Heart Healthy Training

February is American Heart Month.  Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US?  Unlike some of the other causes of death, there are lots of ways we can minimize our risk for heart disease.  We will be focusing on movement or the exercise portion of this at Medicine by Movement throughout the month of February.  In particular, finding something that inspires you to increase your heart rate.  But a few other ways you can reduce your risk are:

🥗 Eat heart-friendly

• Focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts

• Choose healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, fatty fish)

• Cut back on ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and excess salt

🚭 Don’t smoke (and avoid secondhand smoke)

• Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors

• Quitting at any age quickly lowers heart risk

😴 Sleep well

• Aim for 7–9 hours per night

• Poor sleep increases blood pressure, inflammation, and weight gain

😌 Manage stress

• Chronic stress affects blood pressure and heart rhythm

• Helpful tools: walking, breathing exercises, meditation, hobbies, social connection

🍷 Be mindful with alcohol

• If you drink, keep it moderate

🧠 Know your family history

• Genetics matter, but lifestyle can offset a lot of inherited risk

One of the most effective way to reduce your risk, is by increasing your activity level.  Everyone is different. You may be just starting your movement journey, or maybe you need a little more motivation to take your training to the next level. We will touch on all of this, but where do you start? The recommendation is at least 150 min/week of aerobic activity, but read on if you'd like this broken down in a little more detail:

AEROBIC EXERCISE

Aerobic exercise is physical exercise that intends to improve the oxygen transport system.  Aerobic means “with oxygen.”  Aerobic exercise includes anything that raises your heart rate, including brisk walking, biking, swimming, jogging, hiking

INTENSITY / DURATION / FREQUENCY / TOTAL TIME

 moderate  / 30 min    / 5days/wk      / 150min

vigorous  / 20-60 min  / 3days    / 75min

*the time can be broken up into 10 min bouts or more throughout the day

How to find the appropriate intensity:

Finding your target heart rate:

HRmax=220-age         (or if on medication: HRmax=162-(0.7xage))

Target Heart Rate 

75-85% of max

EXAMPLE: 50 year old. HRmax= 220-50= (170x.75) to(170x.85)= 127.5 to 144.5

Can also use: Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE), MET, VO2 Max

Interval Training (HIIT): For athletes using it as part of their training < 3mo, Improved responses as compared to sustained exercise.  

For untrained men: Improved cardiovascular fitness and blood glucose, but not as beneficial as sustained exercise for decreasing HR, body composition, and decreasing cholesterol.  This form of exercise tends to be more beneficial for women as they progress into peri and post menopause (stay tuned for more on this topic in March).

STRENGTH TRAINING

Strength training is the use of resistance against muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles.  There are many different forms of strength training, the most common being use of gravity, weight or elastic forces to oppose muscle contraction. 

*Increases muscle strength, improves body composition, improves blood glucose, helps with insulin sensitivity, decreases blood pressure, helps prevent and slow osteoporosis, and helps with pain associated with Osteoarthritis. 

*Make sure to perform a light aerobic warm-up of about 5-10 min prior to strengthening 

     INTENSITY          / DURATION   /   FREQUENCY  /        MODE

to fatigue (pain-free)      /   8-12 reps, 1-4 sets. /2-3x/wk   /   8-10 exercises

*How do you determine the weight to start with?

60-80% of 1RM, or you should be able to lift the weight 8-12 times through the full motion, and feel like you can’t lift it the 13th time, or your form decreases. 

If you are working on muscle endurance instead of strength/power then <50% RM with 15-25 reps.

Optimal for strength gain once you are experienced varies depending on the desired outcome, but average of 1-2 sets of 80% 1RM 3-6 reps.  You can still get increased muscle power and strength, and benefits such as improved balance from less intensity: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Rest 2-3 min in between sets. 

Typically start with larger muscles and multiple joint exercises prior to smaller and specific muscles, as well as higher intensity prior to lower intensity. 

PROGRESSION: Progress 10%/wk or until you can only lift for 8-10 reps near fatigue 

*Please consult with your physician prior to any exercise

Suggestions for resistive exercises for Large Body Parts

BODY PART	FREE WEIGHT	MACHINE	BODY WEIGHT
Chest	Bench Press	Seated chest press	push ups
Back	Bent over rows	Lat pull or seated rows	pull ups
Shoulders	Dumbbell lateral raise	Military Press	Arm circles
Bicep	Dumbbell curls	Cable curls	Reverse grip pull ups
Tricep	Bent over arm extension	Cable press downs	Dips
Abs	Crunches with weight	Cable chopping	Planks or crunches
Hamstrings	Deadlift	Hamstring curl machine	Bridge walk outs
Quadriceps	Squats	Leg extension	Straight Leg Raise

Now that you have an idea of where to start, the next question becomes: where does the inspiration, or motivation to keep going come from? The answer, of course, looks different for everyone. For some, it’s the accountability of joining a group. For others, it’s working toward a very specific goal.

