Checkup before starting gym / exercise regime?

AARRRGH

Hello

I used to work out a lot, but over the past two years due to work etc. I've been neglecting my health somewhat.

So in a week or so I plan on joining a gym such as Pinnacle.

Question: all those athletes dropping dead has freaked me out. Is it worth getting a checkup before starting my routine? Or are they fairly useless?

rubadub

dublindude wrote:

Question: all those athletes dropping dead has freaked me out. Is it worth getting a checkup before starting my routine? Or are they fairly useless?

I was first thinking it can do no harm, but some of the posts here about doctors are appalling, so dangerously ignorant they should not be allowed to practice in my mind.

Somebody might recommend a good one that specialises in it, in which case it can do no harm.

Hanley

...are you also worried about all the fat unhealthy people dropping dead?

AARRRGH

Hanley wrote:

...are you also worried about all the fat unhealthy people dropping dead?

I'm not fat or unhealthy

I would be quite fit, but just not at the levels (fitness + muscle) that I want.

I'm also a bit of a hypochondriac, so I would rather be safe than sorry...

Colm_OReilly

I wouldn't put much weight on a medical before an exercise program. Doctors deal with sick people - they are not experts on exercise.



Hanley - lol!

Hanley

Colm_OReilly wrote:

I wouldn't put much weight on a medical before an exercise program. Doctors deal with sick people - they are not experts on exercise.



Hanley - lol!

The thing that gets me is this.... people see all these perceivably healthy atheltes dropping dead and conclude the physical exertion killed them (which combined with genetic factors is probably true...).

The next logical step seems to be to shun any exercise that requires any real effort because it's unsafe and might cause their heart to explode. Completly rejecting any of the positives that could come from it.. (not from their heart exploding, but the benefits from exercising.)

Firstly they fail to realise that at the very pinnacle of any sport (which seems to be where the majority of the SADS cases are, the highly publicised ones at least) is inherently unhealthy and requires a serious amount of sacrifice, drive and determination to push your body to that level that many peopel just are not capable of. So it really should become a moot point trying to compare the recent prevelance of SADS in top level athletes and assuming it will have aknock on effect to weekend warriors.

And secondly, people seem to forget that illnesses and earlier death rate are probably (didn't check this, just assuming) much greater amongst those who do no exercise and sit on their a$$ stuffing their face all day long. I don't think there's any need to flog a dead horse on that one.

So instead of doing a level of exercise that will promote well-being and a healthy life, they hide in their caves getting fatter and fatter in case SADS gets them while their in the gym!

As always, I'm exagerrating a bit. But that's my take on how people are looking at things these days.

rubadub

Hanley wrote:

So instead of doing a level of exercise that will promote well-being and a healthy life, they hide in their caves getting fatter and fatter in case SADS gets them while their in the gym!

LOL! any excuse not to go is what they want! feck it better start eating doughnuts so I dont get too fit & die! Might write a book, stuff yourself fit in 10mins a day.

I'm not fat or unhealthy

You usually only hear of going to doctors before taking up exercising if you are very obese, over a certain age, or have some medical issue.

The FitnessDock

Colm_OReilly wrote:

Doctors deal with sick people - they are not experts on exercise.

This is very true. I've had a few personal training clients who were doctors and they knew very little about nutrition, let alone exercise.

This is not surprising - to become doctors in the first place, they study disease, not health.

Plus, the only physical exercise that doctors tend to recommend is walking. This is especially true in lawsuit-crazy America, where they are terrified they'll get sued if one of their patients injures themselves doing anything more vigorous, such as weight training.

PAUL

N8

personally I would have a chiropractor check you with an EMG (elctromyography) of the spine which would give you an objective outlook on the conditioning of your back before getting back into training. It is often a big failure in getting back in shape. then speak to one of the gym instructors about the findings and ask them put to gether a training regime with this in mind.

mickoo

doctor will just say go ahead after checking your blood pressure, dont waste his time or your money if your healthy..

davyjose

Hanley wrote:

...are you also worried about all the fat unhealthy people dropping dead?

EXACTLY!!! Op, go and see a Doctor if it makes you feel better (far be it from me to tell anyone not to see a doctor), but you really need to use a bit of logic here. If you have a defective heart, you are more likely to be killed by being overweight , than by exercising at a moderate level (and anyone who is not a professional athlete - or getting there - is almost certainly training at a moderate level).