Question:
Weight training after Lap RNY-wait 6-8 weeks?

I was told by the Drs staff that I can go back to weight training but not hold my breathe. Does anyone know why that is important? TY    — eem211 (posted on June 6, 2009)

June 6, 2009
Unless you are a competitive power lifter you should never hold your breath even if you aren't a post op patient. As a general rule you should exhale as you are doing the lift itself and inhale as you are lowering the weight. When you hold your breath as you lift you can increase your blood pressure to incredible heights. There have actually been blood pressures of 300+/200+ recorded in power lifters. The goal of weight training can be tone the muscles, increase endurance, or increae size of the muscles. All of these goals can be accomplished without holding your breath during lifts which can cause a stroke when the bp goes that high. In any person who has had abdominal surgery ie WLS, you also increase your risk of developing hernias. These can be incisional hernias or internal hernias where they tunnel through the omentum to pull up the small intestine to connect to the pouch. I started lifting 8 weeks after surgery and have been very very slow in advancing the amounts I lift. Hope this helps. Kevin
   — hapkidodoc

June 7, 2009
I had open RNY and was told to wait 12 weeks and only use moderate weights for a while. Remember you just had MAJOR surgery and it's going to take time to fully heal. In the meantime I would say to work on cardio.
   — Richbehr

June 7, 2009
I was told, and did go back to the gym by 2 weeks post-op. I did arm and leg strenght training/also cardio but did NOT do any abdominal work for at least 6-8 weeks....Now 7 months later am doing well..no problems at all.
   — kathysews