Not so healthy: Three exercises that hurt your heart and body
Exercise is an elixir of health. Done correctly and in moderation, physical activity helps you maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI), prevents and treats many common chronic diseases, improves your cardiovascular health and keeps you looking youthful. But as the adage goes, too much of anything is poisonous. Ditto exercise. If overdone, exercise can cause injury, hasten aging and cause heart problems. Here are three workouts that cause more harm than good if overdone.
By Wairimu Githuka
Marathons
Kenyans are famous world over for running and winning marathons. Several marathons are organised in the country every year, with thousands of people participating in the long distance …show more content…
They are amongst the fastest-growing Olympic sports in the UK and the US, but a series of deaths among competitors in the triathlon raises concerns on whether the physical demands of the race are too high.
A recent study reveals that the risk of dying in a triathlon is nearly double the risk of dying in a marathon. The study, presented to the American College of Cardiology Conference showed there were 14 deaths among almost one million competitors.
Even though no study has been conducted in the UK where triathlons are very common, two deaths have been reported in recent British triathlons. One of the deaths occurred during a bike race while the second one involved a competitor who died after the event in his sleep. Both the individuals had heart abnormalities.
Granted, people who exercise are generally healthier than those who don’t. But a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and a study presented to the American College of Sports Medicine find excessive training for such sporty events like olympic-length triathlons and other endurance events like marathons can cause long-term and potentially fatal damage to the heart and major
Exercise is an elixir of health. Done correctly and in moderation, physical activity helps you maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI), prevents and treats many common chronic diseases, improves your cardiovascular health and keeps you looking youthful. But as the adage goes, too much of anything is poisonous. Ditto exercise. If overdone, exercise can cause injury, hasten aging and cause heart problems. Here are three workouts that cause more harm than good if overdone.
By Wairimu Githuka
Marathons
Kenyans are famous world over for running and winning marathons. Several marathons are organised in the country every year, with thousands of people participating in the long distance …show more content…
They are amongst the fastest-growing Olympic sports in the UK and the US, but a series of deaths among competitors in the triathlon raises concerns on whether the physical demands of the race are too high.
A recent study reveals that the risk of dying in a triathlon is nearly double the risk of dying in a marathon. The study, presented to the American College of Cardiology Conference showed there were 14 deaths among almost one million competitors.
Even though no study has been conducted in the UK where triathlons are very common, two deaths have been reported in recent British triathlons. One of the deaths occurred during a bike race while the second one involved a competitor who died after the event in his sleep. Both the individuals had heart abnormalities.
Granted, people who exercise are generally healthier than those who don’t. But a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and a study presented to the American College of Sports Medicine find excessive training for such sporty events like olympic-length triathlons and other endurance events like marathons can cause long-term and potentially fatal damage to the heart and major