Mighty Nimble
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Intermediate Cardiac Rehabilitation

A moderate, low-impact cardiac rehab session focused on safe aerobic work and controlled strength.

Warm-Up

Gradually raise heart rate and loosen joints with easy, rhythmic movement. 6 minutes.

March in Place
March in Place2 min
How to

A low-impact cardio move that warms up your legs and hips while raising your heart rate.

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
  2. Lift one knee to hip height as you swing the opposite arm forward.
  3. Lower that foot, then lift the other knee and switch arms.
  4. Keep alternating sides at a steady pace.
  5. Slow down and plant both feet to finish.
Form cues
  • Stand tall with your chest up
  • Land softly under your hips
Common mistakes
  • Leaning back as you lift your knees
  • Stomping your feet on each step
Shoulder Roll
Shoulder Roll1 min
How to

A simple shoulder mobility move that warms up your upper back, neck, and shoulders.

  1. Stand tall with your arms relaxed at your sides.
  2. Lift both shoulders up toward your ears.
  3. Roll them back and down in a smooth circle.
  4. Repeat for reps, then reverse the direction if needed.
Form cues
  • Move slowly and smoothly.
  • Keep your neck relaxed.
Common mistakes
  • Shrugging with tension in your neck.
  • Rushing through small, jerky circles.
Ankle Pump
Ankle Pump1 min
How to

A simple ankle movement that warms your calves and shins and moves both ankles through flex and point.

  1. Sit or lie down with both legs extended and relaxed.
  2. Pull your toes toward your shins on both feet.
  3. Point your toes away from you on both feet.
  4. Move smoothly back and forth for the set.
Form cues
  • Keep your knees still
  • Use a full, smooth range
Common mistakes
  • Bouncing or jerking the ankles
  • Letting your legs tense up
Step Touch
Step Touch2 min
How to

A low-impact side-to-side step that warms up your legs and raises your heart rate.

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed.
  2. Step to one side with your right foot.
  3. Tap your left foot next to it, then step back the other way.
  4. Tap your right foot in and keep alternating side to side.
Form cues
  • Stay light on your feet
  • Keep your chest lifted
Common mistakes
  • Leaning your torso side to side
  • Letting your knees cave inward

Main Session

Moderate, low-impact aerobic and light functional strength. Maintain a steady, controlled effort. 16 minutes.

Step Touch
Step Touch2 min
How to

A low-impact side-to-side step that warms up your legs and raises your heart rate.

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed.
  2. Step to one side with your right foot.
  3. Tap your left foot next to it, then step back the other way.
  4. Tap your right foot in and keep alternating side to side.
Form cues
  • Stay light on your feet
  • Keep your chest lifted
Common mistakes
  • Leaning your torso side to side
  • Letting your knees cave inward
Sit to Stand
Sit to Stand10x
How to

A chair-based squat pattern that trains your thighs and glutes for standing strength.

  1. Sit near the front of a chair with feet flat and hip-width apart.
  2. Lean slightly forward and brace your core.
  3. Press through both feet and stand tall.
  4. Push your hips back and sit down with control.
Form cues
  • Keep your knees tracking over your toes
  • Stand tall at the top
Common mistakes
  • Letting your knees cave inward
  • Dropping hard onto the chair
Wall Push-Up
Wall Push-Up12x
How to

A standing push-up against a wall that trains your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

  1. Stand facing a wall and place your hands at chest height.
  2. Step your feet back so your body forms a straight line.
  3. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the wall.
  4. Press the wall away to return to the start.
  5. Repeat for your planned reps.
Form cues
  • Keep your body straight
  • Keep elbows about 45 degrees
Common mistakes
  • Letting your hips sag
  • Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears
Standing Hip Abduction
Standing Hip Abduction10x each side
How to

A standing leg raise to the side that trains your outer hips and balance.

  1. Stand tall with one hand on a wall or chair for balance.
  2. Shift your weight onto one leg and brace your core.
  3. Lift the other leg out to the side without leaning your torso.
  4. Lower the leg with control to the start position.
  5. Finish your reps, then switch legs.
Form cues
  • Keep your toes facing forward.
  • Stand tall through each rep.
Common mistakes
  • Leaning your torso to lift the leg.
  • Turning your toes outward as you raise.
Calf Raise
Calf Raise12x
How to

A standing lower-leg move that trains your calves by lifting and lowering your heels.

