Heart Condition and Swimming

Former Member
Former Member
Hi, I'm a 57 year old male swimmer with atrial fibrillation taking rhythmol twice a day. (I'm in sinus rhythm most of the time.) I also do a 2,800 yard workout four times a week and aspire to NQT for the 50 and 100 freestyle. I can't seem to get straight answers from my cardiologist. He says that it is fine to swim, but deeper questions are beyond him. For example... Is it OK to really press myself in my workouts? (I'm out of breath at the end of some of my sets, but who isn't?) Should I be thinking of long even swims rather than sprint swims? (I do mile and two mile open water swims, but they're not very exciting for me.) I'm fighting for breath sometimes during my sets. Is this just a matter of conditioning, or is there a direct link to the a fib? I have the low side of normal blood pressure. Is there any relationship between blood pressure and whether people are better constituted to be sprinters vs. distance swimmers? Any information from M.D.s and/or others who have heart conditions would be appreciated. See you at nationals!
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Thought I would resurrect this thread. Anyone else with cardiac issues working out, training, and/or competing, reading this? I'd be interested in discussing further. I had an MI almost two years ago and now back to swimming for my cardio part of my exercise 5 days a week. I swam competitively back n the Stone Age in high school. I'm 50.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Thought I would resurrect this thread. Anyone else with cardiac issues working out, training, and/or competing, reading this? I'd be interested in discussing further. I had an MI almost two years ago and now back to swimming for my cardio part of my exercise 5 days a week. I swam competitively back n the Stone Age in high school. I'm 50.
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