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Purpose: In-depth understanding of what women experience as important in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) phase 2, regarding strengthening confidence in the body and promoting exercise and physical activity after a cardiovascular event. Design and method: A qualitative study based on a focus group interview analyzed by systematic text condensation. Material: Four women participated in CR in primary care. Findings: Two overarching themes were identified; «Strengthened faith in the body» and «From supervised to autonomous – empowered through bodily experiences, perception and understanding». Conclusion: This study highlights that early implementation of exercise-based CR provides valuable experiences to strengthened confidence in the body, reduced anxiety for what the heart can tolerate and increased awareness of the importance of exercise and physical activity. Skilled professionals and peers are regarded as crucial contributors to this process.