Your heart is responsible for your every move—from pumping blood to providing oxygen to your body’s reliance on you to be up and at ’em each day. When was the last time you even thought about maintaining such an essential aspect of your daily living wellness? A compromised heart could lead to fatigue, low energy, or a susceptibility to other problems. But you can strong arm your heart—without a personal trainer and without a fancy gym. Daily exercise goes a great way in maintaining a healthy heart. If you want to feel better, gain energy, and accomplish more with relative ease, continue reading to discover seven easy exercises that can be done every day from the comfort of your own home to strengthen your heart. They’re enjoyable and beginner-friendly, perfect for those looking to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
I’ll explain each one and why it’s beneficial so you can incorporate them into your daily life. There’s no age too young or old to start!
Why it’s Good to Exercise the Heart
Like every muscle in your body, the heart is a muscle, and the more you use it, the better it responds. When you exercise regularly, you challenge your heart to pump additional blood, therefore making it more effective at pumping blood and circulating blood throughout your body while using oxygen. Essentially, exercising puts your heart in operation mode! Add on to that the general sense of well-being and better mood from reduced stress elements, and you’ll be hooked on this new life force!
Below is cardiovascular exercise; it’s how you elevate your heart rate and maintain its functionality without running marathons or excessive weight training. Short, quick bursts over days, weeks, and years equal excellent health over time. Here are 7 exercises you can do daily for heart health.
Exercise 1: Walking
The simplest exercise for heart health is walking. It’s free, it’s relatively simple, and it’s available wherever you go (or very close by). A brisk walk gets your heart racing without putting unnecessary strain on your body; think about it—when you’ve strolled through a park, you’ve felt good afterward—your heart has been celebrating itself!
To use walking for heart health, you should be able to talk while slightly breathless. Walk 20-30 minutes each day—if that seems too much, break it up into two 15-minute sessions. Extend your walking distance halfway to your destination (the grocery store or work), use the stairs instead of the elevator, or walk around the block post-dinner before going inside. Just keep walking.
Consider decent sneakers and pleasant scenery to keep you motivated. Bring a friend or headphones and listen to motivating music. When it’s fun, walking isn’t working. Soon enough, you’ll realize you can walk faster and longer without getting tired—which is an excellent sign that your heart is getting stronger.
Exercise 2: Jumping Jacks
Remember your gym class jumping jacks? They’re not just for children. This exercise can get your heart rate up in just a few minutes, and it’s enjoyable, too, bringing some excitement to your workday. Jumping jacks engage almost all the muscles in your body—arms, legs, and core—while giving your heart a good workout in a short time.
To do a jumping jack, stand up straight with your feet together and hands by your side. Now, in one explosive jump, spread your feet shoulder-width apart while bringing your arms straight over your head. Jump again to return to the start position with your feet together and arms down by your side. Aim to keep going for 30 seconds to one minute, resting and repeating to attempt three sets. If this is too difficult, go slowly or try stepping side to side instead of jumping.
You can do jumping jacks in front of your TV at home, on your patio, or even on a work break (that is unless people give you dirty looks!) No equipment necessary. Also, if you find you have tight knees, pay particular attention to soft landing or doing the low-impact version. As your heart strengthens through activity, it’ll be easier to challenge yourself, so why not do so and see what happens now?
Exercise 3: Cycling
Cycling is another low-impact exercise that’s easy on the joints but still works to strengthen the heart. Whether you have a stationary bike at home or you pedal through the neighborhood, cycling really gets the blood flowing while working to strengthen the heart. It’s also a nice way to get outside and adventure.
Start with 15 to 20 minutes of biking at a comfortable speed. There’s no need to try to pedal at breakneck speed—just enough to allow your body to perspire and become slightly breathless. If you’re a beginner, stick to flat surfaces or low-resistance settings on a stationary bike. Over time, as your heart becomes stronger, you can add duration and hills.
Biking easily incorporates itself into everyday life whether you bike to get groceries, bike after work, or go on a family biking adventure. It’s fun, burns calories, and at the same time, it provides fantastic cardiovascular exercise. No bike? Check to see if your city has bike shares; or, go to spin class. Your heart will thank you for the workout.
Exercise 4: Swimming
Swimming is a fantastic thing to do—and it’s a great workout for the heart, too. Not only is it a total body workout while in the water, but because the water supports your body and joints, it can be lower impact than other forms of exercise yet still delivers a workout to your heart. Whether you’re swimming laps or just splashing around, it’s a great way to raise one’s heart rate and keep blood pumping.
If you have access to a pool, try for 20 to 30 minutes of swimming several times a week. You do not need to be Michael Phelps—freestyle and breaststroke or even jogging in place in the water helps. For beginners, try for shorter durations and allow yourself time to rest as this can be taxing when first starting. It helps the heart since the water provides some resistance without you feeling as if you should have to kill yourself.
