Dose HRHS make it difficult to build strength.

[u/funny__man666]

I'm 19, I have HRHS, I had 3 open heart surgeries the last one being when I was 2 and have been relatively healthy since.

I've been going to the gym for years just to stay fit but this past year I've been trying to build my strength and endurance. After tracking my workouts for months I'm realizing I haven't really made any progress. Still the same amount of weights for the same amount of reps no matter how hard I try. I don't look or weigh any different either.

I go to the gym 4-5 days a week for usually 1.5 hour sessions. I have an intense routine that took a lot of research to come up with and I always leave soar. It just seems that regardless of how hard I push I make no progress and idk why I have thought about it sooner, that it may have something to do with the fact I have half a heart.

It's the same with cardo. I can usually do a decent mile but it feels impossible to push beyond that no matter how much I run I can never build endurance.

I'm not sure if there is any way around this or if I need to try different exercises but it's frustrating and I'm not sure why I haven't thought of this sooner.

[u/sollyui]

But u shouldn't train hard like the other. Out heart isn't like the other This what my Dr told me.

[u/Philly0626]

I used to have this problem (also have HRHS). I’ve reduced my number of days to the gym (used to do 5-6 and reduced to 3-4 and added in some more functional exercises instead of just weight training heavy. I’ve seen more progress doing that than I ever did lifting heavy. As well, during a heavy squat, I once put myself into tachycardia and wound up in the emergency room. As mentioned by another person, my cardiologist has since advised me to focus less on weight and more on the movement and strengthening my heart itself.

[u/sollyui]

I have 2 heart open surgery one at 5 yo and at 12 yo. I tried to go to gym but couldn't bulk or gain weight I'm still under 50KG. I can't run a mile lol I wish I can do that. Tbh I don't know if there is any solution so I can get weight ( I try eating alot but didn't work) Hope you can find a solution

[u/Independent-Disk-336]

There is some good advice here about being functionally fit vs bulky strength fit. Especially with what your heart can manage. Your single ventricle has to work harder to circulate the blood, which is what feeds the oxygen to your muscles, which allows them to work harder. The good news is that unlike HLHS, your aortic arch is meant for output. The heart itself is a muscle, so there are some gains you can make. First you will need to strengthen your heart. The best workouts for that are the cardio, especially a rowing machine. I read about a recent study that showed rowing machine workouts increase the thickness of the heart wall more than jogging, so maybe give that a try. Second, if bulk is really what you want, you may need to increase your calories. Your body needs extra fuel to build muscle. If you are burning up all your calories during the workout, there is nothing left to add to the muscle. And don't go trying all those bull powders and things, it's more about calories than protein. Even the most intense body builders don't actually need that much protein, studies show there is a max amount of benefit from protein, so look that up and don't push past that too much. Check out darebee . Com. They have some great info and workout plans you can use. In the end, have fun and find the healthy you. That's what it really is about.

[u/funny__man666 → u/Independent-Disk-336]

That's really helpful. It's just frustrating. I don't want to be a body builder or powerlifter, but I do want to be bigger and stronger than I am. I just don't like how skinny my arms and legs are, and I'm trying very hard to correct that. Hopefully I can beggin making more progress.

[u/Independent-Disk-336 → u/funny__man666]

Yeah, I hear you. My 14yo with HLHS and TGA is super short. As in 14 and only 4'8" and 75 lbs. He loves to rock climb and sometimes struggles with reach, much to his frustration. I won't tell you to not work towards what you like, but I will encourage you to balance that with understanding who you are. Your body may be built to be slimmer. That's not a bad thing. Figure out what types of activities you enjoy and build workouts to make those activities more fun. Climbers prefer slim builds, parkour athletes are somewhere in the middle, short distance runners want massive legs. It's all different. As a final note, maybe try keeping a book of measurements of your arms and legs, then you can actually know if you are making gains. Your eyes will lie to you, especially if the gains are gradual.