Pump iron to help that heart pump!

The American Heart Association (AHA) says weight lifting or resistance training, is beneficial for patients with heart disease provided it is safely performed and certain guidelines are adhered to.

The AHA says just as people with heart disease benefit from aerobic exercise, resistance training too not only enhances the benefits of aerobic fitness, but it also appears to provide the extra benefit of increased functional capacity and independence.

Dr. Mark A. Williams, chair of the AHA writing group, says moderate weight training also has significant benefits as it helps people better perform tasks of daily living.

Dr. Williams, from Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, says resistance training is also associated with improvements in quality of life and reduced disability in people with and without heart disease.

The AHA report considers the impact that resistance training has on the structure and function of the heart and how it modifies known risk factors for heart disease and it also shows doctors how to evaluate potential candidates for resistance training and gives details of initial training recommendations which include:

• Exercises performed in a rhythmical manner at moderate to slow speed

• Exhaling during the exertion phase of weight lifting and inhaling during the relaxation phase to avoid breath-holding and straining.

• Alternating between upper and lower-body training to achieve adequate rest periods between exercises.

The AHA says for people with cardiovascular disease, the level of resistance should be reduced and number of repetitions increased; single sets should provide almost the same improvement in muscular strength at first and are also easier to stick to.

The report also describes the appropriate resistance or weight load for patients starting resistance training, such as ensuring the initial load allows healthy sedentary adults to perform 8 to 12 repetitions per set.

Dr. Williams says the early stage of training must allow time for the muscles to adapt and time to practice good technique, thus reducing the potential for excessive muscle soreness and injury

The heart benefits of weight training include increased muscle mass which can help in weight control.

The report is published in the current issue of Circulation.