Exercise - February 2026: One Minute Late, A Lifetime Saved — Get CPR-Ready
- James Pickett
- Feb 8
- 5 min read
From 5–9 February 2026, every match across the English Football League is kicking off one minute late. It’s not a scheduling error — it’s part of the Every Minute Matters campaign with Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation, using football’s reach to remind everyone how quickly the odds change when someone collapses in cardiac arrest.
That one minute is symbolic, but the message is practical: acting early saves lives. For every minute that someone is in cardiac arrest without CPR and defibrillation, survival chances can drop sharply — commonly quoted at around 10% per minute.
Heart Month isn’t only about steps and salads. It’s also about building a culture where more people feel confident to respond in an emergency. In the same way that Phase 4 exercise helps people rebuild confidence in London and beyond, CPR confidence is another kind of “return to function”: knowing what to do when it matters.
This article is a simple guide for a “CPR-ready” fitness community — whether that’s your gym, walking group, class, workplace, or friendship circle.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin (attributed, 1736)
Why “one minute late” matters
Most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen away from hospitals, and the first few minutes are critical. The EFL’s one-minute delay is designed to get people thinking: If someone collapsed near me, would I know what to do?
The key steps are simple:
Call emergency services
Start CPR
Get an AED (defibrillator) if available
That’s it. You don’t need to be a clinician to save a life — you need to act.
The “CPR-ready” mindset
A lot of people avoid CPR because they worry about doing it wrong. A more helpful mindset is:
Doing something quickly is usually better than doing nothing perfectly.
CPR buys time until professional help arrives.
You can learn the basics fast, then refresh occasionally.
The British Heart Foundation’s RevivR is a free, interactive CPR course you can do in about 15 minutes using your phone and a cushion, and it provides a certificate afterwards.
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”— Peter Drucker (1974)
What a CPR-ready fitness community looks like
This is where heart health becomes “real life”. A CPR-ready community isn’t one where everyone is an expert — it’s one where the basics are normal.
1) People know where the defib is
If you attend a gym, studio, leisure centre, or community hall:
Ask: “Do you have an AED, and where is it?”
If it’s locked away, ask how it’s accessed quickly
If there isn’t one, ask whether there’s a plan to get one
2) People have done a short CPR course
RevivR is designed for exactly this: quick learning, low barrier, high impact.
A good goal for a class or workplace is: 50% trained in CPR by the end of February.
3) There’s a simple emergency plan
In an emergency, panic comes from uncertainty. A plan reduces panic.
A basic plan can be:
Person A calls emergency services
Person B starts CPR
Person C fetches the AED
Person D guides paramedics in / clears space
You don’t need a laminated poster (though it helps). You just need a shared “this is what we do” understanding.
4) The culture supports action, not perfection
People freeze when they feel judged. Communities save lives when they say:
“Do your best”
“Start”
“We’ll support you”
A quick evidence snapshot (why early action matters)
The Resuscitation Council UK explains that survival decreases rapidly with each minute without CPR and defibrillation — commonly expressed as around 10% per minute.
Reviews of adult resuscitation literature report similar time-dependent survival decline (often cited 7–10% per minute without CPR in witnessed VF arrest).
Large observational work continues to explore how CPR duration relates to outcomes and why early, effective intervention is key.
“Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.”— Leo Babauta (2008)
Practical tips for individuals (not just “communities”)
If you’re reading this as a person thinking “what can I do this month?”, here are five useful actions:
Do RevivR once this week (15 minutes, cushion, phone).
Save your local AED location in your phone notes
Add: gym, workplace, nearest community centre.
Tell one other person you’ve done it
Confidence spreads socially.
If you exercise in groups, ask one question
“Do we know where the defib is?”
If you have a heart condition, consider carrying an ICE note
Basic info (name, DOB, conditions, meds, emergency contact) can be helpful.
SMART challenges
Short-term SMART challenge (7 days): “CPR confidence week”
Specific: Complete RevivR and locate your nearest AED at one regular location (gym/work/community venue).
Measurable: 1 certificate + 1 AED location saved.
Achievable: 20 minutes total.
Relevant: Builds emergency readiness during Heart Month.
Time-bound: Done within 7 days.
Long-term SMART challenge (February): “Make your community CPR-ready”
Specific: Get 10 people in your community to complete CPR training (class members, colleagues, friends, family).
Measurable: 10 confirmations/certificates/screenshots.
Achievable: 10 people in 28 days is realistic if you ask 2–3 per week.
Relevant: Improves real-world survival odds if an emergency happens nearby.
Time-bound: Complete by 28 Feb.
If you want an extra Heart Month structure layer, BHF’s Heart Month hub also promotes the Walk for Hearts challenge (28/50/100 miles), which pairs well with CPR readiness as a “health + preparedness” month.
How My Movement Medicine can help
If you’d like support that blends safe exercise, confidence, and heart-health education, here are simple options:
Join a guided group session (in person or online) for structured, progressive exercise in a supportive environment.(Internal link: booking page)
Use MMM Momentum to keep your habits consistent without overthinking.
Choose a plan that fits your week so consistency becomes automatic.
Add a monthly challenge (walking, strength, consistency streak) to make Heart Month more motivating.
Book recommendations
The Checklist Manifesto — Atul Gawande (2009)
Atomic Habits — James Clear (2018)
Summary
The EFL’s one-minute delayed kick-off is a reminder that minutes matter. This Heart Month, consider adding CPR confidence to your health goals. It’s quick to learn, easy to refresh, and it can genuinely save a life.
References
English Football League: “Why is every EFL game kicking off one minute later this weekend?” (5 Feb 2026).
Sky Sports: explainer on Every Minute Matters and delayed kick-offs (5–9 Feb 2026).
British Heart Foundation: RevivR “Learn CPR in 15 minutes for free”.
British Heart Foundation: Team/organisation CPR training with RevivR.
Resuscitation Council UK: statement on survival decline per minute without CPR/defibrillation.
Ibrahim WH. “Recent advances and controversies in adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation.” (2007).
Okubo M, et al. “Duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and outcomes…” BMJ (2024).
British Heart Foundation: Heart Month hub / ways to get involved.
This health guide was written by Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
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