Heart Mag – August 2026: Every Movement Counts — New Guidelines, More Sessions and What’s Coming This Autumn
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Author: Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
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Category: Heart Mag, Heart Health, Exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation, My Movement Medicine News
Introduction
August can feel like a month in between.
Summer routines are still changing, holidays interrupt normal habits, and September is already beginning to appear on the horizon.
For My Movement Medicine, this August is also a useful moment to look forward.
The UK Chief Medical Officers have published refreshed physical activity guidance, reinforcing a message that sits at the centre of what we do: every increase in movement matters.
And from 5 October, My Movement Medicine will be expanding its Hampstead timetable to five weekly group sessions, alongside the introduction of one-to-one sessions, small-group sessions and home visits.
You do not need a perfect exercise routine. You need a routine you can keep building.
August headline: every movement counts
The refreshed 2026 UK physical activity guidelines keep the familiar target of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week for adults, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination.
But the most useful message may be simpler:
Any activity is better than none, and more is better still.
The updated guidance emphasises that the biggest health gains often occur when someone moves from being inactive to doing something.
It also reinforces the importance of strength work at least twice each week, while older adults should include activities that maintain strength, balance and flexibility.
UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines — the refreshed national guidance published in July 2026.
What this means realistically
The weekly target matters, but it should not become an all-or-nothing test.
A person who currently does very little does not need to jump immediately to 150 minutes.
Useful starting points might include:
A 10-minute walk
A short cycle
A few sit-to-stands at home
One structured exercise class
A short strength session
Standing and moving during long periods of sitting
Walking part of a regular journey
These are not failed versions of a 'proper workout'.
They are ways of increasing physical activity from your current level.
For someone recovering after a cardiac event or managing a long-term condition, the safest progression may be gradual and individually adapted.
Physical activity for adults and older adults: 19 and over — a simple summary of the current adult and older-adult guidance.
Moderate exercise does not have to mean hard exercise
Moderate-intensity activity should increase breathing while still allowing you to talk.
That fits well with the approach used at My Movement Medicine.
We commonly combine the talk test with the Borg RPE 6–20 scale.
RPE 9–11: very light to light
RPE 11–13: light to somewhat hard
RPE 12–14: a useful moderate range for many stable participants when appropriate
The aim is not to push everyone to the same number.
Medication, fitness, symptoms, recent procedures and confidence all affect what an appropriate exercise intensity looks like.
Your personalised cardiac rehabilitation or medical advice takes priority.
Strength is becoming harder to ignore
One of the clearest themes in the refreshed guidelines is the importance of maintaining muscle strength throughout life.
Adults should include activities that strengthen the major muscle groups on at least two days each week.
That matters for more than lifting heavier weights.
Strength supports:
Getting out of a chair
Climbing stairs
Carrying shopping
Walking more comfortably
Maintaining independence
Balance and falls prevention
Keeping muscle during weight loss
For people taking GLP-1 weight-management medicines, the new guidance also highlights the likely importance of strengthening activity in helping to preserve muscle mass.
Strength and Balance Twice a Week — our practical guide to strength and balance recommendations.
Walking still deserves its place
Walking remains one of the most accessible ways to increase aerobic activity.
The NHS notes that brisk walking can help build stamina and contribute towards the weekly activity target.
A walk does not need to last an hour to be worthwhile.
A short, purposeful walk can be a practical starting point, particularly when the alternative is doing nothing.
Walking for Heart Health — the newly updated My Movement Medicine walking guide.
NHS: Walking for health — NHS guidance on walking for health.
National Lottery funding confirmed for Hampstead
There is also some very good news for the next stage of My Movement Medicine.
My Movement Medicine C.I.C. has been successful in its National Lottery reaching communities funding application for the Hampstead service.
The funding will help strengthen and establish the Hampstead programme over the coming year, supporting regular delivery, equipment and the wider development of the service.
It is an important step towards making longer-term, community-based exercise support more sustainable for people moving on from rehabilitation or living with long-term health conditions.
My Movement Medicine is expanding from 5 October
The next stage of the Hampstead service begins on 5 October 2026.
The expanded timetable gives participants more choice across the week and makes it easier to build a regular routine around work, appointments and other commitments.
Mondays
4:30–5:30 pm
5:45–6:45 pm
Tuesdays
4:30–5:30 pm
Wednesdays
5:30–6:30 pm
Thursdays
4:30–5:30 pm
That means five weekly group sessions across four days.
The aim is to make it easier for people to exercise regularly rather than relying on one session time fitting everyone.
