getting a catheter done tomorrow. Im afraid its bad and I wont be able to lift after recovery. Your video is inspirational. Thank you and I hope you have a long prosperous life!!
Thank you for your kind comment. Good luck.
Jeff what happened after the catheterization? What did they tell you?
I just had my heart attack two days ago. Im home, had a stent put in, and they found congenital issues. Somehow plaque was only on that valve, the messed up one. Now Im terrified. BP is still very good (I always have very low bp). I do smoke, and unfortunately couldnt quit (its been just two days, BUT, I am cutting back, and will stop. Its not the same. It used to calm me down, but now it freaks me out and Im terrified Ill die from just one of them!)
Im 40 and had my heart attack. Had cancer twice, broke my spine twice (took 10 years to go from wheelchair to training again) and now this, so Im not gonna lie. I am reluctant to do anything...but that to me is unacceptable. Im set to call cardio rehab tomorrow and see what will happen.
I know its an old video, but had to ask....
I will say this, Aspirin is in my pocket wherever I go. That will be a must for me. It saved my life and saved me from any myocardial damage,
First & foremost good luck.
You said "had to ask" but I didn't see a question.
If you're a little hesitant to start lifting, that's okay, take it easy.
@@BarbellLogic You know, youre right. I got so down writting it all (its the reason I didnt try to redo VA disability stuff. I hate being reminded of my shortcomings, and why I started lifting hard). So the question is if I can return to where I was, and how long until you were lifting again?
Thanks for answering. I didnt expect it, but I appreciate it. In fact Im blown away by the support lots of people have shown. There is still good out there.
@@RipRoaringGarage There definitely is still good out there.
Depends what you mean by lifting. What can you do right now? Can you go for walks? Can you do some light bodyweight squats or push-ups? Just do something light & easy to begin the habit of exercise - the intensity can go up.
I recently had a tachycardia like symptom after overdosing on salbutamol (inhalers) doctor said its not a heart attack but a warning sign. Nevertheless i was advised to not lift, had about 2 year under my belt at that time. Took medication and time off and about another 2 years later im starting off again with light calisthenics ( whenever i exercise it makes my heart feel tight, so i kept my distance from weights for now) but i am doing something and that counts. Today i came across ur video n it really gave me more motivation to keep going and for that god bless u sir.
Thanks for sharing!!! Good luck
2 months ago I hard a heart attack. 100% blockage in my right artery. Im 47 years old. I had 1 stent placed. Im currently half way through cardio rehab. I'm wondering if it any point it'll be safe for me to lift weights in the gym?
There is reason for hope, but we can't give medical advice. It sounds like you're on the path to recovery.
Great video. BTW does nick have spinal curvature?