I have worked out at home, then at various clubs, on and off since I was in junior high. I’m not a big guy so getting stronger was my main incentive. As with most people, I learned from observation, and tips from other people, how to do sets and reps. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that I was going to be prone to clogged arteries, and in 1992 suffer my first heart attack at age 44. A year and a half later came the second one, which damaged the heart muscle and necessitated my triple by-pass. I didn’t learn until much later, that about half my heart function was negated at that time.
The years passed, I still worked out fairly regularly, and after moving to Orange County in 1997, I joined LA Fitness. I believe it was the late 90’s that I worked out with a personal trainer for several months at LA Fitness, then worked out on my own again. I moved in 2002 and started going to my current LA Fitness club in Yorba Linda, CA.
In 2004 however, I got a stent procedure and six months later, I got another stent procedure. I never stopped working out. In 2010, I had my third stent procedure, and in 2014 I had my third heart attack. Now, I can tell you this, I looked pretty good for someone having all these heart problems. Kind of begs the question, how has working out helped?
I would say this, make your body do some work and put in some effort. It can become way too easy to beg off doing anything because it takes too much effort or time. But choosing to do nothing kind of leads you to the “out of time”. I’ve made going to the gym the same as when I worked, I may not always want to go, but I NEED to go.
The day I was being released, my heart doctor came in and told me I was very fortunate. He told me that because of the many years I had been working out, my body created a maze of collateral arteries around my heart. He also told me that for about any average person, they would not have survived the heart attack I had, leaving me with one functioning artery. Unlike a lot of people, I eat OK. However, I’m not exactly the poster boy for how to eat; so I work out 5 to 6 days a week. Although I don’t lift as heavy, I do more reps and sets with lighter weights and better form.
A couple of years ago, I worked out with two other trainers from LA Fitness, just to kind of dial in a more effective weight lifting routine and I accomplished that. At this point in time, my goal is to maintain good muscle tone. I’m not going to recapture the energy and endurance I once had, but doing something is way better than doing nothing.
It pretty much boils down to this, do what you can as much as you can, and do it safely and sensible. I’m 70 now. The clock won’t roll back, but I can try to keep it from rolling over me. All in all, it IS worth the effort.
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Disclaimer: Some slight adjustments have been made to the member’s story for grammatical reasons, length, and/or clarity.
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