Seniors, I implore you to stop these 5 exercises that are slowly damaging your heart

2. Abdominal exercises and heavy weight training: when strength training backfires on your heart

Many seniors are unaware that the effort exerted during abdominal exercises or lifting heavy weights causes an increase in intra-abdominal and thoracic pressure. This pressure doesn’t remain confined to the abdomen or chest. It pushes inward and upward, causing a rise in blood pressure and a sudden compensatory demand from the heart.

For an aging heart, especially one already compromised by stiff arteries or a silent buildup of plaque, this can be a breaking point. I’ve treated patients who fainted mid-exercise, experienced chest pain during a set, or suffered from arrhythmias shortly after what they thought was a normal workout.

3. Exercise in extreme temperatures: when the weather becomes the silent enemy of your heart

From the age of 60, your body loses much of its ability to regulate internal temperature. In cold weather, your blood vessels constrict to conserve heat, causing a rise in blood pressure. In extreme heat, the opposite occurs: your blood vessels dilate, your heart beats faster to cool you down, and dehydration sets in more quickly.

In both cases, the heart is forced to work harder, not because of the exertion, but to survive. I have seen patients collapse during walks in hot weather or suffer from shortness of breath after only a few minutes in the cold air.