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How to Exercise After a Heart Attack

Having a heart attack is a life changing, and perhaps habit changing, event that can be difficult to recover from. Even though a heart attack is frightening it is important that the patient be ready to begin the recovery process immediately. According to John Hopkins Medicine, treatment after heart attack once discouraged exercise as it was thought it may cause a reoccurrence, but now doctors think a bit differently. A small amount of exercise after a heart attack can help the patient recover quickly and actually improve their chances of living a full life without heart surgery.

Things You'll Need

  • Heart rate monitor
  • Weights
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Instructions

  1. Exercise

    • 1

      A few days after the heart attack, and under doctor's instruction, begin to move by doing light stretching and walking around the hospital room and hallways. Have your doctor perform an exercise stress test before leaving the hospital to see how much activity your heart can handle. A stress test will help you determine your healthy heart rate ranges.

    • 2

      Obtain a heart rate monitor for your exercise. When working out check the monitor regularly to make sure you are not above a good heart rate for your condition. A safe area to work out in is between 50 to 80 percent of the maximum heart rate determined by your doctor. If your doctor requests you work out in the hospitals rehabilitation center, either your doctor or a therapist will be available to assist you in finding the correct exercises to keep you in your target heat rate.

    • 3

      Perform cardiovascular and strength training exercise. When performing cardio make sure to do a short 10 minute warm up using stretches and walking to bring the heart rate up slowly. After the first 10 minutes do more intense cardio including jogging, yoga or using a cycling machine. After the cardio do a 5 minute cool down to bring the heart rate down slowly. Do this three days a week.

      For resistance training warm up like you would with cardio. Weight training should be introduced slowly into the workout process once the body has begun to recover. If you have had surgery lifting weights too soon can burst sutures. Introduce weight training under the supervision of your doctor.

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