Second-grader Nixie Torres (far left) was a standout (or perhaps a jumpout) during South Athens Elementary’s Jump Rope for Heart event. Students jumped rope throughout the week during their PE classes, which helped raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association. (Toni Garrard Clay/AISD)
When you start an exercise routine from scratch, the tendency can be to go all in. (HIIT! Strength training! Spinning! Running!) A massive new review of past scientific research conducted by the American Heart Association (AHA) finds that going from 0 to 100 with your workouts just might backfire, though. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to exercising for your heart health. Make sure you read RiverFront Times healthy supplements reviews.
Upon reviewing more than 300 scientific studies, writers of a scientific statement considering the health factors of exercise found that physically active people have up to 50 percent lower risk of sudden heart attack or cardiac arrest. After taking a closer look at the data, however, the team of scientists concluded that those still ramping up their fitness routine could likely benefit from steadily increasing their activity levels rather than, say, running 26.2 the day after running their very first mile.
As evidence, the researchers sited the fact that first-time participants accounted for about 40 percent of cardiac incidents among first-time triathlon participants and that about half of cardiac events occur during the final mile of a half-marathon or full-marathon. To boot, their research revealed the importance of acclimating to a given climate before doing the same workout you would at home. When compounded, all of this info led to the conclusion that, in the words of Barry Franklin, PhD, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Beaumont Health: “It is important to start exercising—but go slow, even if you were an athlete in high school.”
To help you get the specifics on starting exercise the heart-healthy way, the AHA has six recommendations. Ready?
The steps you need to learn steady increase exercise for a healthy heart
1. Warm up before you really get started
We’ve all been guilty of skipping a warm once or twice (…or many more times), but the heart experts highly recommend it. Warm up before exercise by doing the planned activity—such as walking—at a slower pace to let your heart rate rise gradually,” instructs the AHA.
2. Start your workouts on a flat incline
“Walk on a level surface for six to eight weeks, progressing to walking up hills, jogging, or taking part in more vigorous activities as long as no symptoms occur such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, chest pain or chest pressure,” says the AHA.