To Heal a Heart, Train Harder

By Filed under Science and Other News on July 5, 2011 with 4 comments

Traditionally, heart patients were encouraged to begin slowly and work up to more strenuous activity. New research suggests rigorous workouts benefit heart patients.  According to The Wall Street Journal:

Some scientists and clinics are backing the use of high-intensity interval training, which involves short spurts of intense exercise at 85% to 95% of maximum heart rate alternating with periods of moderate exercise. Heart patients have traditionally built up fitness with steady sessions of aerobic exercise aimed at keeping the heart beating at about 70% of its maximum rate. That’s meant to give the heart a workout without risking chest pain or a cardiac event.

Whew!

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Comments (4)

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  1. Devon Herrick says:
    July 5, 2011 at 10:47 am

    I recently read that workouts involving intermittent periods of intense exercise and moderate exercise – alternating between a few minutes of strenuous activity to a few minutes of moderate activity — is idea for everyone.

  2. Bruce says:
    July 5, 2011 at 11:35 am

    Looks way too strenuous.

  3. Brian Williams. says:
    July 5, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    I agree with Bruce. The bright red and orange chart must look daunting to a heart patient.

  4. Virginia says:
    July 5, 2011 at 4:53 pm

    Good old fashioned exercise does the trick? This is not the best news that I have heard today.