Categories / Mobility, rehab & life stages
Featured in: Best exercise for heart health, Exercise after a heart attack
Cardiac Rehab
Supervised graded exercise after heart events.
How to start
Ask your GP or heart team to refer you. A supervised programme starts with gentle exercise, monitored and increased gradually.
How to progress
The team raises intensity and teaches you to continue at home.
What the evidence says
Evidence: moderate
A 2026 pooled analysis of 29 trials (6,682 people) from lower- and middle-income countries found exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation improved exercise capacity moderately (SMD 0.71) and some quality-of-life and anxiety measures. Most trials had moderate to high risk of bias. Results from the main trials in higher-income countries were not part of our search.
Take care: Only exercise under medical guidance after a heart event. Stop and seek help for chest pain, severe breathlessness, or dizziness.
Sources
12-week starter plan
A supervised programme twice a week, then home exercise.
Tick each week as you finish it; your ticks are saved on this device only. Repeat a week if it felt hard. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 hold steady so you can settle. This is a general plan, not medical advice.
Add reminders to your calendar
Pick your days and time. You will download a calendar file that adds 12 weeks of reminders to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar.
Calories and weekly minutes
Enter your details for a rough estimate. Based on about 3.5 METs (Typical effort for this activity (estimated)). Real figures vary by 20% or more between people.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Attend all sessions.
- Report symptoms.
- Keep going at home.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the supervised programme.
- Overdoing it.
- Ignoring symptoms.
Kit and cost
Free to low Approximate UK prices.
- Comfortable clothes
- Flat shoes
- A referral from your heart team
Frequently asked questions
Who is it for?
People after a heart attack, surgery or with heart failure.
Is it safe?
It is supervised and monitored.
How long?
Programmes often run 6 to 12 weeks.
Good for: Heart & fitness Rehab & recovery
Compare with similar options
| Cardiac Rehab | Pregnancy Exercise | Strength and Balance Class | Foam Rolling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical session | 60 min × 2/wk | 30 min × 3/wk | 60 min × 2/wk | 10 min × 5/wk |
| Effort | ●●○○○ | ●●○○○ | ●●○○○ | ●○○○○ |
| Cost | Free | Low cost | Low cost | Low cost |
| Equipment | Some equipment | No equipment | No equipment | Basic kit |
| Impact | Low impact | Low impact | Low impact | Low impact |
| Fitness needed | Any level | Any level | Any level | Any level |
| Evidence | moderate | moderate | moderate | limited |