Have you had a cardiac event? You might find yourself in a physical rehabilitation facility – and I might even be the one you see.

As the wellness and education director at the YMCA in Steubenville, Ohio, I help people make lifestyle changes that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Participants work one-on-one with me or another exercise physiologist to make sure they’re performing the exercises safely and properly.

At the YMCA, we have a partnership with Trinity Health System. When a patient finishes their Phase 2 cardiac rehab at Trinity, they can see us for Phase 3 rehab.

Phase 3 cardiac rehab is a program where people learn to maintain their cardiorespiratory health. During Phase 3 at the YMCA, participants usually follow a maintenance program consisting of a few different modalities like walking on the treadmill or on our inside walking track. They might also do the arm bike or the recumbent bike.

Each participant from Trinity is given six free visits to get familiar with the YMCA. At the end of those six visits, they can see if they’d like to continue at the YMCA to better their cardiorespiratory health. After participants’ six sessions, they often find that they enjoy the atmosphere at the YMCA as well as the benefits that are available there for them.

But the best thing participants can take away from this program is to maintain their cardiovascular health throughout the rest of their life.