Don't hide ailments from gym trainers

Hyderabad: Following the death of a 29-year-old in S R Nagar, trainers in gyms across the city are wary of accepting fitness enthusiasts who are in their 40s and above. The incident has petrified all the fitness centers in the city, the managements have directed the staff to first counsel people above the age of 40 to first get a medical test done and only then start training.

Speaking about the issue, Stephen of Spa Fitness says, "Doing regular physical exercise for those with diabetes or heart problem is very important. Physical activities like aerobics help to strengthen your heart muscle, but at the same time the exercise is also said to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels."

Mahender Singh, an IT professional with Tech-Know shares his experience: "When I went to a fitness centre in Kharkhana, I was first asked my age and was told to first consult a doctor. I am 44 years." Abhilash, a trainer at RU Fit at AS Rao Nagar says, "It is also important not to compete with others. I am witness to several people in their 50s who stopped coming to the gym after pushing themselves too much."

"People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are told to avoid heavy physical activities which can bring fluctuation in their blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels can fall during or immediately after several post workouts sessions," adds Stephen.

Michael Fernandez, a trainer with Fit Smart, says, "Many hide their ailments. But they should not. We design workouts on several parameters that include age, level of fitness and health condition."

"Physical exercise and workouts need to develop with time and experiment and keeping the present body conditions in mind. People with a history of high blood pressure or any kind of heart disease are not advised to go for intense physical activities at the beginning of their workout programmes even though their workout programme is designed as per their medical history and capabilities," said P Phani Krishna, a certified fitness trainer.

"Increasing the intensity of any exercise may lead to an increase in blood pressure. Hence, it is generally advised to increase the intensity of the exercise gradually," he adds.

While these are a general set of rules for people suffering from heart or diabetes-related problems, it is advised one consult a doctor before starting workout.

By Kiran Kumar