Exercise is one of the most important components of a healthy life—yet few people realise that it is a far more intricate concept. It turns out that not only is there a right time to work out, but there is also the right amount of weekly exercise, especially for heart patients. For a person dealing with heart disease, it is imperative to get the right amount of exercise every week in order to become healthier. Earlier, the recommended amount of exercise was two and a half hours per week. However, according to a new study by researchers from Macao Polytechnic University in China, adults must aim for 10 hours of exercise per week to gain real health benefits.What is the right amount of exercise for a healthy heart?Compared with the NHS's recommendation, the study advises four times as much exercise for heart patients. This equals about an hour and a half every day. The researchers said this leads to a modest reduction in the risk of premature stroke, heart attack, or death due to cardiovascular events. This means that much more exercise is needed for greater benefits. The study involved 17,088 UK adults who met the NHS recommendations with respect to exercise. It was found that these people were only eight to nine per cent less likely to suffer from serious heart conditions compared with couch potatoes.Researchers found that people with a significant reduction in risk were those who exercised between 560 and 610 minutes every week. Out of these, 10 people in the study managed to achieve an intense level of exercise. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that achieving a healthier heart required moderate to vigorous exercise three to four times more than the current minimum recommendations.How much weekly exercise is necessary?People with a relatively lower fitness level needed more activity to become just as fit as their peers and to gain maximum benefits. For this, volunteers' movements were tracked using a wrist sensor for a week, which helped test and monitor their aerobic capacity and overall health for about eight years. On average, it was found that people who were out of shape needed to work out for at least 30 to 50 minutes a week to get the same boost as fit people.Best ways to maximise workout benefitsFitting workouts into the modern lifestyle can be hectic, but exercise may not always involve going to the gym. According to experts, moderate to vigorous exercise may not always be enough to raise the heart rate and break a sweat. However, there are some simple ways to maximise exercise benefits. Some of the simplest ways to increase physical activity are the following:Mow the lawnGo for a walkTake the stairsWalk faster on your way to the bus or metro stationDance more often