Your suggestions are excellent! It's great to read information from someone who is knowledgeable in this field and I hope others read it. I am way past "beginner" and had been by the 2 month mark after my surgery two years ago. My recovery from a septal myectomy was "ahead of the game," I had always been quite active. I walk a 10K with my walking club in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. I have been doing weights, balance and flexibility exercises (I lift 160+ pounds with my legs, 50 with my arms), at the gym several times a week for years, it's owned by people who are trained in cardio rehab. I mow my half-acre lawn with a self-propelled mower, garden, clean my house, paddle my kayak, I rode my bike on Saturday for 23 miles with my bike group. I am 78 years old, just want to "maintain" at this point in time and agree that people need to work hard to make the best of their physical potential. Use it or lose it. Wishing all success in their endeavors.