How much exercise does your heart need? Cardiologist shares the ideal weekly target

Exercise is touted as an indispensable part of your lifestyle. So how much exercise does your heart actually need? The heart is a vital organ, so let's understand what kind of weekly target or routine it benefits from. Is there any baseline at all, or is it different for everyone?

ALSO READ: Cardiologist shares 3 key things you need to start doing today if you want to ‘age slower than your parents’

Dr Sabyasachi Pal, senior consultant in cardiology at BM Birla Heart Hospital, Kolkata, told HT Lifestyle how exercise requirements differ for healthy people, those with cardiovascular risk factors, and patients with established heart disease. He also shared why your current fitness level matters more than chasing the most intense workout possible.

For a healthy person, there is no such mandate of an upper limit to how much they can exercise. Dr Pal said, “For a healthy person, there is generally no fixed upper limit to the amount of exercise that can be undertaken, provided the activity is introduced progressively and follows a structured training plan.”

But what is the real point of concern? The cardiologist cautioned that, more than the amount of exercise, it is the sudden transition from minimal movement to intense physical exertion that can be problematic. The cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, he highlighted, need time to adjust to increasing workloads.

Focusing on adaptability, he described, “A sudden increase in physical exertion without allowing the body sufficient time to adapt. Someone who has been sedentary, for example, should not move directly to marathon training or prolonged high-intensity exercise.”

So, to help your cardiovascular system adapt, the expert recommended building up your level of physical activity gradually.

For such people, the cardiologist urged greater caution, as strenuous exercise can place additional stress on the heart.

Naming some of the conditions and risk factors that warrant attention, he said, "Greater caution is required when an individual has an underlying cardiovascular condition or significant risk factors such as coronary artery disease, hypertension or diabetes. Before undertaking high-intensity or prolonged exercise, a medical assessment may be appropriate, particularly for individuals who have not exercised regularly.”

The cardiologist recommended, “A commonly recommended target is at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, generally distributed across five or more days. This corresponds to approximately 30 minutes of activity on most days.”

This also varies according to a person's cardiovascular health and exercise capacity. The doctor added, “A proportion of this activity may be undertaken at a higher intensity when medically appropriate.”

You can stay active through different forms of physical movement, as exercise does not necessarily have to be gym-based. The cardiologist recommended walking, cycling, and swimming, as these activities can also help maintain cardiovascular fitness.