I think this is probably a good idea to post and potentially of great benefit to Instructors, but if I see it being linked or pasted elsewhere I'll be asking the ME team to remove it, as it's highly personal.

Some peeps will have gathered I had major surgery a couple of months ago.
Despite a lifetime of activity and high levels of fitness, a hereditory genetic condition caught up with me this year, resulting in a quadrupal heart bypass two months ago.

If anyone has any questions about any of that, then PM me by all means, but I wanted to use this thread for Instructors to see what it is like to 'start from scratch' from an educated point of view as well as explaining the process of Cardio-Rehab.

At risk of being patronising, I feel it is every Instructors duty to ensure their methods are contemporary, or at least evaluated on a regular basis.

Prior to the rehab, I've been walking at least a mile every day come rain, hail or shine.

Cardio Rehabilitation
I attended my first session today.
Sessions are Bi-weekly and of mixed sex/age group, with me being the youngest at 41.

Resting pulse rate is taken at the start of the class first of all (mine was high at 107, probably due to anxiety, as it's normally about 77).
I was asked about my medical history, in particular about the arthrittis in the hips and ruptured acilles tendon.

I was paired off with a nurse for the first class, to ensure I coped and make sure I didn't get carried away, or help if I ran into any difficulty. Also to help monitor my pulse.

The objective is to acheive a pulse rate of 120 or so and maintain that.
Previous discussions on assessment for the class, led to discussion with the physio and it is contemporary opinion, that there is no benefit to pushing the body to the limits.
The safe, training threshold maintained, is the most beneficial.

The class was led in a typical Martial Arts fashion, with a physiotherapist leading from the front and everyone facing.

To music, we started with a March, introducing different arm movements and stepping variations.

After the warmup section, we went on to circuits.
Squats to 90 degrees.
Lateral leg lifts against resistance bands.
Pressups against a wall at 30 degrees (stop sniggering).
Rear leg raises against resistance bands, working the glutes.
Side lunges on and off a low step.
Knee dips.

We then went back into general aerobic work, with very, very light stretching and a long cool down period.

At no point were we allowed to stop, even while standing we were encouraged to wriggle our toes.

My heart rate got to 125, after the cool down it was 113.
I spoke again with the nurse, who was asking how I felt after class.
First time I've been a bit hot n sweaty in three years.
Arthrittis in the hip caused me some trouble, but that's through inactivity and unfamiliar movement patterns.
Generally a bit mortified at being there at all (when do we spar?)
Again a bit anxious, so my pulse was at 115 and they made me sit down, with a pulse monitor.
They'd asked about my sports background, which I explained and I concentrated and brought my pulse down below 100 in about seven seconds, so they let me go.

Back in on Thursday for a slightly different class.

Think on though people, particularly you younger Instructors, teaching older people.
You are probably not trained physio-therapists.
Do you really know what you are expecting of people, or what impact your expectations have?
Are you as professional as you could be.

If i had a time machine, I think I'd go back and introduce the 'buddy' system for new inductee's and I think every Instructor should have a pulse monitor.

C'mon peeps, these things are ridiculously cheap.
You could check how all your students are reaction o training and you might even be able to refer someone into medical care who didn't realise they had a problem.

Think On.

Tune in on Thursday for the next episode of 'Mules Meanderings'

mule Wrote:
My heart rate got to 125, after the cool down it was 113.
I spoke again with the nurse, who was asking how I felt after class.
First time I've been a bit hot n sweaty in three years.
Arthrittis in the hip caused me some trouble, but that's through inactivity and unfamiliar movement patterns.
Generally a bit mortified at being there at all (when do we spar?)
Again a bit anxious, so my pulse was at 115 and they made me sit down, with a pulse monitor.
They'd asked about my sports background, which I explained and I concentrated and brought my pulse down below 100 in about seven seconds, so they let me go.

Would you say that this was a product or your years of MA training, mule? Or have you always been able to exert a reasonable degree of "conscious" control over pulse/heart-rate, respirations, etc? Were the nurses at all surprised by the speed with which you were able to "calm down"?

Well done for coping with all of this buddy! :)

Paris wrote:


Would you say that this was a product or your years of MA training, mule? Or have you always been able to exert a reasonable degree of "conscious" control over pulse/heart-rate, respirations, etc?
No.
I remember being able to do this when I was a kid and we tested pulse rate during a PE class.
Just focus and determination.
I'm not aware of my pulse rate at all unless monitored.


