Heart Mag - March 2026: Walking for Heart Health
- James Pickett
- Mar 7
- 6 min read
Author: Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
Length: 4 minute read
Category: Heart Mag, Exercise, Heart Health, Motivation
Service Update
February flew by, and I’m pleased to say the two weekly My Movement Medicine C.I.C. sessions are now regularly full.
Behind the scenes, I’ve been applying for a community bank account and submitting funding applications. I’m currently waiting to hear back from a few bids before we can confidently add more C.I.C. group sessions.
As new members have joined, I’ve been genuinely impressed by how welcoming and supportive the existing group has been. It’s exactly what I hoped for — a community that helps people stay consistent and feel safe getting back into exercise together.
Thank you to everyone who’s helped new members feel at home — it makes a bigger difference than you might realise.
If sessions are full, the best next steps are:
Join the waitlist / mailing list so you’re first to hear about spaces and new session times.
Consider the online option (if that suits you) to get started while you wait.
If you’re unsure where to begin, start with a trial session and we’ll guide you from there.
In terms of what’s next, if funding is confirmed, the plan is to add additional weekly C.I.C. group sessions and share updated timetables through email and socials as soon as dates are locked in.
I’m also working on some practical extras: black branded t-shirts and simple merch, plus the idea of a purchasable My Movement Medicine starter pack (details to be confirmed).
Likely contents include a branded tee, a resistance band, a heart rate monitor, and a session pack bundle, making getting started with sessions and a home programme easier.
And with that little tease of springtime sunshine recently, it’s a great chance to get outside for a walk...
MMM Track of the month:
Walking Works (How to Make It Count for Heart Health)
Walking is one of the most useful forms of exercise for heart health because it’s accessible, scalable, and repeatable. You can do it anywhere, adjust it to your energy levels, and build it into daily life without needing special kit or a perfect schedule.
It’s also one of the easiest ways to rebuild confidence after a cardiac event — especially when you’re trying to make exercise feel safe again. Whether you’re supported through Phase 4 exercise in London or building a routine on your own, walking is often the best “base habit” to get moving consistently.
The main problem isn’t that people don’t know walking is good for them. It’s that they don’t know how to make it count — how often, how hard, how long, and what to do when motivation dips.
This Heart Mag issue is a simple guide to walking with purpose, without overthinking.
If you want guided support alongside your walking routine, you can keep it simple
“Little by little, a little becomes a lot.”
What “counting” actually means
Walking “counts” when it’s regular enough to build fitness and confidence, and when the effort is appropriate for you.
That can look like:
Short walks most days (great for habit + energy)
3–5 purposeful walks per week (great for progress)
A mix of easy walks and slightly brisker walks (great for heart health long-term)
You don’t need every walk to feel hard. Most of your walking should feel manageable and repeatable.
Two key ideas:
Frequency beats occasional big sessions
Progress comes from doing a little more over time
How hard should walking feel
Use two simple tools so you’re not guessing.
1) Talk test
You should usually be able to speak in short sentences while walking.
If you can sing, it’s probably very easy.
If you can’t get a sentence out, you’ve moved into hard effort.
2) Borg RPE (6–20)
For most heart-health walking, a useful target is:
RPE 9–13 for light to moderate walking
RPE 12–14 for moderate walking (for many people)
If you’re returning after a break, start at the lower end and build confidence first.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
The 3-part walking session structure
This is a simple template you can use every time.
1) Warm-up (5–10 minutes)
Start slower than you think you need.
Let your breathing and legs settle.
If you’ve had symptoms with exertion before, this part matters.
2) Steady walk (10–40 minutes)
Keep it at a pace you can repeat.
If you’re building up, add time before you add intensity.
3) Cool-down (5 minutes)
Slow the pace gradually.
Let breathing return close to normal.
This is also a good moment for relaxed breathing and a quick check-in: “Do I feel better than when I started?”
The “minimum effective week” for heart health walking
If you want a simple target that works for most people:
3 walks per week as a baseline
Aim for 20–30 minutes each time (or build up to it)
Keep most walks at RPE 9–13
If that feels too much right now, start smaller and protect the habit:
10 minutes, 3 times per week, is a strong starting point
The aim is not perfection. It’s getting the routine in place.
“Consistency is more important than intensity.”
How to progress (without doing too much too soon)
Choose just one lever at a time:
Lever 1: Add minutes
Add 5 minutes to one walk per week.
Keep the effort the same.
Lever 2: Add a fourth walk
Add one shorter “bonus walk” each week.
Keep it easy.
Lever 3: Add gentle intervals (once your base is steady)
Example:
5 minutes easy warm-up
6 rounds of 1 minute brisk (RPE 12–14) + 2 minutes easy
5 minutes easy cool-down
Do this once per week at most to start.
If you feel wiped out after, reduce the brisk effort or the number of rounds.
What to do on low-energy days
This is the part that keeps people consistent.
Use this rule:
Reduce the load, don’t cancel the habit.
Options:
10-minute easy walk (RPE 9–11)
Walk to a specific landmark and back
“Just the warm-up” walk (5–10 minutes very easy)
It still counts, because it protects your routine.
SMART challenges
Short-term SMART challenge (7 days): The walking streak
Specific: Walk for 10–20 minutes on 5 days this week.
Measurable: 5 walks completed.
Achievable: Keep it mostly light to moderate (RPE 9–13).
Relevant: Builds confidence and routine.
Time-bound: 7 days.
Long-term SMART challenge (4 weeks): Build your base
Specific: Complete 3 purposeful walks per week for 4 weeks.
Measurable: 12 total walks.
Achievable: Start at 15–20 minutes and progress gradually.
Relevant: Builds heart-health fitness and consistency.
Time-bound: 4 weeks.
How My Movement Medicine can help
If you want support with getting moving in a healthy, and sustainable way, here are a few simple options.
Phase 4 cardiac rehab C.I.C. group sessions (in-person and online): safe pacing, clear progressions, in a supportive environment
Confidence with intensity: learn to manage intensity levels using full heart rate monitoring, the talk test and Borg RPE so exercise feels safe and doable
Trying a new activity? Approach it the right way with some support from our Activity Specific Guides:
Book recommendations
The Joy of Walking — Barbara Holland
Move! — Caroline Williams
The Blue Zones — Dan Buettner
Evidence references
Hanson S, Jones A. Is there evidence that walking groups have health benefits? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine (2015).
Kelly P, et al. The association of step count and intensity with all-cause mortality in adults. JAMA (2021).
Summary
Walking works because it’s simple enough to repeat.
Start with a routine you can maintain, keep most walks at a manageable effort, and progress gradually by adding minutes before intensity.
If you do that for a month, you’ll usually feel the difference in energy, confidence, and fitness — without needing extremes.
Catch up on February health guides:
This health guide was written by Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
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