This Is the Best Daily Habit To Strengthen Your Heart, According to Cardiologists originally appeared on Parade.
It can be challenging to look too far into the future. The stress of everyday life may give you heartburn, and the state of the world might feel heartbreaking. Yet, cardiologists are urging people to think long-term about their hearts, emphasizing that small habits now can add up to a healthier future.
“Heart health is driven so much by choices we make daily—what and why we eat and how active we are,” says Dr. Mohanakrishna Sathyamoorthy, MD, the chair of the department of internal medicine and Burnett School of Medicine and the principal cardiologist with Consultants in Cardiovascular Medicine and Science Fort Worth.
Dr. Sathyamoorthy says that intentionally making healthy choices is empowering, as it gives you agency over your cardiovascular health. However, you need to know what to do to do it. Cardiologists shared an important daily habit for strengthening the heart, why they recommend it and how to get started.
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The Best Daily Habit To Strengthen the Heart, Cardiologists Reveal
Cardiologists emphasize that it’s crucial to strength train two to three times per week. “There is no doubt from my view that bringing weight training is crucial to developing a balanced exercise regimen,” Dr. Sathyamoorthy reports.
There’s no doubt in the American Heart Association’s mind either. The organization recommends that adults engage in strength training at least two days per week in its guidelines for physical activity. However, it is often overlooked as people focus more heavily on the also-important recommendations for aerobic activity (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week).
Now, you may know that weight training can help build and maintain muscle. The heart is also a muscle. However, pumping iron doesn’t benefit the heart in the same way—you’re not going to make your ticker bulkier by lifting weights or doing bodyweight squats..
“Strength training…can help create a more conducive environment for the heart to work within,” explains Dr. Debbie Rinde-Hoffman, MD, a cardiologist and vice chief of business development with Tampa General Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute.
In other words, strength training makes the body stronger, and the heart doesn’t operate in a vacuum—it benefits too.
“Strength training can lower weight, improve cholesterol and blood sugar and can improve blood pressure,” says Dr. Guy L. Mintz, MD, the director of cardiovascular health & lipidology for the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital and North Shore University Hospital. “Weight training builds lean muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories.”
Dr. Mintz notes that this calorie burn continues even after the resistance workout (known as the “afterburn effect”). Speaking of “continues,” the list of benefits strength training has for heart health doesn’t stop there.
“It also helps enhance insulin sensitivity, weight management, reduces inflammation and has a positive effect on our mood and sleep,” states Dr. Saleem Husain, MD, an interventional cardiologist at JFK University Medical Center.
Related: This Popular Nighttime Habit Could Spike Your Blood Pressure, Cardiologists Warn
Tips for Strength Training for a Stronger Heart Health
There are tons of advice and workout plans available online, which are handy when starting a workout regimen. However, Dr. Mintz stresses that people looking to start strength training for a stronger heart should remember to “make it fun.” Customization is also key based on your goals and experience. Here’s what cardiologists recommend if you’re trying to ramp up your strength training efforts for heart health.
1. Know what qualifies as strength training
Spoiler alert: It doesn’t require a gym membership (but you might benefit from one if you like to use equipment that you don’t have at home).
“Anything that increases muscle activity above normal activity [qualifies as strength training],” Dr. Mintz explains. “This can include weights and resistance bands.”
Dr. Husain notes that body weight moves also count—think push-ups, crunches, and squats.
2. Work different muscle groups
Cardiologists advise people to engage all their muscle groups each week. You might work the upper body, core, and lower body on separate days or opt for a full-body session three times a week. It is a personal choice.
“One method is to break up exercise into body sections,” Dr. Sathyamoorthy says. “The other is to do circuit training, where you use machines to work each part of the body, repeating each full round two to three times for a good workout.”
Dr. Sathyamoorthy adds that a bodyweight circuit approach, incorporating exercises such as push-ups, leg lifts, and squats, also works. “It’s up to you, your goals and your comfort level,” he says.
3. Understand how long to strength train for heart health
The American Heart Association makes specific recommendations for duration and intensity of aerobic exercise, but doesn’t do the same for resistance efforts. Dr. Rinde-Hoffman says there’s not a cookie-cutter answer to questions like, “How long should I strength train for my heart?”
“It might look different for individuals depending on their age, sex, degree of physical conditioning and underlying medical conditions,” Dr. Rinde-Hoffman points out.
Dr. Husain recommends tacking on 15 to 20 minutes of strength training to cardio workouts two to three times each week.
4. Go slow
Cardiologists recommend easing into resistance training if you’re a beginner or if it’s been a while. “I usually recommend training with low-level weights, which you can use without having to hold your breath,” Dr. Husain says, who adds it’s important to warm up and cool down.
Ensure you can keep your posture throughout the set. “Correct form is key to avoiding injury,” Dr. Mintz advises. “Do not jerk the weights.” He adds that a personal trainer can help ensure you keep good form, and he suggests gradually increasing weight as your body can tolerate it.
Related: The First 2 Moves Trainers Teach Clients Who Want a Stronger Core
Other Advice for a Stronger Heart
Dr. Rinde-Hoffman emphasizes working every avenue you can to keep your heart as healthy as possible. She suggests:
Managing underlying conditions, including high cholesterol and blood pressure
Getting enough sleep
Understanding other cardiovascular risk factors, like family history
Getting regular aerobic exercise
Getting enough sleep
Prioritizing interpersonal connections
Surprised to see the last one about connection there? “Prioritizing interpersonal connections with others is also helpful in promoting good heart health by reducing stress, promoting healthier lifestyle choices and improving overall mental health,” she reports.
Dr. Mintz’s key takeaway about heart health and lifestyle habits takes a similar route. “Cardiovascular benefits are increased when done together,” he says.
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Related: Cardiologists Are Begging People With High Cholesterol To Stop Doing This One Thing ASAP
Sources:
Dr. Mohanakrishna Sathyamoorthy, MD, the chair of the department of internal medicine and Burnett School of Medicine and the principal cardiologist with Consultants in Cardiovascular Medicine and Science Fort Worth
American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. American Heart Association.
Dr. Debbie Rinde-Hoffman, MD, a cardiologist and vice chief of business development with Tampa General Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute
Dr. Guy L. Mintz, MD, the director of cardiovascular health & lipidology for the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital and North Shore University Hospital
Dr. Saleem Husain, MD, an interventional cardiologist at JFK University Medical Center
This Is the Best Daily Habit To Strengthen Your Heart, According to Cardiologists first appeared on Parade on Aug 3, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
