Daily Walking
Steady walks built into the day; the easiest place to start.
Get-fit guides / Best exercise for heart health
Best exercise for heart health
By the Exercise Explorer team. Last updated 13 November 2026.
Regular activity is one of the most useful things you can do for your heart. Large studies link more daily steps and recreational cycling with lower risk of death, and guidelines recommend regular aerobic activity plus strength work. These are the options we rate well.
Read this first. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, chest symptoms, or have had a heart event, ask your GP or cardiac team what is safe for you before starting. This is general information, not medical advice.
The short answer
- Aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 to 150 of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening on two days (WHO).
- A 2025 pooled analysis linked about 7,000 steps a day to roughly 47% lower risk of death than 2,000 steps, with smaller gains beyond that. This is observational.
- A 2024 review linked recreational cycling to 21% lower risk of death from any cause and 16% lower risk of coronary heart disease.
- Build up slowly. Stop and get urgent help for chest pain or severe breathlessness.
The best exercises for heart health
Brisk Walking
Pace that raises breathing but still allows talking.
10,000 Step Target
Daily step goal tracked on a phone or watch.
Road Cycling
Riding road routes solo or with a club.
Lap Swimming
Pool lengths using one or more strokes.
Aqua Aerobics
Group exercise to music in a pool.
Resistance Band Training
Full-body workouts with elastic bands.
Cardiac Rehab
Supervised graded exercise after heart events.
Stationary Bike
Seated cycling at the gym or at home.
How each one helps
Evidence at a glance How much good research supports each option
StrongModerateLimited
- 1Daily WalkingStrong evidence
The most accessible heart-friendly activity.
30 min × 5/wkEffort ●○○○○Free - 2Brisk WalkingStrong evidence
A pace that gets your heart rate up while you can still talk counts as moderate activity.
30 min × 5/wkEffort ●●○○○Free - 310,000 Step TargetStrong evidence
Step counts give an easy target. The benefit is greatest in the early thousands.
All dayEffort ●○○○○Free - 4Road CyclingModerate evidence
Recreational cycling was linked to lower risk of death and coronary heart disease in a 2024 review.
90 min × 2/wkEffort ●●●○○High cost - 5Lap SwimmingModerate evidence
Low impact, whole-body aerobic exercise.
40 min × 3/wkEffort ●●●○○Low cost - 6Aqua AerobicsModerate evidence
Gentle on joints, with supported effort.
45 min × 2/wkEffort ●●○○○Low cost - 7Resistance Band TrainingModerate evidence
Strength work two days a week, as recommended.
30 min × 3/wkEffort ●●○○○Low cost - 8Cardiac RehabModerate evidence
If you have had a heart event, cardiac rehabilitation is the supervised route back.
60 min × 2/wkEffort ●●○○○Free - 9
What to avoid or go slowly with
- Going straight to hard exercise if you have not been active. Increase gradually.
- Exercising with chest pain or pressure, or feeling unwell.
- Very heavy lifting and straining, if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, unless cleared.
- Extreme heat or cold exertion.
- Ignoring symptoms such as breathlessness out of proportion to effort.
How to start exercising for your heart: a gentle first week
This is an example to adapt, not a prescription. If a day feels too much, do less.
- Day1A 10-minute easy walk.
- Day210 minutes of gentle stretching or chair exercises.
- Day3A 15-minute walk at a pace where you can still talk.
- Day4Rest.
- Day510 to 15 minutes on a stationary bike, or water walking.
- Day6A 20-minute walk.
- Day7Rest. If the week felt fine, add a few minutes next week.
- My notes: how did you feel during and after?
When to see a doctor
Stop exercising and get medical advice if any of these apply to you.
Get urgent help now
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness, or pain spreading to your arm, neck or jaw
- Severe breathlessness, or fainting
- Sudden weakness, confusion or difficulty speaking
Call 999 or go to A&E. Do not wait for a GP appointment.
Speak to a GP or call NHS 111 if you have
- Palpitations, a racing or irregular heartbeat.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness on exertion.
- Swollen ankles, or breathlessness lying flat.
- A family history of sudden cardiac death, or a heart condition you have not been reviewed for.
What the research says
The WHO 2020 guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate (or 75 to 150 of vigorous) aerobic activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening on at least two days.
A 2025 Lancet Public Health dose-response analysis linked about 7,000 steps a day to roughly 47% lower all-cause mortality compared with 2,000 steps, with smaller gains beyond that. The studies were observational, so they show association rather than proof of cause.
A 2024 review of 136 papers found that recreational cycling was linked to 21% lower risk of death from any cause and 16% lower risk of coronary heart disease. These were also mostly observational findings.
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 and some quality-of-life and anxiety measures.
Full references are listed under Sources below. Evidence ratings are our own plain-English summary of the research we found, not a medical opinion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best exercise for heart health?
Regular aerobic activity such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming, plus strength work. The best one is the one you do regularly.
How much exercise do I need for a healthy heart?
The WHO suggests 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength work on two days, but any activity is better than none.
How many steps a day is good for the heart?
A 2025 analysis linked about 7,000 steps with roughly 47% lower risk of death than 2,000 steps, with smaller gains beyond that. It is an association, not proof.
Is cycling good for the heart?
A 2024 review linked recreational cycling with lower risk of death and coronary heart disease, though the findings are observational.
Is it safe to exercise with a heart condition?
Often yes, and exercise is part of care, but the right type and level depend on your condition. Ask your cardiac team about a rehab programme.
Is high-intensity exercise better for the heart?
It can improve fitness, but it is demanding and not necessary. If you have heart risk factors, check with your doctor first.
When should I see a doctor?
Get urgent help for chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting. See a GP for palpitations, dizziness on exertion or swollen ankles.
Sources
- World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
- Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 2025. doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1
- Health Benefits of Different Sports: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal and Intervention Studies Including 2.6 Million Adult Participants. Sports Medicine - Open, 2024. doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00692-x
- Effectiveness, safety, costs, and delivery considerations of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2026. doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwag460