Michael

My main goal: better muscle endurance
My secondary goal: lower body

Monday

Bodyweight exercises:
Pullups 4
Dips 6
Hanging leg raises 8
Pushups 20
Twisting decline crunches 8
Hypers 8
Repeat x 3 with 2 minutes break

15 minutes fast running

Wednesday

Bodyweight exercises

20 minutes bike

Friday

Bodyweight exercises

25 minutes jogging

***adding 1 rep to all exercises each workout***

The reason why I want to take a break from the weight is that my doctor said that I grow too fast for my heart to catch up with my height and by training with heavy weights I put too much stress on my heart. So I don't want to risk it so I'll do something that won't stress my body too much. What do you think guys?

P.S. I know this program has almost nothing with bodybuilding to do but I just want to keep myself in shape.

Gazhole

I think theres a lot of progression to be made with bodyweight exercises, i take it you're doing them as complexes?

Why no bodyweight squatting?

Have you checked with your doctor about this? Bodyweight exercises in complexes like this can be pretty aerobic, which will get your heartrate up pretty high at times.

Id check whether this is safe or not before you get really into it.

wala

Im not sure if it is complexs to be honest, if it is, then that would alos put the same type of load on the heart as regular weights would - so just as 'bad' if you call it that.

IMO, the heart is a muscle - it grows in relation to what you do. If you train with weights correctly, the heart will also grow to accomodate the changes in your physique. I dont mean to sound like I know more than a doctor - but as I've mentioned in past threads - people like that, doctors, nutritionists, PTs etc - they CANT give you any advice that may (in their eyes) jeopardise your health. They also (not PTs) don't have the first clue about bodybuilding unfortunately.

I saw a documentry once about a normal doctor who decided to follow a group of bodybuilders to see exactly what all the fuss is about - she had a total change in view of what bodybuilding is and was so astonished to see exactly how and why things happen as they do - nuscle growth, fat loss, great diets etc.... and she was just another everyday doctor that would normally say - try not to do too muck weight training etc..

digitor

I have heard of this happening, but what has caused the doctor to tell you that this is the problem? What are your symptoms??

Consider the many thousands of college jocks in the US that grow in height and build incredibly quickly from 14 onwards.

Does your family have a history of heart conditions?

And I agree with Gaz and Wala, you are going to get more of a cardiovascular workout if it is a complex set - higher BPM due to more lactic acid and breathing required. But weights will give you higher blood pressure because of the restriction of the cardiovascular system because of the intrathoracic pressure.

Who knows what is worse, maybe you shouldn't do anything! Dips and pullups shouldn't be in there if you intend to not work your heart, because they will work your heart!

Critical Mass

Yeah, unless you have a pre existing heart condition, I've never heard of the advice your doctor gave you.

When I was training to get my green belt in Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, I had to fight 5 guys for 5 minutes on Judo-like takedowns. Then I was going to take a 2 minute rest, then do 5 more minutes of ground work. Well, to get ready for that, I did something like what you are trying to do here. But actually, I was doing it a little backwards. I chose the hardest compound exercises I could so I would get my muscle and lung endurance up.

My motto is, Train hard, win easy.

So, I did Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Presses, Military Presses, Dips, ect. All in a 5 minute circuit. Then take 2 minutes, and repeat circuit.

Michael

Won't cardiovascular exercises strenghten the heart?

wala

well yes - but that is pretty much what youy doctor is saying for you not to do - he's saying DONT do anything that brings your body up and not your heart or something like that?! So when you do weights, your heart is under a different type of pressure that also strengthens it - which everyone here thinks is a good thing.

so cardio, weights, anything that means you're are putting stress on your body, means your heart will grow stronger. IMO, i'd stick with weights AND cardio type things.

Gazhole

Yeah, i agree with this. It depends exactly WHAT is wrong with your heart, rather than just the fact that SOMETHING is wrong.

Aerobic training will take your heartrate up, and resistance training will increase blood pressure. Both put strain on the heart, but a different kind of strain.

You really cant mess around with that part of the body, man. Dont so anything untill you check with your doctor. This isnt about bodybuilding or fitness, this is about general MEDICAL health and how you will react to the stress physical exersion will certainly put on your system.

Sure, weights and aerobics will make a healthy heart stronger, exercise is pretty much the best thing you can do for general health, but its when the stress becomes too much for an injured part of the body to take that problems arise.

Personally i wouldnt want to risk it. Whats the harm in waiting a few days to a week and ask your doc what the deal is, anyway?

Its a no-brainer if you ask me.

Gazhole

I dunno dude, Deadlifts are great for development of the back musculature, but if i did a Deadlift right now id make the muscle pull in that area worse.

Isnt it the same principle here? His heart has some sort of issue, and even though exercise would normally make it stronger, surely the strain would be a BAD thing in conjunction with the injury?

Preventive measures rarely work as curative measures, sadly. If they did, you can bet your ass id be Deadlifting 24 hours a day right now

digitor

My dad is 60, and he goes out on the road bike three times a week. They say your max heart rate is 220-age, well that's bullsh1t. If he does a timetrial type session, he'll maintain 170 BPM for 20 minutes. His maximum heart rate is something like 187.

In short, your heart is as strong as you make it. If you don't have a heart condition, then there is no problem doing more cardiovascular exercise as well as weights as a growing teenager. Just think of the adolescent athletes out there that are already pushing themselves very hard by 15 or 16.

If you have a diagnosed heart condition, then you must be very careful, but to my knowledge you have not told us that you have an actual condition.

Disclaimer: I haven't actually said you should go ahead and lift. Do so at your own risk. You should ask the doctor more questions.

Gazhole

Yeah, ive never heard of you out-growing your heart...

Unless your body is really huge, and we're talking andre the giant sized, or you have a naturally weak heart...

Michael

No to be honest, nobody in my family has ever suffered any serious heart problems, but my grandma and my aunt do have some problems with blood pressure, but my aunt is 46 and my grandma 67...

Gazhole

I guess the answer here is get a second opinion. Doctors arent infallible by any stretch of the imagination. Find a doc who specialises in heart issues and get their opinion on it.

Malley

I was going to go with what Gaz said. Get a second opinion. That sounds like some serious crap, but I wouldnt go against a doctors orders. They are the ones with years of training not us. However cannot hurt to get a few more opinions.