So I am thinking of doing some lifting this winter, I’ve seen a decent amount of evidence that it can improve cycling and as a runner trying to improve my cycling it seems like a good use of time in the off season.
The issue is I have a bicuspid aortic valve, so I can’t do any heavy compound lifts like high % 1RM deadlifts of squats. I have no stenosis/regurgitation/dilation right now so I’m cleared for all aerobic activities and light lifts, but no powerlifting.
Since it seems the most gains for cycling are from heavy squats and deadlifts is there any point to me lifting? I do enjoy lifting and I’m not really time crunched at the moment, but I don’t want to do something with very little or no benefit other than general strength.
While the traditional thinking is that low reps (2-6) lead to max strength gains and mid reps (8-12) lead to getting bigger, recent studies show that gains are possible at nearly any rep count, including 20+. The key is training to near or at failure. For example, if you can do 6 reps at 50 lbs vs 20 reps at 25 reps, you are going to get similar results as long as those combinations take you to the same near-failure state. What nobody admits is that 20 reps hurts bad, so it is more fun to do 6.
A lot of conventional wisdom is focused on “time crunched”, “efficient” work outs and “maximum” gains. Just like with cycling, very few people really need the optimum program, they just need a program that stresses them and that they do consistently over time.
Single leg exercises (split squat, single leg RDL, etc) are good for muscle stress without as much systemic stress as a bilateral version.
What’s your background with weightlifting?
How long do you think before you are cleared before you can return to “powerlifting�
With approval from your Primary Care Specialist.
I would go through an adaptation period of lifts. You can still do a push, pull, and hinge lift a couple times a week with moderate weight to get the movements/form correct and to limit the amount of DOMS you might feel after you start pushing heavy.
Whenever I returned to lifts, if I jumped right into to higher weight/low rep work I would be dead for days after.
When I eased into it with moderate work for 2-3 weeks, 2-3 times a week, the post workout soreness was shortened significantly.
I have done some lifting for the past 8 or so years. The more structured training came from my xc/track team in college where we had an actual lifting coach. That lifting was really geared towards running economy and injury prevention
I don’t think I am every supposed to return to powerlifting, there’s too much risk for aortic dissection etc.
My heart condition was diagnosed ~2 years ago so prior to that I didn’t know it wasn’t safe to lift heavy.
One of the big benefits to just doing body weight or low weight strength work is tissue resilience and injury prevention. I began doing some daily body weight strength work at the end of the summer when I was fighting a hamstring issue. Hamstring is fine now, but I’ve continued with the strength and exercises because I feel it’s helping me out, especially the on leg work, which also helps with balance and targets very specific muscle groups.
I would be very cautious. Trying to squeeze out 1% performance while pushing the limits of you abnormal heart anatomy is a very risky way to go. I would follow the guidance of your cardiologist and ask these questions to them. Think about how many years you want to exercise to improve the quality of your life. Be careful.
I would be very cautious. Trying to squeeze out 1% performance while pushing the limits of you abnormal heart anatomy is a very risky way to go. I would follow the guidance of your cardiologist and ask these questions to them. Think about how many years you want to exercise to improve the quality of your life. Be careful.
-stress testing/echo exercise physiologist
yup blood pressure can rise to 3x levels during max efforts
