Getting your heart pumping
Overall, “the most beneficial exercises for cardiovascular fitness are ones that elevate your heart rate and engage large muscle groups for extended periods,” says Brian Cleven, an American College of Sports Medicine-certified clinical exercise physiologist.
“This includes activities like brisk walking, hiking, running, cycling, swimming, and rowing or kayaking,” Cleven says. “Interval and circuit-type workouts also help your cardiovascular fitness by improving both endurance and heart efficiency.”
For optimum heart health, Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend that adults do at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities, with greater benefit gained from more exercise.
Post-exercise supplements
A number of supplements can support exercise performance and recovery, such as:
|
Supplements |
Potential benefits for exercise |
|
electrolyte powders |
can help restore fluid balance and sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes lost during exercise |
|
collagen |
can enhance skeletal muscle health and performance |
|
creatine |
may help increase strength, power, and endurance after resistance training and during intense bursts in aerobic activities |
|
plant-based proteins |
promote muscle protein synthesis after exercise |
|
polyphenols, including those found in greens powders |
increase exercise performance and enhance recovery following muscle damage |
|
probiotics |
may improve body composition, exercise-induced damage recovery, and exercise performance |
Strengthening muscles and more
Guidelines also recommend muscle-strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week as another key component of heart health, offering benefits that go beyond stronger muscles.
“Adding strength training to your fitness routine at least two non-consecutive days per week complements aerobic exercise by improving cardiovascular function, reducing blood pressure, and enhancing how your body processes sugar from your diet,” says Cleven. “Strength training also has the potential to reduce body fat and improve your cholesterol profile.”
The Guidelines recommend muscle strengthening workouts that target all major muscle groups; however, “even short sessions of resistance exercise have been linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke,” points out Cleven.
“Combining aerobic and strength training provides the most comprehensive protection for long-term heart health, improving both endurance and overall quality of life,” Cleven adds. A study published in 2024 in European Heart Journal found that half-cardio, half-strength workouts reduce cardiovascular risks as much as cardio-only sessions.
Recover and reset
While aerobic and resistance workouts are essential, equally important is how you recover.
“When you finish exercising, that’s when your body starts to adapt, repair, and grow stronger—both your muscles and your cardiovascular system,” says Cleven. “When post-exercise recovery is neglected, chronic fatigue, elevated stress hormones, and inflammation can accumulate, which may reduce cardiovascular improvements and even increase health risks over time.”
Recovery doesn’t mean binge-watching your favourite show after your workout. While good sleep is essential for tissue repair and inflammation reduction, recovery also involves continuing to move in different ways from your workouts.
“Light activities such as walking, easy cycling, active hobbies, or flexibility-focused exercises, like yoga and stretching, enhance circulation, reduce muscle soreness, and support heart rate variability [HRV], which is a key marker of cardiac resilience,” says Cleven. Some devices and apps track HRV, which can be used to optimize your recovery.
Beyond movement, a 2018 study published in Frontiers in Physiology found that active recovery strategies—like massages and cold plunges—can reduce muscle soreness, muscle damage, and inflammation. As part of the overall fitness experience, gyms and studios are increasingly offering these recovery tools, along with meditation classes, saltwater float tanks, and infrared saunas.
Alongside active recovery and movement, what you eat can make a big difference in how well your body heals. “Post-exercise meals rich in lean protein, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, and healthy fats help repair muscle tissue, restore glycogen, and reduce stress on the cardiovascular system,” says Cleven. “And hydration enhances how the heart functions and improves your overall recovery.”
Committing to heart health
“Ultimately, post-exercise recovery habits transform exercise into sustainable cardiovascular wellness,” says Cleven. “By combining smart training with restorative movement, adequate sleep, flexibility work, and nutrient-rich fueling, individuals allow their hearts to become stronger and more adaptable and resilient for life.”
In particular, “consistency is the most powerful training principle of all,” says Cleven, who has run at least one mile (1.6 km) every day for 15 years and has completed 13 full-distance IRONMAN triathlons.
“Those experiences have taught me that lasting heart health isn’t about perfection or intensity,” he says. “It’s about showing up daily, listening to your body, and building momentum by setting goals and focusing your efforts, especially as you age.”
Move more; sit less
Research shows that replacing time spent being sedentary with different types of physical activities lowers the risk of coronary heart disease by 6 to 23 percent, with greater benefits for more vigorous activities. But even activities such as walking for fun, gardening, yard work, and doing chores around the house improved heart health when it replaced sedentary time.
This article was originally published in the February 2026 issue of alive magazine.
