FITNESS BUFFS: lose heart, shy away from gyms

Kumaran P.

Renuka Neelag- andan has been doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for over two years now and recently accomplished a 90 kilo deadlift. However, the sudden and untimely demise of Puneeth Rajkumar, whose penchant for extreme fitness training is well-known, has made the otherwise moti- vated Renuka very apprehen- sive.

“The recent event came as a shock,” she says. “Now, I’m wary of carrying on with heavy workouts. However, I am sure that with some guid- ance from my doctors, I will be able to continue my HIITs without any fear. Regular health check ups and eight hours of quality sleep every night are essential for those in training.” She is more optimistic about her workouts than many others. After word spread about the Power Star suffering a cardiac arrest during a workout, gyms have witnessed a sudden spate of cancellations by their members. Karnataka Health Min- ister, Dr. K. Sudhakar says authorities are being bom- barded with questions from now-wary gymmers. In light of this, the government will issue a series of guidelines for gyms, with inputs from renowned cardiologists like Dr Devi Shetty, Dr CN Manju- nath, Dr Rangadhama and Dr Vivek Jawali.

The tragedy has put gym owners and trainers in a fix. “After Puneeth’s death, peo- ple are requesting the cancel- lation of their gym member- ships. There are two months left in the year and they want those amounts refunded. They might be medically fit but they are still afraid,” said a Bengaluru trainer, on condition of anonymity. “Out of 27 annual memberships, 12 have approached us seek- ing cancellations. We do our best to educate and support them,” he added. According to Susenpha Buragohain, Founder and fitness coach at Third Eye Fitbox, “I have clients who have been into high intensity workouts for years and are doing just fine. However, those who work out inten- sively should keep a sharp eye on other lifestyle param- eters. A person who spends two hours every morning in the gym but has an irregular sleep cycle, or doesn’t follow the right diet will definitely suffer the consequences after a period of time,” he explains. Buragohain recom- mends that people monitor their heart rate during their strength and weight training. “Sudden deaths happening in gyms should not be judged in isolation or measured solely by stress induced during heavy workouts. The overall health condition needs to be monitored as well. Intensity is a subjective thing - 10 push- ups can be light exercise to some in advanced training and a high intensity workout for a beginner.” Workouts, he explains, are scaled up or down depending on the level of the person at- tempting them.

An advanced athlete can do 100 burpees, 50 will work at the intermediate level and for a beginner, even 10 burpees can be intense. “Exercise does not lead to death. The right exercise to keep one’s mind and body healthy should be a focus during the pandemic to boost immunity.” Agreeing with the govern- ment’s proposed guidelines, Dr Sunil Dwivedi, a consul- tant cardiologist at Vikram Hospitals, says, “All gyms should be equipped with Automated External Defibril- lators and the staff trained to provide basic life support and CPR.” About 150 minutes of exercise per week is ample to maintain a healthy heart, according to the American Heart Association. “Exer- cise promotes heart health, that is known. However, it is only one aspect of a multi-pronged approach towards maintaining a healthy heart. Avoid smok- ing, manage stress, follow a heart-healthy diet, get quality sleep, maintain the ideal weight and get regu- lar health screenings,” Dr Dwivedi explains.

Dr Karthik Vasudevan, Senior Consultant in Interventional Cardiology at Columbia Asia Hospital, says high-intensity exercise can acutely increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest or even cardiac death in individuals with underlying heart disease. “Those with a strong family history of heart disease, sudden car- diac death or with multiple risk factors like diabetes, hypertension and those who smoke should consult a cardiologist for a fitness evaluation before starting an exercise program.” Men who are older than 40 and women above the age of fifty should get an exercise test before they begin extreme exercise regimens in the gym, he added.