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Strength Routine From a Cardiac Rehab Exercise Physiologist

Strength Routine From a Cardiac Rehab Exercise Physiologist — video by Cleveland Clinic Play · 10:12

Video by Cleveland Clinic on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A clinical exercise physiologist from a cardiac rehab department shows a resistance routine with bodyweight or light weights: squats or chair sit-to-stands, lateral raises, step-ups, curls, wall push-ups, glute bridges and seated rows.

  • 10 min
  • All levels
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • dumbbells, chair, wall, step

Good forHealthy ageingHeart health

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Step by step 9

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Squats: feet shoulder-width, chest upright, sit back into your hips; breathe in going down and out coming up. 0:42
  2. Chair sit-to-stand, the easier option: sit your hips back to the chair and stand up, 10 times. 1:50
  3. Lateral raises: lift the arms out to the sides to shoulder height and lower, with dumbbells, cans or no weight. 2:40
  4. Step-ups: place your foot in the middle of the step, step up and down, 10 on each leg. 3:23
  5. Seated knee raises instead of step-ups: lift one knee and lower, then the other, 10 each leg. 4:21
  6. Bicep curls: palms facing forward, curl the weights to your shoulders and back down, 10 times. 4:59
  7. Wall push-ups: lean in, elbows at about 45 degrees, push back; a bench or chair push-up makes it harder. 5:41
  8. Glute bridges: lie with knees bent, lift your hips into a straight line, hold about 3 seconds and lower. 7:10
  9. Seated bent-over row: hinge forward with a straight back, drive the elbows back and squeeze the shoulder blades. 8:15

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Breathe steadily: out as you stand up, in as you squat down
  • Keep the chest upright and sit back into the hips on squats
  • Use the modified version shown whenever a move is too hard

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 4 takes load

  • Shoulders takes loadlateral raises, bent-over rows, wall push-ups
  • Elbows takes loadbicep curls, wall push-ups
  • Hips takes loadsquats, sit-to-stands, step-ups, glute bridges
  • Knees takes loadsquats, sit-to-stands, step-ups
  • Wrists & hands moveslight dumbbells, wall push-ups
  • Upper back movesseated bent-over rows
  • Lower back movesglute bridges, hinging forward for rows
  • Ankles & feet movessquats and step-ups
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Chair sit-to-stand, seated knee raises, wall push-ups, no weights

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Cleveland Clinic; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety