A 20-minute heart healthy workout you can do NOW

IT ALMOST goes without saying that being fit and active is a fast track to a healthy heart – even if you’ve had a heart attack.

‘It’s a misconception that exercise with heart disease or after a heart attack will put a strain on the heart,’ explains Professor Colin Greaves, of the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. ‘Moderate exercise can help get your heart back to the best possible condition.

‘The heart is a muscle – if you don’t use it, it deteriorates and gets weaker.’

In fact, regular exercise is a central part of the NHS cardiac rehabilitation programme for patients with heart problems or following heart surgery.

Research shows the programme, which also includes psychological and lifestyle support, reduces chances of further complications, improves quality of life and cuts the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 26 per cent.

But it’s not just those with heart problems who can benefit from exercise. According to the British Heart Foundation, regular exercise can help reduce your risk of heart and circulatory disease. It can also help you control your weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and improve your mental health.

If you haven’t exercised for a while, start slowly – perhaps try some gentle walking first.

With this in mind, we’ve consulted the British Heart Foundation to devise a heart healthy exercise plan. It’s ultra simple, and requires no special kit – you could invest in some hand weights, but bottles of water or tins of beans will do. Before embarking on any of these exercises, check with your doctor that they are suitable for you.

And regardless of how long you exercise for, a warm up and cool down is vital. Warming up gradually increases your heart rate to ready it for the work ahead. It also opens up the arteries around the body so your heart has a good supply of oxygen.

Cooling down helps to gradually bring your heart rate down to its resting state, as suddenly stopping exercising could cause your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly. It can help dizziness and light-headedness.

To warm up, march on the spot or walk around the room for at least five minutes, gradually increasing your pace. To cool down, do the same, but gradually decrease your pace instead.

Once you’ve warmed up, give these exercises a try for one minute at a time, increasing to two minutes when your fitness improves.

Keep those legs moving during the arm and upper body exercises, and remember to listen to your body – ‘moderate’ exercise means you’ll still be able to hold a conversation while exercising.