This is the one chapter where I put the jokes down. Read it properly, once. Then you can have them back.
The lie
"It's probably nothing."
The short version
- Breathing harder, feeling warm and tired muscles are normal. Chest pain, fainting and sudden severe breathlessness are not.
- If you have chest pain, call 999.
- If you have a health condition or haven't been active for years, check with your GP first.
The one lie that isn't funny
Most of the lies in this section cost you a walk or a weekend. This one can cost a lot more. If it's chest pain, deciding it's "probably nothing" isn't your job. That's what 999 is for. Let them decide it's nothing. They're very good at it, and they'd far rather you called.
Normal, and not normal
Normal when you exercise
- Breathing faster.
- Feeling warm and sweaty.
- Your heart beating faster.
- Muscles feeling tired or a bit burny.
- Some stiffness a day or two later.
Stop straight away
- Chest pain or tightness.
- Feeling faint or dizzy.
- Sudden, severe breathlessness.
- A racing or uneven heartbeat that doesn't settle.
- Sharp pain in a joint or muscle.
- Pain that gets worse as you go.
Chest pain: call 999
Call 999 if you have chest pain that feels tight, heavy or like squeezing.
Especially if it spreads to your arms, neck, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick or breathlessness. Don't drive yourself to hospital.1
If you feel unwell in a way that worries you but isn't an emergency, call NHS 111.
Before you start
If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes, a joint problem, are pregnant, or haven't been active for a long time, have a word with your GP before you start.2 That isn't a reason not to start. It's a reason to start right. Gyms use a short health form called the PAR-Q for the same reason. Here's what it asks and why.
Staying safe outside
- Be seen. In poor light, wear something bright or fluorescent. In the dark, wear something reflective.3
- No pavement? Walk on the right-hand side of the road, facing the traffic.3
- Tell someone your route and roughly when you'll be back.
- Take your phone, charged. Not on 4 per cent.
- Comfortable, supportive shoes that are already broken in.4
- Check the weather. If it's very hot, slow down, find shade and drink. If it's icy, do the home session instead.
Staying safe at home
- Clear the floor. Rugs slide and toys are weapons.
- Use a sturdy chair pushed against a wall. Never one with wheels.
- Leave an hour or so after a big meal before you train.
- Keep water nearby.
Your rep for this chapter
Tell one person you're starting Basic Training, and where you'll be walking this week. That's the rep. The jokes come back next chapter, I promise.
All 18 chapters of Basic Training
Sources
1. NHS. Heart attack.
2. NHS. Exercise.
3. GOV.UK. The Highway Code: rules for pedestrians (rules 1 to 35).
4. NHS. Walking for health.