Strength training after open heart surgery?

[crete]

Hey bobman, Thanks for sharing that with me. gives me reinforcement to continue training. How long ago did you have the surgery?

[Kip Tozzi]

Greetings. I just had Triple Bypass 2 weeks ago after suffering a heart attack. My sternum hurts pretty bad still and I'm having a hard time thinking I will be lifting anything light anytime soon. My surgeon said the repair was sucessful, with minimal damage to my heart. I'm 63 years old and weigh 230. How soon would one expect to start back lifting light again? Thank you

[J. Killmond]

Dear crete, bobman and Kip,

I find you courageous and inspiring--thanks for sharing!

[crete]

Bobman, i waited 1 long year before i started training, but i would get others opinions on when to start my friend
Thanks for the kind words j killmond

[bobman]

Hey bobman, Thanks for sharing that with me. gives me reinforcement to continue training. How long ago did you have the surgery?

About 5 years ago
I didn’t train for about 16 months after the surgery.
No pain but I had a problem with becoming easily breathless, which no one could explain, it gradually went away. I was also cautious about making sure my sternum was totally healed

I ended up with a incisional hernia at the bottom of my scar so I lift with two belts one to hold that in and one on my waist

Lol looks funny but it keeps it from popping

I worked up to a 400 lb squat for a triple about 4 months ago but life has my training screwed up lately and I haven’t trained for the last couple months

At least that’s my lazy excuse

I just started training again this week so I’m easing back into it

I’m pretty strong for an old fart, I guess, and don’t worry about my fake valve

I’ll never set a Lifetime PR again and don’t care

I just enjoy lifting and do it so I can do the other things I enjoy

My advice is put it out of your mind and just train.

[crete]

Bobman,
That's the best advice yet ,'' Put it out of your mind and train".
What's really impressive is that400 lb squat my man .
I'm not there yet but getting close
I'm glad your training again gotta keep going .Keep in touch

[amangi]

All i've been hearing is to take it easy. Don't want to . Appreciate the advice. Train away ,i will

Rip asked me to do a podcast with him around 18 months ago on the issue of training after cardiac surgery. For what its worth, here are my thoughts:

@CRETE:
1. Why did you develop an aneurysm - high blood pressure, aortic valve problem, or a genetic process?
2. If the aneurysm in the ascending aorta was completely resected and replaced, do you have aneurysms anywhere else? If no, you should have a CT scan to check it out.
3. Were you training before you developed the aneurysm? If not, start with the bar and build your way up.

@BOBMAN:
Hell yeah man. Thats all I can say. More power to you. With replacement of the root, valve, ascending and arch, you are considered cured of the bicuspid valve and attendant aortic disease. Lift away.

@KIP:
You've got to give the breast-bone at least 6-8 weeks to heal up. Its like any broken bone. After that, get a stress test or echo to see what you heart looks like. After that, do cardiac rehab. Its not perfect, but it will give you a sense for what getting your heart rate up after the operation "feels" like. Then start training. Just body weight squats, then the bar, and then a straightforward gradual LP. Its a marathon, not a race.

Hope its helpful.

abeel.mangi@yale.edu if you have questions you dont wanna air on here...

[Mark Rippetoe]

Thanks for your time, Abeel.

[Kip Tozzi]

Abeel, thank you very much for the info. I have both a stress test and echo scheduled in about 5 weeks. Its encouraging to know something that has been apart of my life since my teenage years will continue on into the future. Thank you again.

[crete]

[QUOTE=Kip Tozzi;1793580]Abeel, thank you very much for the info. I have both a stress test and echo scheduled in about 5 weeks. Its encouraging to know something that has been apart of my life since my teenage years will continue on into the future. Thank you again.[/QUOT

Hey guys ,
I reached out to the board in November of 2020 about my concern. I had an ascending aortic aneurysm which was repaired with a Dacron graft . This is stitched in to replace my aortic root . The advise was to train away which i did and am still doing . My progress is slow but i'm making progress.The weights are getting heavy (for me ) and i feel tremendous pressure in my chest deadlifting (405) and squatting(335). I'm worried i'm going to blow this graft out ,(its only stitched in there ) . I know you cant give me a definite answer ,but am i pushing the envelope ?This is not my original equipment i'm working with. I'm 57 ,6'3'' 245 been training the starting strength way since March of 2020.

Thank you for listening to my story .I would love to hear what you guys think