No more heavy lifting

Bigger Stronger Leaner
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So, my doctor found something with my heart and just told me that I can’t lift heavy anymore. Been doing 531 a long time, had a break and came back to the gym and been doing Greyskull lp to get back to my numbers. Well, I crushed my old estimated numbers.

So, now I’m pretty pissed as I love lifting heavy and watch does numbers go up. But as I wrote first. Doctor told me to quit the heavy lifting as it drives my blood pressure to much.

Any suggestions on a 3x10 muscle building program that’s good? As the doctor told me, I can keep on lifting as long as it’s in the 10-12 rep range. Guess I’m changing strength for size now.

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Get a new doctor.

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This^

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Yeah, that was my first thought, but what I’ve read on my heart thing, I can understand that everything that drives my blood pressure up more than it is, is a big no not.

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Your situation may be this case, unfortunately, but it reminds me of when I got into lifting in my late thirties after getting very out of shape.

Rippetoe said, “If lifting heavy will kill you, you were going to die anyway.”

So i got life insurance incase it did to take care of kids, and then went balls to the wall.

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Well I’m sticking with your doctor’s instructions, just start training bodybuilding style. Serge Nubret’s style of training sounds perfect for your situation.

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I take it you’re hypertensive? How’s your aerobic fitness and body composition?

Training-wise, I second the Serge Nubret suggestion. The 1x20 protocol, myo-rep method and/or Gironda training protocols would suit quite well also

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Can we get more specific than “something”?

Most doctor’s advice to not lift heavy is coming from a place of lawsuit prevention - not from a place of your own well being.

To answer your question, I’d recommend the book Training Principles by Jordan Peters and Corinne Ingman.

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Me too. No need to risk an aortic disection or other serious injuries to the heart that “my bad” simply does not cover.

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What exactly did the Doctor find???

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Also sticking with the doc’s advice, I’d recommend using movements that are a little less familiar (and less axial loading) to you as well. The major issue is typically with Valsalva maneuver driving blood pressure sky-high. You’re likely to do that with a squat at 3x10 as well as 3x3, because you’re so used to it. Maybe belt squats, leg presses, leg extensions you could do sets of 15-20 and breathe through.

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That seems odd. I would think that the doctor would restrict the maximum weight that you lifted and not just change to a 10 to 12 Rep limit. I believe that I would drive my blood pressure high doing a 10 rep maximum effort. As I would approach failure my blood pressure would rise every additional rep. I would likely be longer in a high blood zone doing 10 rep maxes than doing single maxes.

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Yeah, I don’t see this as a rep range thing. I see this as “no HARD lifting”. If you do a set of 2 with 30% of your 1rm, you’re not going to elevate your blood pressure, whereas doing a 20 rep set of Super Squats absolutely will.

In that regard, I feel like this would be an excellent time to employ Dan John’s “Easy Strength for Fat Loss”. Are the reps going to be 5 or less? Yeah. Are you going to elevate your blood pressure? No.

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I would deffonayelu be trying to get my blood pressure down at that point too lol. Any means possible.

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I’m inclined to ask at this point: when you type, are you, by chance, covered in bees?

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Dpiders

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That’s what I thought was particularly appropriate about Serge’s training here. It’s like 6-8 sets of 12 reps per exercise with roughly your 20 rep max with rest periods of about 45 seconds. Definitely shouldn’t involve any valsalva maneuvers!

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This is objectively a hysterical response and I’m upset no one else has acknowledged that

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I just read his posts in a french accent and it sounds perfect.

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So, I’ve read all your post and will check out does programs.
Anyhow, the heart thing is called bicuspid aortic valve.
And yes, I have checked with 2 doctors. One say no restrictions, go ahead and train, it’s good for you.
The heart doctor say no heavy lifting. Do light weight, 10-12 reps.

Got a message from doctor number one that wants to see me on the 17th. So, I will see what he has to say, and during that time I’m checking my blood pressure daily (doctors orders) and reading up on the programs you guys wrote.

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