Heart Attacks In Gym: Cardiologist Explains Reasons, Raises Red Flags
The death of a youth inside a gym in Kashmir has sent shockwaves across the valley causing concern among young gym-goers, reports Parvez ud Din.
Published : April 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM IST
|Updated : April 22, 2026 at 3:40 PM IST
Srinagar: In Kashmir, when a young man collapsed mid-exercise inside a gym recently, it sent shockwaves across the valley and beyond. For, his final moments captured in a chilling video circulated fast on social media platforms to trigger concern and panic. Something meant to build strength and stamina ended in sudden cardiac arrest, raising an uncomfortable question about intense workouts especially for the young.
Such instances have been quite a few in the past years with Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar suffering a fatal heart attack after working out at the gym and comedian Raju Srivastav, too, collapsing while reportedly running on a treadmill.
Over a period of time, the pattern challenges a long-held assumption that physical fitness safeguards against heart disease.
So what exactly happens inside the body when a person collapses when working out?
Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, cardiologist Dr Khalid Mohiuddin elucidates on the complex interplay of hidden risk factors. “Sudden cardiac arrest during exertion does not happen because of one reason,” he explains. Structural changes in the heart like an abnormal increase in muscle size can also disrupt its electrical stability. Blockages in coronary arteries may also restrict blood flow precisely when the body demands it most. In some cases, the heart’s pumping rhythm too becomes erratic, leading to fatal consequences within seconds, he explains.
"Genetics," he adds, "often plays a silent but decisive role".
"If you see any unusual symptoms in your body, be careful. If someone in the family died at the age of 30-40 or died suddenly, you are at increased risk of heart attack,” Dr Khalid warned.
Stop Random Brisk Exercises
Dr Khalid warned against random brisk exercises at the gym and supplements, he said, play an important role in increasing the risk of heart attacks. “Any kind of physical activity is based on real heart health, which means whether you are really fit to do intense exercise.
He further cautioned against junk foods, especially fried foods, foods made from flour and sugar and salt more than the daily allowance recommended by the FDA.
“These foods are rich in cholesterol and when cholesterol enters the body, it binds with other substances and moves with the blood throughout the body. When cholesterol reaches the arteries, it starts accumulating there and over time, plaques start forming that block the flow of blood to the heart and brain increasing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke”.
The cardiologist explained that intense workout under such a condition of the blood vessels makes the heart to pump blood faster to supply more blood to the desired areas, which puts more pressure on the blood vessels, which causes the blood vessels to burst.
He said that this bursting causes bleeding and the body immediately forms blood clots as a defense mechanism, which further increases the obstruction and stops the complete flow of blood to the heart and brain, which can lead to heart diseases such as heart attack or stroke.
“This is why people suddenly have a heart attack while exercising in the gym,” Dr Khalid explained.
Craze For Supplements
Gym goers Irfan Ahmed and Imtiaz Ahmed, who have been working out at a gym in Srinagar for a long time, said that most of the youth turn to supplements for instant muscle build-up while some work out without any guidance or training and others lift weights beyond their body's strength in the gym.
“They lift weights which later harm the body instead of benefiting it,” Irfan said.
Local young trainer and gym owner Altaf Rashid believes that bodybuilding or power-lifting takes time and requires patience while stressing that there are no shortcuts for fitness.
“But the youth try to get results by finding shortcuts, the results of which are negative. Most of the youth who come to the gym for fitness training have the same question: 'How long will it take to build a body?' Some also have the misconception that with heavy weights and maximum exercise, they will build a body in a month, which is not possible,” he said.
He further noted that people who have no knowledge or awareness about bodybuilding, powerlifting or fitness have opened gym centers in Kashmir for the sake of business. “Any exercise in a gym center where there is no professional trainer is not free from danger”.
The trend of youth going to the gym is increasing in Jammu and Kashmir which has resulted into a mushroom growth of gyms not only in urban areas but also in villages as well. But experts warn that exercise or practice in the gym should be done under the supervision of a trained person.
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