IU Hoops Alum Hornsby Stays Fit Playing New Position as Cardiologist

Kyle Hornsby—still fit and towering over many at 6-foot, 5-inches—looks ready to suit up for a Big Ten matchup. But this former IU basketball guard is in a different game today. He’s no longer looking to score on the court. His goal is to save lives in the operating room.

Just 16 years after helping lead the local university team to the NCAA Final Four and National Championship game, Dr. Hornsby, a cardiologist specializing in electrophysiology, is back in Bloomington with his wife and four children.

“This really is a fantastic community,” Dr. Hornsby says, noting that he’s a small-town, Louisiana native. Having attended other schools to complete his medical degrees, he has chosen to practice and raise his family in the same town where he was once heralded “the nicest guy in Bloomington” by IU’s “Hoosier Scene” alumni magazine. “Other college towns just don’t quite have the feel that’s present in Bloomington,” he says with a smile, while attempting to palm a basketball for fun.

Dr. Hornsby joined IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians in 2017. While his long days are filled with patient care, he finds balance in his life by being a husband, a daddy and squeezing in time for personal rejuvenation. He makes the choice to keep fitness in his routine.

“I try to work out two to three times a week, alternating routines.” On one day he does intervals on the treadmill for 20 minutes, sandwiching in three different exercises: abdominals, pull-ups and back extensions. On his next trip to the gym he completes two circuits which include a combination of pull-ups and push-ups—10 each—followed by abdominals, the three-quarter leg press and ham string curls. He rounds out that day with more abdominals and a dead lift.

“I do that without stopping and then I do it again,” says the cardio doctor while demonstrating his workout at Anytime Fitness in Bloomington. “All I’m trying to do is stay healthy these days. When I was playing ball, fitness was my job. In the line of work I’m in now, it’s easy to neglect the time it takes to care for yourself.”

Dr. Hornsby defined his own personal workout routines, but he isn’t recommending the same formula for everyone. Instead he says 15 minutes, approved by a provider, is probably a good place to begin. Start slowly and ease into things, working up to 30 to 45 minutes. This will prevent injury and keep you motivated. “Pay attention to your body and seek out professional assistance for chronic conditions you may have so that you don’t exacerbate injuries. There is usually a way to work around most conditions,” he suggests.

Even this once high-profile basketball star is watching some old injuries.

“I have a few aches and pains now from four prior knee surgeries, and an old shoulder injury gives me some trouble. I’ve been able to work around these for the most part and allow time to heal if they become exacerbated by something I do.”

Q: So what are the benefits of putting your body through a regular regimen?

“It has so many beneficial effects both mentally and physically, but being a cardiologist, it absolutely lowers your odds for cardiovascular disease.”

Q: What are the top three fitness options you would suggest for overall health?

1. Some type of aerobic activity – walking or running, swimming, biking.
2. Some weight-bearing exercise.
3. Throw in an activity you enjoy that involves physical activity. It can be easy for routines to get mundane so mixing it up a little bit is a good idea. And don’t forget a healthy well-rounded diet, he adds.

Featured IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians provider seeing patients for cardiology-related issues:

Kyle Hornsby, MD
812.676.4144