In the past few years, there has been a drastic increase in youngsters dying of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) while doing strenuous workouts in the gym. Social media is rife with heart-breaking videos of youngsters collapsing on treadmills or crashing down on the floor after a heavy workout. The mortality rate for such cases is high because there are no collaterals in younger patients in terms of reported blockages, a history of discomfort or symptoms etc. So when the unfortunate happens, there’s little or no time even to get them to the hospital.
There have been several cases of people dying in the gym, right from actor Siddhaanth Vir Surrya-vanshi (46) who died during his heavy workout to BTech student Siddharth Kumar Singh (19) who collapsed and died while running on the treadmill. People have been wondering why such cases have been on the rise among the younger generations. Exercising daily helps boost one’s heart and overall health conditions. But now with a surge in SCAs, exercising mindfully seems to be the right and wise choice!
Adrenaline Rush
While heart conditions are a general cause, these seem to be easily succumbed to by the younger generation with triggers like excessive gym sessions or reckless ones adding to it all. “Some of the common triggers for gym deaths among youngsters are undiagnosed subclinical heart diseases, strenuous physical activities or excess nicotine and caffeine just before workouts,” explains Dr Rishi. He believes that these tend to be commonly reported in young individuals primarily because younger individuals tend to adhere to more strenuous forms of working out. He stresses, “Preventive health checkups before designing any kind of gym protocol is a must and can prove beneficial.”
Shivangi says, “Inadequate health screening and a general lack of awareness about heart health among the younger population have made this situation a concerning one today.” She adds, “Many young people usually end up following fitness routines that are not suitable for their specific needs”. This, she opines, leads to negative, even fatal outcomes.
Dos & Don’ts
Mindless exercising can put a strain on the heart. It is imperative to have a sneak peek into the ‘Dos and Don’ts’ of exercising, especially prior to gym sessions. Dr Rishi starts by explaining here that heavy meals before workouts are a complete No!
Further, caffeinated beverages, nicotine or even alcohol consumption before exercising could lead to an excessive increase in overall heart rates and blood pressure. This, he believes, could lead to unnecessary complications. “Avoiding binge weight lifting, maintaining adequate hydration along with having preventive cardiac check-ups before any sporting activity can help make workouts safer for the youth,” says Dr Rishi.
Heart over Head
While it’s sad but true that gym-related deaths due to cardiac arrests aka heart attacks are on the rise, especially among the youth, merely heading to the gym isn’t the culprit. It is imperative to understand that going to the gym is not the problem. Rather, not having a structured, individually tailored and ‘monitored’ exercise regime proves to be the area of concern.
Dr Rishi says, “Nothing in this world is good if taken in excess. It’s the same with exercising.” As fitness goals get important, having these pursued with caution is important. Prevention is better than cure!
• Don’t just know when to start, but know when to stop
• Set realistic goals
• Avoid heavy meals, nicotine, coffee or alcohol before
workouts
• Regular heart-related checkups
• Do not ignore unusual symptoms like excessive breathlessness and chest pain during workouts
“Many young people usually end up following fitness routines that are not suitable for their specific needs.”— Shivangi Sarda, Running and strength & Conditioning coach, Endurance athlete
Gym Deaths
2024: Deepak Gupta (33), a regular gym-goer collapsed and died while working out in Varanasi
2024: Siddharth Kumar Singh (19), a BTech student collapsed and died of a heart attack while running on a treadmill in Ghaziabad
2023: Bodybuilder Justyn Vicky (33) died after 460lb weight fell on his neck while doing squats in Bali in 2023
2022: Actor Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi (46) died while working out in a gym in Mumbai
2019: Ajinkya Lolge (19) died of a cardiac arrest at the gym in Nasik after doing eight press-up sets