Heart Rate?

[KMayflower]

Cathe,
I'm new to your tapes and would first like to say how much I'm enjoying them. I really love how you work the biceps in MIS and the advice and form pointers, especially in that segment, have really been helpful to me.
I actually have two questions. I have a cousin who is recovering and learning to deal with a serious anxiety disorder. She has gotten the OK from her doctor to start exercising. Because of her past problems, her resting heart rate is much higher than normal. I'm wondering if her target heart rate should still be the same or if it would be higher than what is normally recommended, because of her higher RHR?
Also,I know that this topic has probably been discussed before, but I'm wondering if it would be advisable to do a tape like MIS everyday(with a 24 hour rest)? I use a 30 pound barbell for the leg work and about 27-30 pounds for most of the upper body. I would really like to gain some definition in my upper body and it just seems like every other day with 2 days off a week is not enough.
Thanks for any help you can give me and keep those great tapes coming.

Thanks again,
Katie

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Katie! Nice to hear from you. Concerning your cousin, unfortunately I can't really help you there. When it comes to medical related conditions, all questions of this nature really need to be addressed by her doctor. But please wish her my best.

Regarding MIS, I would not do this everyday. Two to three non-consecutive times per week is plenty. Any more than that would not invite additional benefits. Also, doing these workouts with a rest day between allows your muscles a recovery period. It is during the recovery period that the wonderful benefits occur. During your actual workout, muscles tissues tear down and during your rest, they repair and depending on how hard you push them, become stronger.

 

[carochan]

Hi Katie,

I'm no expert but it's so true that you need to give your muscles time to recover in order for them to get stronger. If you're not getting the results you want from doing MIS three times a week, maybe you should either split the workout into upper and lower body and do them on alternate days, or rotate MIS with another strength workout like the Pure Strength series. Pure Strength is a little slower and heavier so it will give your muscles some variety. Also, some people find that split routines are more effective than doing the whole body in one day.

Just a thought.

Caroline

 

[donna]

Katie, I'm not Cathe but I would like to address your cousin's PAD. I am finally recovered myself but instead of a higher resting heartrate, my heart would jump and pound at rest. I agree that your cousins heartrate should be in her Dr.'s hands but I would like to add there are very innocuous meds out there that can help with both heart concerns. I am on one that controls heart palps. That coupled with a pretty strenuous fitness program which I built up to over a four year period have actually lowered by resting heart rate. I'm happy to hear your cousin is recovering. Having PAD can be very isolating and recovering from it for me, felt like being handed an actual life.

Good luck to your cousin and you!.

Donna
50 & Fit

 

[KMayflower]

Thanks everyone!
Cathe, I guess gaining muscle just takes time and I will have to be patient.
Donna,
I'm glad to hear that you are doing so well. She suffered from severe PAD for 12 years and is only 32 so most of her adult life has been about this. She is taking Paxill now and actually had the most success with the Infomercial Program (can't think of her name, Lucinda Basset I think) that is always advertised on latenite TV. She was at the end of her rope and ordered it and it worked. I try not to think of how many years were wasted and that she probably could have been helped sooner but sometimes you have to hit the bottom I guess. She still has some lingering symptoms ( will probably have them for life) but has said that the Paxill is doing wonders. She has a new lease on life and goes everywhere and does everything. I am a little concerned about her weight gain and am trying to get her to start exercising. Her doctor says it's really the key to balancing things. She is having so much fun right now that I don't want to push the subject. She still has some heart palps also. I will let her read your post. Thank you and and I wish you continued success and wellness. Now if I could just get her on an airplane. That would bring on a major panic attack....

Katie

 

[donna]

Katie, the weight gain thing with Paxil is a problem. The Paxil coupled with re-learning responses to things that would have caused panic attacks in the past was pretty much my path to recovery also. I'm dealing with losing the weight now and am off Paxil. Here is my e-mail address. There is a great support site your cousin might be interested in and I'll give her the details if she's interested. Airplanes? Um, still a no on that [email protected].

Best to you,

Donna