For me, having something concrete to train for makes all the difference. Add in training with a friend, and it’s even better. Turn it into a destination or a vacation, and suddenly your workouts aren’t just about fitness—they’re about anticipation. Training becomes more consistent, and you’re rewarded with something meaningful to look forward to along the way.

Below, I’m sharing some of my favorite running events I’ve participated in, along with a few that are still on my bucket list. If you are looking for other areas such as hiking, running, biking, swimming, and even bringing it all together in a triathlon- check out my blog from Dec on Staying Active while on vacation. While there are events in nearly every type of physical activity, I don't have room in this blog, or even the other to hit on everything, so I’ll be focusing on areas where I have firsthand experience.

And remember: events exist for every level, from a one-mile walk to ultra-marathons. If you don’t see something listed here and you’re curious, reach out. I have pages and pages of event recommendations and would love to help you find one that fits your interests and experience level.

Running Events

There are so many different types of running events, from a 3k, to an Ultra, but I find the Half Marathon tends to be the one most people train for when trying to take their running fitness to the next level. Training for these looks different for everyone. It depends on the course (hills, flat, weather, etc), as well as your current activity level and any past injuries. But, here is a very simple training guide as a general reference:

Half Marathon Training Schedule

(should be able to run 3 miles without stopping before starting)

Strength training and mobility are important parts of training for any race! For ideas of running-specific strength training (as well as biking and swimming), see my Instagram page and look for each Treatment Tuesday post: instagram.com/medicinebymovementwellness

Stay tuned for other blogs on specifics of strength training for these events, but for the purpose of this blog, I'm hoping you find some motivation to sign up for a race or event that encourages you to train on a regular basis. Check out some of my favorites:

My favorite Half Marathon:

Any of the Rock n Roll races, but Tempe Arizona is a great one!

https://www.runrocknroll.com/events/arizona

My Favorite Marathon:

ok, this isn’t your typical marathon—but if you’re looking for serious fun and a great workout, you’ve found your race. The Marathon du Médoc began in 1985 during a medical conference in France’s Bordeaux region and has since become truly iconic. Yes, it’s a full 26.2 miles—but along the way, you’ll encounter 23 wine stops as you run through some of the most famous vineyards in the world. Add in gourmet food stations, live bands lining the course, and the fact that everyone runs in costume, and you’ve got an experience unlike any other. Hands down, one of the most fun and unique things I’ve ever done.

https://www.marathondumedoc.com/en/

The hardest race I've been a part of:

The Imogene Pass Run is a 17.1 mile race, spanning from Ouray to Telluride in Colorado. It climbs up to over 13,000 ft in elevation, so the majority of runners spend some time hiking the "up portion" towards the top, and running the flatter and downhill aspects. It is absolutely gorgeous, and by far one of the more challenging races I have done.

http://live-raceresults.com/imogene/

The best home-town feel

The Alpine Adventure Race in Sitka. We are so blessed to have folks like Chris and Charles Horan who host these wonderful events.  I was lucky enough to participate for a couple years.  As always, my participation was more of a way to have fun while still exercising outside in our amazing wilderness.  Meaning, I certainly didn’t cross the finish line 1st, but we definitely won for best flare and spirit along the way :). Whether you are running to win, to participate in something that brings you together with others who enjoy the outdoors, or to prove to yourself you can do it…this is not an easy race! 

For anyone not familiar, this race is about 7 miles total, but you can expect your race time to be similar to your half marathon time, as you are ascending nearly 2500 feet.  The race takes you up Gavin Hill Trail, which is full of stairs, switch backs, more stairs, and some beautiful Sitka scenery.  Once you break the tree line, the remainder of the race levels out and takes you across the ridge line to Harbor Mountain.  When I say “levels out,” I don't mean it is without some elevation changes, but nothing like the 1st couple miles up Gavin.  And if you’re lucky enough to have a clear day, you get some amazing views of Sitka and the surrounding waters.  One of my all time favorite hikes, and runs…once I’m done with it! 

I hope reading this sparks some interest in maybe pushing to that next level, or signing up for something that holds you accountable. Whatever you choose to do, I hope it gets you out and moving!

Here's to finding a race just for you in 2026!

~Alicia