13/5/24, 12:54 Give your heart a workout: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

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Give your heart a workout

Being physically active is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Regular exercise helps reduce
your risk for heart disease and adds years to your life.

You do not need to spend hours in the gym every day to see benefits. Moving your body just 30 minutes a
day is enough to improve your heart health.

If you have diabetes or heart disease, talk to your health care provider before starting an exercise program.

The Benefits of Exercise

Exercise helps your heart in several ways.

Burns calories. This can help you lose extra pounds (kilograms) or stay at a healthy weight. Being
overweight is a major risk factor for heart disease.

Lowers blood pressure. Doing some type of moderate aerobic exercise, for 30 to 60 minutes on
most days of the week, can help lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is another major risk
factor for heart disease.

Reduces stress. Regular exercise is a proven stress buster. Experts are not sure if stress plays a
direct role in heart disease. But it may contribute to other risk factors.

Lowers cholesterol. Exercise can lower your LDL ("bad" cholesterol level). A high LDL level is a major
risk factor for heart disease.

The Best Activities for Your Heart

When done properly, any kind of exercise can be good for your body. But aerobic exercise is the best type
for your heart. Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses the large muscles in your body and gets your heart
beating faster.

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To benefit your heart, experts recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on
most days with a target of 150 minutes per week. This is 2.5 hours a week. You can also break this up into
a few 10- or 15-minute sessions each day. Moderate aerobic exercises include:

Dancing

Hiking on flat ground

Bicycling at less than 10 mph

Moderate walking (2.5 to 3.5 mph)

Golf (not using a cart)

Downhill skiing

Tennis (doubles)

Softball

Swimming

Gardening

Light yard work

For even more heart benefits, consider adding some vigorous activity to your week. If all your exercise is
vigorous, aim to get at least 75 minutes each week. Vigorous aerobic exercises include:

Brisk walking (3.5 to 4.0 mph)

Bicycling at more than 10 mph

Hiking uphill

Cross-country skiing

Stair climbing

Soccer

Jogging

Jumping rope

Tennis (singles)

Basketball

Heavy yard work

Track the Intensity of Your Workout
You can tell if your workout is moderate or vigorous by paying attention to how your body feels while you
exercise.

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The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale ranks exertion from 6 to 20. During exercise, choose the
number that best describes how hard you are working.

6 = No exertion

7 = Extremely light

9 = Very light, such as slow walking or easy chores

10

11 = Light

12

13 = Somewhat hard, requires effort but doesn't make you out of breath

14

15 = Hard

16

17 = Very hard, you really have to push yourself

18

19 = Extremely hard, the highest level of exercise you can keep up

20 = Maximal exertion

A moderate level of exercise is usually from 12 to 14. Vigorous exercise is usually a 15 or higher. You can
adjust the level of your workout by slowing down or speeding up.
Track Your Target Heart Rate
To see the direct effects of exercise on your heart, track your target heart rate, which is about 50% to 85%
of your maximum heart rate, based on your age. This range gives your heart the most benefit.

To find your target heart rate:

Take a brief break from exercising to take your pulse. To measure your pulse at the wrist, place your
index and middle fingers on the inside of your opposite wrist, below the base of the thumb. To
measure your pulse at the neck, place your index and middle fingers to the side of the Adam's apple.

Count the number of beats you feel for 10 seconds.

Multiply this number by 6 to give you the beats per minute.

Find your age and target heart rate:

20 years old -- 100 to 170 beats per minute

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30 years old -- 95 to 162 beats per minute

35 years old -- 93 to 157 beats per minute

40 years old -- 90 to 153 beats per minute

45 years old -- 88 to 149 beats per minute

50 years old -- 85 to 145 beats per minute

55 years old -- 83 to 140 beats per minute

60 years old -- 80 to 136 beats per minute

65 years old -- 78 to 132 beats per minute

70 years old -- 75 to 128 beats per minute

To find your approximate maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.

For moderate intensity exercise, your target heart rate should be 50% to 70% of your maximum heart
rate.

For vigorous exercise, your target heart rate should be 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.

When you first start exercising, aim for the lower number for your age range. As you get fitter, you can
slowly work towards the higher number.

If your heart rate is lower than your target heart rate, you may not be exercising hard enough to benefit
your heart. If your heart rate is higher than your target, you may be exercising too hard.

Some blood pressure medicines can lower your target heart rate. If you take medicine for high blood
pressure, ask your doctor what range is healthy for you.
When to Call the Doctor
If it's been a while since you were active, you should check with your provider before starting any new
activity. Also, to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise, check with your provider if you have:

High blood pressure

Diabetes

A heart condition

Another health problem

Alternative Names
Exercise - heart workout; CAD prevention - workout; Cardiovascular disease prevention - workout

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