Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Comber Leisure Centre is one of the only venues in Northern Ireland to offer a 10-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme to help patients manage their condition, improve their health and recover their quality of life after a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or heart surgery.
Alex Beck from Donaghadee undertook the programme through Momentum fitness at Comber Leisure Centre in 2013. He was initially referred by the hospital following a heart attack. He is now a member of the leisure centre and quick to promote the health benefits of being active. He has shared his story so others can take the right steps to achieve long-lasting health and fitness.
Alex said: “I’ve had several heart attacks and following each one have taken part in a cardiac rehabilitation scheme. The first two at the local hospital and the latest through Momentum Fitness at Comber Leisure Centre.
“A member of council staff worked with me to devise a light exercise programme incorporating the treadmill, the exercise bike and the rowing machine. As my fitness increased they adjusted my programme, including adding in some light weights. The staff are all great… they are always about for a chat or to offer advice and then will check my blood pressure for me any time I want them to.
“Going to the gym has really helped me improve my fitness and I find it much easier to walk around the golf course and to manage my heart condition. My blood pressure and cholesterol are now spot on. I also find the gym useful as I cannot exercise outdoors in the wind or the rain due to my heart condition. I find it more interesting than going for a walk anyway because of the variety of moving between different pieces of cardio equipment and weights.
“I enjoy the gym so much that I signed my grandson Tyler up. He comes with me a couple of times a week and does cardio. Like me, council staff devised a personalised programme for him to follow to help him to stay active and improve his fitness.
“I would recommend Momentum Fitness to anyone interested in staying healthy by improving their fitness. The facilities are excellent, but what makes it really exceptional is that the staff are all incredibly friendly and helpful.”
The Council’s cardiac rehabilitation programme consists of gym and group exercise classes, along with healthy lifestyle advice. Participants work at their own level on a progressive programme that aids recovery, reduces further risk factors and offers the participants the information they require for the long term maintenance of physical activity and lifestyle change.
The Chairperson of Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Community and Wellbeing Committee, Councillor Kellie Armstrong, said: “Exercise is extremely beneficial in helping patients get back to as full a life as possible after a heart event, such as a heart attack or bypass surgery. It can also be helpful if you’ve had a Pacemaker fitted, or have stable heart failure, stable angina, cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease.
“Regular exercise combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle will help you to stay as healthy as possible, and to reduce the chance of another heart event. It can help to reduce dependence on cardiac drugs and improve cholesterol levels as well as helping patients to regain their confidence and promote feelings of being able to cope after a heart attack or heart surgery.”
If you have been inspired by Alex’s story and would like more information on Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Momentum Fitness facilities or membership contact:
* Comber Leisure Centre on 028 9187 4350
* Ards Leisure Centre on 028 9181 2837
* Portaferry Sports Centre on 028 4272 8833.
Membership starts from just £19.99 a month.