Were the nurses at all surprised by the speed with which you were able to "calm down"?
I think they were concerned that my pulse was so high and just relieved it went down.

mule wrote:
I think this is probably a good idea to post and potentially of great benefit to Instructors, but if I see it being linked or pasted elsewhere I'll be asking the ME team to remove it, as it's highly personal.


Think on though people, particularly you younger Instructors, teaching older people.
You are probably not trained physio-therapists.
Do you really know what you are expecting of people, or what impact your expectations have?
Are you as professional as you could be.

If i had a time machine, I think I'd go back and introduce the 'buddy' system for new inductee's and I think every Instructor should have a pulse monitor.

C'mon peeps, these things are ridiculously cheap.
You could check how all your students are reaction o training and you might even be able to refer someone into medical care who didn't realise they had a problem.

Think On.

Brilliant post Mule! You're absolutely spot on.

My heart rate has always been on the high side, but one of the first (stupid) things I did when I started to get ill, was try to exercise my way out of it - I signed up for an aerobics class. Part-way through that class, we did a pulse-check to see if we were working in optimal range, and it was only then that I realised, I was off the scale not just for my age, but the entire chart! This scared me so much, it formed part of a major wake-up call for me that something really was going on, and I needed to pay more attention to my body.

I regularly have a resting heart rate anywhere between 90-123 bpm. I hope over time, this will improve with training.

I don't know what kind of extra/first aid training MA teachers get, but I presume everyone should have CPR basic training? Also, if anyone trained in CPR before 2005, are you aware of the changes to protocol?


One of the most inspiring things I saw when I spent some time visiting the cardiac ward at hospital, was how quickly physio's would get patients back up on their feet, walking and doing things like stairs and steps.

Hope the rehab it going really well :)

mule wrote:
I think this is probably a good idea to post and potentially of great benefit to Instructors, but if I see it being linked or pasted elsewhere I'll be asking the ME team to remove it, as it's highly personal.

Some peeps will have gathered I had major surgery a couple of months ago.
Despite a lifetime of activity and high levels of fitness, a hereditory genetic condition caught up with me this year, resulting in a quadrupal heart bypass two months ago.
Oh, Mule, I didn't know but am grateful you had the stones to share it with us.


I was paired off with a nurse for the first class, to ensure I coped and make sure I didn't get carried away, or help if I ran into any difficulty....
Yeah, nurses often have that effect on me, too. :)

You know I'm joking, and admire you for posting this at all. :)

After the warmup section, we went on to circuits.
Squats to 90 degrees.
Lateral leg lifts against resistance bands.
Pressups against a wall at 30 degrees (stop sniggering).
Rear leg raises against resistance bands, working the glutes.
Side lunges on and off a low step.
Knee dips.

We then went back into general aerobic work, with very, very light stretching and a long cool down period.
Sounds like a very professionally-structured and well thought out program. Someday I hope to add classes for MA beginners over 40 (and that'll include some over 50, or 60, or...), and such a regimen might be a good starting place. I like your idea of pulse monitors for all, too.


I spoke again with the nurse, who was asking how I felt after class.
First time I've been a bit hot n sweaty in three years.
What aren't you telling us, bud? Again, kidding.

Arthrittis in the hip caused me some trouble, but that's through inactivity and unfamiliar movement patterns.
Generally a bit mortified at being there at all (when do we spar?)
Again a bit anxious, so my pulse was at 115 and they made me sit down, with a pulse monitor.
They'd asked about my sports background, which I explained and I concentrated and brought my pulse down below 100 in about seven seconds, so they let me go.

Back in on Thursday for a slightly different class.
Best wishes and all, but I don't thnk you need it. I sense a lot of grit and determination, which is probably what got you to the top of the MA food chain in the first place. :deepbow:

Also, a good wakeup call for all us instructors, young and not so young.

Hallo mate. I had no idea that you were ill. Thank you for sharing the experience with us. You are talking about a topic that scares me rigid. I my heart plays up I hope I have a little bit of the courage you have shown to us.

Also the advice you are giving is invaluable. I have been off the mat for a while, then only at 50% or below for the last year. My plan was to train like a psycho for a while - I have reevaluated the way forward after reading the above.

Good luck - keep us posted and I really want to meet you one day to shake your hand.