More than group classes
Alongside the expanded timetable, My Movement Medicine is beginning to offer more individualised ways to exercise.
One-to-one sessions
These are designed for people who would benefit from a more individual approach before, alongside or instead of joining a group.
Sessions can focus on:
Individual exercise prescription
Cardiovascular fitness
Strength
Balance and mobility
Heart-rate and Borg RPE guidance
Confidence after a cardiac event
Returning to exercise after illness or inactivity
Building towards independent exercise
Small-group sessions
Small groups can provide more individual attention while keeping the social and motivational benefits of exercising with other people.
They may be particularly useful for people with similar goals, needs or levels of confidence.
Home visits
Home visits provide another option for people who find travel difficult or who would benefit from beginning exercise in their own environment.
They can also help translate exercise into the activities that matter most at home, such as stairs, transfers, walking tolerance and everyday strength.
Why expand the service?
Cardiac rehabilitation is not simply about completing a fixed number of exercise sessions.
For many people, the harder challenge begins afterwards: turning supervised rehabilitation into a routine that can continue for years.
Some people are ready for a group.
Some need more individual support first.
Some need a home-based starting point.
Some want to progress beyond basic rehabilitation and become genuinely fitter and stronger.
Offering several routes into exercise makes it easier to meet people where they currently are.
A quick note on the recent hot weather
The recent spell of very hot weather has also been a useful reminder that the same exercise session can place a very different demand on the body when temperatures rise.
For people with heart conditions and other long-term conditions, hot weather may increase cardiovascular strain and make a normal walking pace, journey or exercise session feel harder than usual.
On hotter days, reduce the intensity or duration, choose a cooler time or environment, and follow any individual advice you have been given about fluids, medication and symptoms.
Managing Warm Weather With Health Conditions — How to Stay Active Safely — https://www.mymovementmedicine.co.uk/post/warm-weather-exercise-health-conditions
An August challenge: build the habit before autumn
Rather than waiting for September or October to make a dramatic restart, use August to establish one small routine.
Choose one:
Walk for at least 10 minutes on five days each week
Complete two strength sessions each week
Attend one structured exercise session each week
Break up sitting at least once every hour
Complete one longer social walk each weekend
Keep the target deliberately manageable.
Consistency during a disrupted month is more useful than a demanding plan that lasts one week.
SMART challenge: Every Movement Counts
Specific: Choose one form of movement you can realistically repeat.
Measurable: Complete it on at least five days each week.
Achievable: Begin with 10 minutes or another amount appropriate for your current ability.
Relevant: Choose something that supports your fitness, mobility or independence.
Time-bound: Continue for the next four weeks.
Warm-weather reminder
August can still bring periods of high heat.
Heat can increase cardiovascular strain, particularly for people with heart conditions or other long-term conditions.
On warmer days:
Exercise earlier or later
Reduce intensity and duration
Choose shade or a genuinely cool indoor environment
Follow your individual fluid guidance
Do not chase your normal pace when conditions are harder
Managing Warm Weather With Health Conditions — our full guide to exercising safely in warm weather.
Looking towards autumn
The October timetable is not simply about adding more classes.
It is part of building a service with several levels of support.
Someone may begin with a home visit or one-to-one assessment, move into a small group, progress into a regular class and eventually exercise increasingly independently.
Others may join directly through a referral and use the group sessions as their long-term exercise community.
The destination does not have to be the same for everyone.
The aim is to create a pathway that makes continued movement realistic.
How to get involved
Current and new participants can continue using the existing booking and membership options while the expanded autumn timetable is prepared.
Summary
The message for August is simple: every movement counts.
The latest national guidance reinforces that moving from inactivity to some activity can produce meaningful health benefits, while aerobic exercise, strength and balance all have a place in a complete programme.
For My Movement Medicine, the next step is greater choice.
From 5 October there will be five weekly Hampstead group sessions across Monday to Thursday, alongside growing access to one-to-one sessions, small groups and home visits.
You do not need to wait for October to begin.
Choose one manageable action this August and start building the routine now.
References and useful links
UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-uk-chief-medical-officers-report/uk-chief-medical-officers-physical-activity-guidelines
Physical activity for adults and older adults: 19 and over — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-adults-and-older-adults/physical-activity-for-adults-and-older-adults-19-and-over-text-of-the-infographic
NHS: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 — https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/
Trying a new activity? Approach it the right way with some support from our Activity Specific Guides:
This health guide was written by Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine & My Movement Medicine C.I.C.
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