  1. Stand tall with both feet hip-width apart.
  2. Press through the balls of your feet and lift your heels.
  3. Pause briefly at the top with control.
  4. Lower your heels slowly back to the floor.
  5. Repeat for your reps.
Form cues
  • Keep your ankles tracking straight.
  • Move up and down with control.
Common mistakes
  • Rocking onto the outside edges of your feet.
  • Bouncing at the bottom of each rep.
2 rounds · 30 sec rest

Cool-Down

Lower heart rate gradually and finish with gentle stretching and breathing. 3 minutes.

March in Place
March in Place30 sec
How to

A low-impact cardio move that warms up your legs and hips while raising your heart rate.

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
  2. Lift one knee to hip height as you swing the opposite arm forward.
  3. Lower that foot, then lift the other knee and switch arms.
  4. Keep alternating sides at a steady pace.
  5. Slow down and plant both feet to finish.
Form cues
  • Stand tall with your chest up
  • Land softly under your hips
Common mistakes
  • Leaning back as you lift your knees
  • Stomping your feet on each step
Standing Quad Stretch
Standing Quad Stretch30 sec each side
How to

A standing thigh stretch that targets the front of your hip and quad on one leg.

  1. Stand tall and hold a wall or chair for balance if needed.
  2. Bend one knee and hold your ankle or foot behind you.
  3. Keep your knees close and gently draw your heel toward your glute.
  4. Hold the stretch and breathe slowly.
  5. Release with control, then switch legs.
Form cues
  • Stand tall through your chest
  • Keep your knees close
Common mistakes
  • Arching your lower back
  • Pulling the knee out to the side
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstring Stretch30 sec each side
How to

A held stretch for the back of your thigh that targets your hamstrings.

  1. Sit tall with your target leg straight and toes up.
  2. Hinge at your hips and reach toward your foot.
  3. Stop when you feel a gentle stretch behind your thigh.
  4. Hold the stretch and breathe slowly.
  5. Release slowly, then switch sides if stretching one leg.
Form cues
  • Keep your back long.
  • Hinge from your hips.
Common mistakes
  • Rounding your back to reach farther.
  • Bouncing in the stretch.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic Breathing1 min
How to

A slow breathing drill that trains relaxed belly breathing and helps you control your breath.

  1. Lie on your back or sit tall with one hand on your belly.
  2. Inhale through your nose and let your belly rise.
  3. Exhale slowly and let your belly fall.
  4. Keep your chest and shoulders quiet.
  5. Continue for the set time with smooth breaths.
Form cues
  • Breathe low into your belly
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed
Common mistakes
  • Shrugging your shoulders as you inhale
  • Forcing the breath or holding tension
Rate-Pressure Product & Why Each Move Earns Its Pl

Rate-Pressure Product & Why Each Move Earns Its Pl

March in Place and Step Touch elevate heart rate incrementally, controlling rate-pressure product — the key cardiac workload metric. Sit to Stand targets quadriceps and glutes through functional loading, while Wall Push-Ups recruit anterior deltoids and pectorals without the venous pooling risk of floor-based pressing.

The Post-Cardiac Event Physiology You're Working W

The Post-Cardiac Event Physiology You're Working W

Myocardial remodeling and autonomic dysregulation mean your heart's chronotropic response is slower and less predictable than before. Every transition between exercises here respects that lag — low-impact footwork patterns and bilateral, closed-chain movements minimize sudden preload shifts that challenge a recovering left ventricle.

Structured Progression Within Safe Intensity Bands

Structured Progression Within Safe Intensity Bands

This session applies the overload principle within a conservative RPE 3–5 window, using movement complexity rather than resistance to drive adaptation. To personalize, monitor your perceived exertion during Calf Raises and Standing Hip Abduction — if both feel effortless by week three, add two reps per set as your progressive threshold marker.

Intermediate Cardiac Rehabilitation | Mighty Nimble | Mighty Nimble