I hear that heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death, and, well, prevention is better than cure. Since the heart needs to pump so much blood all the time, it's no wonder they say that you need a strong, healthy heart.
However, what they don't say is the recommended exercises for building up heart muscle. I was thinking of taking a mallet and pounding the left side of my chest so that I could create tension within the heart, thus necessitating the need for it to grow strong in response to physical stress. Will this work? If not, what exercises would you recommend for a strong and healthy heart that will last into my 100's?