Heart Attack Awareness

Heart attacks don’t always look dramatic. Most aren’t the movie version where someone clutches their chest and collapses. Many start quietly and build. Some feel like fatigue or indigestion. Some feel like “I’ll just sleep it off.” That hesitation is what kills people.

The message for our team and our clients is simple: if something feels unusual, severe, or out of character, treat it like a heart event until proven otherwise.

Below are the key signs and the actions we expect inside our gym.

Most Common Signs of a Heart Attack

1. Chest Pressure or Discomfort

This is the classic sign.
It often feels like:

• Pressure

• Squeezing

• Tightness

• Fullness

• “An elephant sitting on my chest”

It might come and go. It might feel like heartburn but with more pressure than burning. If it lasts more than a couple minutes or keeps returning, treat it seriously.

2. Pain That Radiates

Chest discomfort may move to:

• Jaw

• Neck

• Back

• Shoulders

• Arms (often the left, but can be either)

Radiating pressure is a red flag.

3. Sudden Shortness of Breath

Can happen:

• At rest

• With or without chest pain

• Suddenly

Shortness of breath out of proportion to effort is never something to ignore.

4. Fatigue, Nausea, or Lightheadedness

These symptoms are often overlooked, especially by women and older adults. They can look like:

• Extreme or unexplained fatigue

• Feeling faint

• Nausea

• Sweating and feeling clammy

• A sense of doom or anxiety

In more than 20 percent of heart attacks, symptoms are so mild or odd that people think it’s the flu or indigestion.

5. Silent Symptoms

Some people have almost no pain at all. They just “don’t feel right.” Any unusual combination of the signs above deserves immediate attention.

What Coaches Must Do

1. Stop the workout immediately

If a client mentions chest pressure, radiating pain, sudden shortness of breath, or they look pale, sweaty, or confused, training stops right away.

2. Ask simple, direct questions

• Where is the discomfort?

• Does it feel like pressure or squeezing?

• Is it moving anywhere?

• Do you feel short of breath?

• Are you dizzy, nauseated, or unusually tired?

If anything is concerning or unclear, treat it as a medical emergency.

3. Call 911

Do not let a client drive themselves. Do not “wait to see if it passes.” EMS can begin life-saving treatment before arrival at the hospital.

Calling 911 is always the right call if heart symptoms are possible.

4. Stay calm and supportive

Our job is to reassure them, help them sit or lie comfortably, and gather basic information while EMS is on the way.

5. Note the time symptoms started

This helps paramedics and the hospital team act faster.

What We Should Teach Clients

• Don’t brush off chest pressure or radiating pain.

• Don’t assume fatigue or nausea is “just something you ate.”

• Women especially should not downplay symptoms.

• If symptoms appear at home, call 911. Don’t drive yourself.

• Getting help within 30 minutes makes a huge difference in survival and recovery.

The Bottom Line for Our Gym

Heart attacks often start quietly. Hesitation is deadly. Our coaching culture is built on awareness, calm leadership, and quick action.

When in doubt, take the safe route.

If it turns out not to be a heart attack, great. But if it is, the difference between life and death is often measured in minutes.