Tips from a Cardiologist

Murf2 said:
Great work but I'm a little confused. If you mow an hour a day, what amount would that get done, a half an acre?

So are you mowing everyday and continually rotating through your acreage?

I like to mow but dang, you got heck of a hobby going on there!

Murf
Click to expand...

Actually, I get about 1/3 acre done per day. We have snags and rocks to watch out for. I spiral outward from the house beyond a fire-safe distance, and rotate as the grass grows back. Luckily, we have irrigation water from the county, so during the summer, I water the day before. I call it reductive art...haha!
 
antmary said:
Actually, I get about 1/3 acre done per day. We have snags and rocks to watch out for. I spiral outward from the house beyond a fire-safe distance, and rotate as the grass grows back. Luckily, we have irrigation water from the county, so during the summer, I water the day before. I call it reductive art...haha!
Click to expand...

So you are the one making crop circles!
 
redduck said:
Below is from the original newspaper article:

...5.) Slow walking is a harbinger of death in middle and old age.
You might want to pick up the pace the next time you go for a walk.
"We now realize that even somebody's walking speed is a good index of their overall health," Franklin said. "Several studies have now shown that if middle age and older adults in their day-to-day activities walk at less than 2 miles an hour, we say that's a harbinger of the approaching grim reaper, the personification of death...
Click to expand...
They might be studying the wrong things. DW and I used to be fast walkers. Then falls and other health issues have forced us to slow down in 15 years of active retirement.
 
There is a reason that animals have 4 legs and don't walk on two legs: It is much more stable. I was out in the mountains hauling around a 25-30 pound pack AND using trekking poles. Those poles really made backpacking a lot easier for a few reasons:
1. Almost always a 3-point stance, so very stable.
2. Didn't have to watch the trail so much, so I could see the bears before they saw me.
3. Helpful on the knees going both up and down hills and rock climbs/stairs.
4. Trekking poles look way more cool than canes, too.

Frankly, I am surprised I don't see more folks with trekking poles just walking around the neighborhood.
 
LOL! said:
Frankly, I am surprised I don't see more folks with trekking poles just walking around the neighborhood.
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Seeing more and more of it right in the city.

We use them for hiking all the time. Huge help. I've heard some "macho" talk on the trails about them (in a negative way), which may be part of the resistance to the idea. However, over the last decade, that seems to be fading.
 
LOL! said:
Frankly, I am surprised I don't see more folks with trekking poles just walking around the neighborhood.
Click to expand...

I see someone using them frequently. Probably at least once or twice a week. They're relatively common around here and it's a long way to the nearest mountain.
 
DW and our group of hiking friends all use trekking poles and never hike without them. I’ve been using a single hiking stick. Very helpful on hilly terrain.
 
LOL! said:
Frankly, I am surprised I don't see more folks with trekking poles just walking around the neighborhood.
Click to expand...


Around our neighborhood, most people who walk with assistance are pushing walkers! :D (55+ age requirement community)
 
I live in a hilly neighborhood, and some of the hills are on the steeper side. So, yes, I do see people with treking poles and hiking sticks from time to time. Hey, if using a treking pole can keep one off the surgeon's operating table for a few more years, why not?
 
OTOH,
I once complimented an older gentleman on his beautifully carved wooden cane while sitting next to him in Fourbucks. He glared at me and said "It's a trekking pole. Why can't people understand that?"

It was clearly a cane, just not in his mind. :LOL:
 
People using trekking poles are a real hassle on the crowded sidewalks of a central city. That is what canes are for. Before I got my hip done, I had to transfer a lot of weight to my cane by leaning into it. Well meaning friends who thought canes were de trop suggested trekking poles as a more stylish alternative, but if the walker needs support beyond balance help, trekking poles aren't much good. Two canes would work better, or crutches. There are very well designed crutches, but they do not carry the positive athletic message of poles. They are clearly in response to a physical issue.

I notice that strong looking homeless guys using packs rather than grocery carts tend to use one heavy staff, usually of some strong local wood. My guess is that these are helpful for walking, and also for defense from dogs, humans, large rats and other troublemakers

Ha.
 
The straps and weight are one of the big appeals of trekking poles for me. I've cross-country skied quite a lot and the whole strap thing is important there and with a trekking pole, too.

I gather from a few youtube videos that a few folks don't understand the purpose of the straps. Canes and sticks are almost always strapless which makes them less useful. With a strap used in the proper way one doesn't need any grip strength to put full weight on a trekking pole. One can also put rubber tips on a trekking pole so that the carbide tips are not stabbing the concrete nor floors.
 
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LOL! said:
The straps and weight are one of the big appeals of trekking poles for me. I've cross-country skied quite a lot and the whole strap thing is important there and with a trekking pole, too.

