A rigorous workout is great for strengthening your long-term heart health. But there’s a big difference between getting winded and running completely out of breath.
Jogging, climbing stairs and lifting weights all work up a sweat and increase the body’s demand for oxygen. But struggling to carry on a conversation with a buddy while walking could mean it’s time for a heart checkup, said interventional and clinical cardiologist Dr. Frances Wood of Randolph Health Heart & Vascular Institute, powered by Novant Health.
“Most people should be able to walk multiple blocks at their own pace without getting winded,” Wood said. “But it’s important to remember that everything is relative to an individual patient’s baseline. For example, a sedentary patient who wants to take on a 5K is definitely going to get winded during those first weeks of training.”
Take the first step toward improving your cardiac health.
In early 2025, Novant Health partnered with Randolph Health to support an outpatient heart and vascular clinic on the hospital’s campus, located at 373 North Fayetteville Street in Asheboro. Cardiac imaging services include electrocardiograms, echocardiograms (heart ultrasounds), and nuclear stress testing for coronary artery disease, a cause of heart failure.
This summer, the hospital will open a catheterization lab, powered by Novant Health physicians, under the same roof. This addition will allow patients to receive most of their diagnostic and elective heart procedures locally at Randolph Health.
“Keeping heart care local is our ultimate goal, and the No. 1 advantage for our patients is improved access,” said Wood, who focuses on preventive cardiology.
Here, she offers rules of thumb to know when catching your breath could mean something serious.
How do you define being winded versus out of breath?
This varies from person to person. But the red flag is when difficulty breathing gets in the way of your normal, everyday activities. For some people that could mean no longer being able to walk to their mailbox without a break or leaning on their grocery cart for support as they shop.
Many people say they get short of breath walking upstairs. I don't like that example, because of course you're going to get winded if you don’t regularly climb stairs. So I might suggest that a patient practice walking upstairs several times throughout the day and see how they’re feeling after a few weeks.
What if you regularly work out but still get winded while walking uphill?
That’s normal. Unless your daily cardio regimen already includes a lot of hill or stair work, you’re going to feel it. If I’m climbing something steeper than I normally do, or going at a faster pace than usual, at some point I’m going to get winded. When it comes to working out with weights, you may not get as out of breath if you’re doing high reps of low weight.
So is it healthy to strive for being a bit out of breath to ensure an effective workout?
Any exercise is beneficial. I encourage patients to get outside more often, because even tackling yard work or doing things around the house is good progress.
The goal should be to walk and hold a conversation at the same time. Once you’re able to do that, it’s time to mix up your workouts. That could mean tackling cardio before lifting weights, then switching up the order. Your body gets used to the same workout routine after about six weeks.
How vulnerable are smokers to running out of breath?
From a cardiovascular standpoint, smoking and vaping is like shooting yourself in the foot. It's truly an addiction. And too often people don't take this to heart until they’re suffering from the consequences. But quitting smoking will definitely improve your breathing.
