High intensity exercise dangerous?

[bof]

My interest was piqued by this article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22150091

BBC presenter Andrew Marr blames his recent stroke on overworking and an overly vigorous exercise session on a rowing machine.

The 53-year-old said he had, to his detriment, believed the newspapers... that we must take very, very intensive exercise in short bursts for good health.

So should we now leave high-intensity training to only the youngest and fittest people?

I'm 59 and go for high intensity in small doses - not more than once a week and while I have never come to harm and know that I am in pretty good condition - I was a subject of a medical research project last year so got the benefit of a thorough check - this sometimes worries me. Indeed I noticed a slight tingling in my finger tips when I reached my maximum heart rate (176) and since then I have put the brakes on at around 170.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Good to see him back on his feet, a very lucky man!

The rest will probably be discussed to the death across the internet, nobody will win. Tempers will flare and tantrums will be had while people are still doing high intensity stuff with no problems.

 

[Herzog]

I tend to devise all of my training plans based on the views of political journalists...

 

[Yellow Fang]

One of my best mates had a stroke a bit like Andrew Marr's. It was similar in that he was quite young (44), that he was physically fit, that it was a brain bleed, and that it knocked out the entire side of his body. He made pretty good progress, considering he was paralysed down one side, but unfortunately the progress had levelled off. He used to do a lot of running, but I think it will be a long time, if ever, before he goes running again. He might be able to cycle again. That made me a bit dubious when Andrew Marr was saying how the physiotherapy he does now will determine how much better he gets. My friend worked very hard at his physiotherapy. My friend's stroke seems to have been partially caused by high blood pressure, but Andrew Marr's seemed to have been caused by something else. It was interesting he said he had suffered two other mini strokes before.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Not necessarily, exercise temporarily raises blood pressure.

 

[User16625]

It seems to me that Marr went flat before getting himself run in. If you aint used to intensive exercise its probably best to build up to it with less intense exercises. I have absolutely no idea if this is BS or not but it seems a bit like that. If I ever have a stroke I hope its fatal, couldnt cope with any form of disability. Best of luck to those recovering.

 

[chqshaitan]

yea, totally agree. there is nothing worse than going 150% only to overtax yourself and suffer for it. He had also had two minor strokes previously so he was building up to a major issue.

Glad to see he is okay

 

[Becs]

Did he know about the TIAs before he started the high intensity exercise? If so he behaved very recklessly. The study that showed that short bouts of high intensity exercise switch off genes associated with diabetes and switch on genes associated with increased aerobic performance was rigorous and well-conducted. It's a shame horizon didn't make more of the safety warnings given by the author to consult a doctor before embarking on such a programme - it's even more of a shame that Mr Marr has now given the study unwarrented bad press, when it's quite likely that after 2 TIAs a full stroke could have happened at any time.