Dave

dave43ish wrote:
Hallo mate. I had no idea that you were ill. Thank you for sharing the experience with us. You are talking about a topic that scares me rigid. I my heart plays up I hope I have a little bit of the courage you have shown to us.
What I'd avise is you ask to be screened by your GP.
Particularly if you have any family history.
If you get blood tests done, don't be fobbed off by the NHS.
Ask for the results.
Ideally, you want Cholesterol levels of under 4 (mine was 8.9).
Do the diet we all dislike, which is to eat colours, by which I mean fruits and veg.
Do drink plenty of water every day to flush your system.
Remove 'triggers' for problems.
Mine was stress, but saturated fats, binge drinking and smoking are all to be avoided like the plague.
3 x 10minute sessions of exercise, getting the heart rate into the 'training zone' five times a week should be considered a minimum.
It's not a bad idea for everyone to be taking 75mg dispersible aspirin every day.

Also the advice you are giving is invaluable. I have been off the mat for a while, then only at 50% or below for the last year. My plan was to train like a psycho for a while - I have reevaluated the way forward after reading the above.
Thanks bud.

Good luck - keep us posted and I really want to meet you one day to shake your hand.

Dave
Likewise Dave.

It took me a while to realise why there is so little support for Heart Troubles on the internet.

I've come to the conclusion, that the people in the danger areas are largely in the aged 50+ bracket and so less inclined to use the internet and discussion forums.

Made it really difficult to find out information and get advice, other than creepy places people were going to discuss their depression or whatever.

The general level of screening, for serious health issues is shockingly poor.
I was lucky, in that I forced the issue with the authorities and eventually got sat in front of the right person.

Anyways, I'm trying to turn negative to positive, so something good comes out of it all.

Do look at the heart monitor watches and things in your cataloges.
As I said, they're ridiculously cheap.

Again, Instructors, it is 'YOUR JOB' to be informed and responsible.

As Hawk & Dove would confirm, I can take even the fittest people on here and shatter them in 3 minutes of exercise and I know that it's all too commonplace for warmups meant to prepare students for MA classes, turn into Sadistic Sweat Sessions, more about the Instructors need to be in power and control to enlarge their own ego.
I hold up my own hand as having been guilty of that in the past myself.

Thanks to all for your kind words though.
Us Mule's is stubbern critturs.

Okay people.

HEART MONITORS

£7.99 at Lloyds chemist.

Shall I say that again?

HEART MONITORS

£7.99 at Lloyds chemist.

Just bought one and it works just fine.

Your whole being changes after 40! 5 years ago my resting pulse was 55. Now it is 75! Even taking this nasty virus and its enforced inactivity into account I'm still shocked.

Just bought Kung Foo Panda too but thats a whole new thread by itself!!

Dave

Okay people.

HEART MONITORS

£7.99 at Lloyds chemist.

Shall I say that again?

HEART MONITORS

£7.99 at Lloyds chemist.

Just bought one and it works just fine.

Your whole being changes after 40! 5 years ago my resting pulse was 55. Now it is 75! Even taking this nasty virus and its enforced inactivity into account I'm still shocked.

Hey, thanks for that Dave! I for one am going to buy one tomorrow.

mule wrote:
Again, Instructors, it is 'YOUR JOB' to be informed and responsible.
Mule, I'm really glad you're doing better and that you shared your experience with us. Of all your great advice (eating veggies, reducing stress, monitoring heart rate, etc.) I think the one most specifically important to this forum is your quote above. Thank you for reminding us that students, especially newer (and thus less conditioned) students, sometimes look to their instructors with near-blind faith, and all too often it's unwarranted. Here in the US, where martial arts instruction is unregulated, I'm continually surprised by how many instructors do no physical screening, have no formal physical education training (even a personal training certification), no first aid training, and not even an AED on the premises. Sure there's so much more to martial arts instruction, but physical education is necessarily part of it, and it's every instructor's duty to be informed and prepared. Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent; your post was just inspiring. Take care!

tonyli wrote:
mule wrote:
Again, Instructors, it is 'YOUR JOB' to be informed and responsible.
Mule, I'm really glad you're doing better and that you shared your experience with us. Of all your great advice (eating veggies, reducing stress, monitoring heart rate, etc.) I think the one most specifically important to this forum is your quote above. Thank you for reminding us that students, especially newer (and thus less conditioned) students, sometimes look to their instructors with near-blind faith, and all too often it's unwarranted. Here in the US, where martial arts instruction is unregulated, I'm continually surprised by how many instructors do no physical screening, have no formal physical education training (even a personal training certification), no first aid training, and not even an AED on the premises. Sure there's so much more to martial arts instruction, but physical education is necessarily part of it, and it's every instructor's duty to be informed and prepared. Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent; your post was just inspiring. Take care!

Thanks Tony.
You've given me a good idea!

mule wrote:
Thanks Tony.
You've given me a good idea!

You gonna tell us wot it is???