I gather from a few youtube videos that a few folks don't understand the purpose of the straps. Canes and sticks are almost always strapless which makes them less useful. With a strap used in the proper way one doesn't need any grip strength to put full weight on a trekking pole. One can also put rubber tips on a trekking pole so that the carbide tips are not stabbing the concrete nor floors.
Click to expand...

Aside from the grip strength thing, the flat straps of the poles allow you a certain swinging pivot point to help place them. With momentum, they start doing much of the work of positioning them. It becomes nearly effortless.
 
What I learned from my appointment

jabbahop said:
I have an appointment with these cardiologists at mass general in Boston in a month.

https://www.massgeneral.org/heartcenter/services/treatmentprograms.aspx?id=1364

I have a couple of heart issues (aneurysm and Tachycardia) and am a cyclist trying to train well and safely.

My cardiologist says they are leaders for athletes with cardiac issues so will report back on what they recommend.
Click to expand...

I had my appointment yesterday @ Mass General’s Cardiavascular Performance program. They work with lots of pro and Olympic caliber athletes (cyclists, runners, soccer and hockey players) so I felt I was working with experts though I operate at a completely level of exercise.

What I learned might be of interest to a pretty narrow group because their recommendations were regarding my thoracic aorta aneurism vs more common heart issues.

4 years ago I was diagnosed with an aneurysm of the ascending aorta (main one exiting the heart). To protect the aorta from further expansion/rupture, my cardiologist had suggested that I limit my both high intensity training (above 150 bpm/88% of max HR) and lifting heavy weights because both can increase blood pressure during exercise.

At Mass General

- Two doctors/researchers spent over an hour with me (not including the time with the tech while I was doing the Max exercise stress test on a bike.
- The stress test showed my blood pressure response to max exercise was normal.
- Despite having ridden more hours than prior to diagnosis (10 hours/week) the test showed that I am “untrained” compared to prior to heart issue based on V02 Max and Aerobic/Anaerobic threshold levels.

- They believe that my lack of conditioning is probably due to lack of high intensity efforts in my training since I have always responded better to high intensity exercise than to longer training at low/moderate levels.
- They recommend I add back high intensity intervals (still avoiding max sprints/max weight lifts) and see if I have any negative symptoms or changes to my annual measurements of aneurysm.

In doing some reading last night. Apparently some people require higher intensity work to get the same fitness adaptations that others can get more quickly and at a lower intensity. I suspect I am one of those people as my 20 min power on the bike is down 30% despite riding as much or more than before.

I am excited to hear I can go back to most of my old training and have a chance to regain some of my old fitness. It has been frustrating to not be able to keep up with my friends on group rides for the past few years.
 
jabbahop said:
I had my appointment yesterday @ Mass General’s Cardiavascular Performance program. They work with lots of pro and Olympic caliber athletes (cyclists, runners, soccer and hockey players) so I felt I was working with experts though I operate at a completely level of exercise.



What I learned might be of interest to a pretty narrow group because their recommendations were regarding my thoracic aorta aneurism vs more common heart issues.



4 years ago I was diagnosed with an aneurysm of the ascending aorta (main one exiting the heart). To protect the aorta from further expansion/rupture, my cardiologist had suggested that I limit my both high intensity training (above 150 bpm/88% of max HR) and lifting heavy weights because both can increase blood pressure during exercise.



At Mass General



- Two doctors/researchers spent over an hour with me (not including the time with the tech while I was doing the Max exercise stress test on a bike.

- The stress test showed my blood pressure response to max exercise was normal.

- Despite having ridden more hours than prior to diagnosis (10 hours/week) the test showed that I am “untrained” compared to prior to heart issue based on V02 Max and Aerobic/Anaerobic threshold levels.



- They believe that my lack of conditioning is probably due to lack of high intensity efforts in my training since I have always responded better to high intensity exercise than to longer training at low/moderate levels.

- They recommend I add back high intensity intervals (still avoiding max sprints/max weight lifts) and see if I have any negative symptoms or changes to my annual measurements of aneurysm.



In doing some reading last night. Apparently some people require higher intensity work to get the same fitness adaptations that others can get more quickly and at a lower intensity. I suspect I am one of those people as my 20 min power on the bike is down 30% despite riding as much or more than before.



I am excited to hear I can go back to most of my old training and have a chance to regain some of my old fitness. It has been frustrating to not be able to keep up with my friends on group rides for the past few years.
Click to expand...



Do you have an old VO2 Max and a new VO2 Max score to compare? I only ask because I notice mine changing depending on high intensity training.
 
Thanks for everyone's comments. I find it all very interesting. 66 year old female here. 5'2" tall. Retired desk-jockey, never an athlete. Since retirement I walk 3 miles most mornings on the treadmill. 1% incline. Usually 45 - 48 minutes. So I'm doing about 3.8 - 4.0 miles per hour. I often "stroll" another mile or two later in the day. Sometimes outside with hubby, sometimes on treadmill lazily watching the evening news. Seems like it's better for me than just sitting for that amount of time !!!
 
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