There is so much information available about how much shorter are life expectancy would be if we do or don’t do this or eat or don’t eat that. I am not sure that it is much of a motivator. If we don’t like exercise are we suddenly going to rush out and start becoming more active just to decrease a chance of a heart attack by 20%? Lets be honest we all think ‘no that won’t happen to me’, and the chances are – well 80% likelihood to be exact – is that it won’t. It is only when something actually happens that we take action as there is always a ‘moment’ when we evaluate what we are doing and then resolve to change. This ‘moment’ could be a chance remark or even a visual reality check such as seeing yourself on camera for the first time in years.

However if you have had a heart attack the fear works in an entirely different way. Many individuals in specialised cardiac classes are there because they are motivated to do well – for good reason – the fear that takes hold is to stay well within their comfort zone and it takes a lot of nerve to push the heart so that it is a little uncomfortable. Yet only then can their heart become stronger and fitter – more about this in the members area on special training conditions.