Swimming is also relaxing. When was the last time you swam and floated your worries away? That’s positive for your heart because when you’re stressed, your heart is not happy. Use community access to centers or gyms with pools nearby if you don’t have an at-home pool. At least a dip once a week can help. Get your feet wet!
Exercise 5: Dancing
What’s better than a dance party? Dancing is an awesome way to provide a cardio boost to the heart while having fun doing so. It gets the blood pumping, the heart racing, and regardless if you’re salsa-ing or doing the hustle, it puts a smile on your face.
To do it right, listen to music that you love and dedicate 20-30 minutes of your day to dancing to your songs. You can take online dance classes, go to nearby dance class opportunities, or free-style in your living room. It’s not about getting it right or wrong or making mistakes; it’s about moving as continuously as possible while enjoying yourself. No one will judge you, so if you’re feeling stupid a la “Napoleon Dynamite,” that’s OK! Feel that heartbeat? That’s the goal!
Dancing releases endorphins, too, as well as energy and motivation to want to dance even more. Make sure to dance with others, too, from friends and families to young children—bonding is realizing while working out together. If you feel shy, close the curtains and go to town in your home. Your heart doesn’t care how you feel about what you’re doing; it just appreciates that you are!
Exercise 6: Stair Climbing
Stair climbing is an excellent way to train your heart without even knowing it. You can do it at home, work, the mall—wherever there’s a set of stairs. Stair climbing elevates your heart rate while simultaneously toning and tightening your leg muscles.
You can implement this exercise into your life by going up and down one or two flights of stairs at a comfortable pace for a total of 10 to 15 minutes. If this is too challenging, take your time and rest as needed. Work towards going faster in the future or try going up the stairs while skipping a step every other step. You’ll see improvement in no time.
If you lack stairs in your home, find a public park with steps or a stool at home. The best part about this exercise is that it can be integrated into your life without even thinking about it! Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go to the office and use your break to walk upstairs and down—just do it for ten minutes a day! You won’t regret it.
Exercise 7: Jogging
Jogging is one of the most simplistic and easiest heart workouts there is. It’s also one of the most effective ways to get your heart pumping, blood moving, and building endurance. All you need is the willingness to exert more energy than it would take to go walking, and you’re ready to jog.
Start jogging for 10 to 15 minutes three to four times a week. If that sounds too strenuous, alternate jogging and walking days. For example, jog for one minute and walk for two minutes, repeating the entire time. Be sure to protect your feet with good shoes and a safe, flat location. Parks and treadmills are ideal.
Jogging might be challenging at first, but don’t be discouraged; soon you’ll realize you can go much longer without a break. Jogging is an exceptional opportunity to clear your mind, enjoy the outdoors, or listen to music; if you want to add an element of community, consider joining a local running club. Your heart will thank you for the extra effort.
How To Get These Exercises into Your Everyday Life
Now that you’ve learned about these seven exercises, how can you get them into your everyday life? The key is gradual incorporation. Choose one or two that appeal to you, and aim to do them a few times a week consistently. Once those feel comfortable, add some more or substitute some of the earlier exercises for something new. Remember, consistency trumps infiltration—20 minutes of exercise a day will do wonders for your heart in the long run.
Schedule your appointments with yourself as you would any other important meeting—you wouldn’t skip out on work so don’t skip out on something your heart needs! I’m sure from every day you can find at least 20 minutes for your heart—morning marches, lunchtime jumping jacks, and evening sock dancing will all help! You can also keep a progress notebook or use an app to help you, but listen to your body—if you feel stronger and happier, or less lethargic, that’s your heart getting the workout it needs!
Listen to your body. Getting sore? Getting out of breath? Ease off. Hydrate, wear breathable fabrics, and stretch before activity to minimize injury. If you have existing conditions, check with your doctor first. There’s no reason to go overboard—we just want to feel good.
Conclusion
So if your heart is always working for you, why not do a little extra work for it? The seven activities all cited can be done on a daily basis with minimal time, effort, equipment, or mundane task-oriented endeavors: brisk walking, jumping jacks, cycling, swimming, dancing, climbing stairs, and jogging. You can do them at home, at the gym, in the water, in the air, in the street, or on the sidewalk. Take a walk around the block or get your groove on; go up and down a few flights of stairs and you’re set!
Find one thing today that feels good and try to work it into your day. Before long you’ll feel invigorated, less stressed, and with a happy heart that’s also healthier. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain—our hearts are out there ready to burst with elation and improved health, and all we have to do is give them a little extra credit with these easy, daily endeavors. So get moving and have fun!