NO ROOM FOR LIMITS

In an era defined by the cult of strength and the ideal physique, the gym is often perceived as an undisputed source of health. However, behind the gleam of polished barbells and the hum of high-intensity training lies a serious threat, especially when ambition prevails over common sense.

Too heavy

We focus on unmetered and excessive loads with weights, which can provoke a tragedy, turning the fitness centre into a high-risk zone for the body. Sudden cardiac attack, occurring during or immediately after such workouts, is a tragic but logical consequence—overload becomes the "trigger" for undiagnosed or acquired heart pathologies. Unfortunately, this scenario is not a medical theory, as is regularly confirmed by news reports from around the world, including Azerbaijan. Tragic cases where seemingly healthy men suddenly die from a heart attack right in the gym are a cause for serious reflection. These incidents, like the cases of incredible rescues of bodybuilders who have survived multiple cardiac arrests, are often linked by doctors not to the sport itself, but to a lack of medical supervision. Strength gained at the cost of heart health is not worth it.

Fatal rhythm

So what happens to the body during strength training? According to cardiologists, intensive strength training, especially with submaximal and maximal weights, requires the cardiovascular system to work to exhaustion. The moment the weight is lifted, blood pressure rises sharply, as tense muscles compress the blood vessels, and the heart is forced to push blood through with double the force. Regular inadequate exposure to such stress leads to pathological left ventricular hypertrophy—the muscular wall thickens, but its ability to relax fully is compromised.

This condition becomes a breeding ground for ischaemia and, most dangerously, for fatal heart rhythm disturbances. As for the metabolic response, the interaction between intensive training, muscles, and kidneys is a complex process. With moderate and regular training, the effect on the kidneys is positive: blood circulation and filtration capacity improve, and blood pressure normalises.

Strength training, however, is accompanied by an active metabolic release into the blood: muscles produce energy via the creatine phosphate pathway, and creatinine—the end product of creatine breakdown (a carboxylic acid)—enters the blood. In a healthy person with large muscle mass, an increase in creatinine after training is a normal physiological reaction that the kidneys handle successfully.

However, as soon as the load becomes excessive and unfamiliar, it can cause rhabdomyolysis—the massive destruction of muscle fibres. As a result, the toxic muscle protein myoglobin enters the blood, which, upon reaching the kidneys, clogs and damages the renal tubules. This often leads to acute kidney failure, which is a life-threatening condition.

Harmony of strength and endurance

Experts assert: for strength training to remain a tool for health rather than a game of roulette, a paradigm of awareness and moderation must be adopted. Before taking on heavy weights, a person must visit a cardiologist and undergo an ECG (electrocardiogram) and an EchoCG (echocardiogram) to rule out hidden pathologies. The training itself should be built on the principle of gradual progression, where the emphasis is on work volume (moderate weight, 8-12 repetitions), rather than a one-time record. A key element of safety is monitoring the heart rate (HR). For most people exercising for health, the HR should remain in the fitness zone—the fat-burning zone. This strengthens the cardiovascular system without excessive stress and helps to  lose weight without harming health. It is critically important to learn to control breathing, always exhaling on exertion and inhaling when returning to the starting position, to avoid a dangerous increase in intra-arterial pressure.

Furthermore, strength exercises should be integrated into a programme that includes regular aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, elliptical) of moderate intensity, which trains the heart for endurance and strengthens blood vessels. The optimal combination strategy is to split the days (one day strength, another day cardio) or to perform strength exercises at the beginning of the session followed by light cardio (20-30 min.). This approach ensures maximum strength growth with minimal cardiological risk. Only this scientifically-based and responsible approach will turn the gym into a temple of health, where strength and longevity go hand in hand.

A trainer is mandatory

The key condition for turning strength training into a health tool is supervision by a qualified specialist. Independent training, especially with heavy weights and without considering the body's individual characteristics, increases the risks manifold. Only a trainer or a sports doctor can competently assess the initial level and moderate the intensity to prevent overload and exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis.

A specialist ensures the correct biomechanics of movement and monitors the critically important breathing (exhaling on exertion), thereby protecting the heart and blood vessels from dangerous pressure spikes. A trainer helps one learn to work within these safe zones. Personal or group training led by a specialist is a mandatory measure that guarantees physical exercise brings benefits, not harm.

A responsible approach

Strength training and physical exercise are powerful tools for improving health and quality of life. However, like any powerful tool, it requires a conscious and responsible approach. The harmony of strength and longevity is achieved not through extreme efforts, but through competent moderation, professional supervision, and attention to one's own body's signals. The gym should be a place where strength is developed and health is fortified, not a place where negligence puts it in danger.