Exercising When You Have High Blood Pressure

When you work out, it’s common to have your heart rate increasing while you expend a lot of energy. Is that good for you when you have high blood pressure?

Actually, it’s great. True, if you’re already seeing a doctor for your high blood pressure, then you might as well ask your doctor’s opinion on the matter.The doctor might then give you a green light for your workout activities. But in all likelihood, the doctor will be pleased by your decision and might even recommend the proper exercises you can do. 

What Exercises Are Good for You? 

It’s great if you can get to a gym, as they have all the proper equipment you can use. You might even get a trainer to help you out. This is great if the trainer already has experience dealing with other clients with high blood pressure. The trainer can also help you use all the equipment safely, and you’re less likely to get hurt. 

But you don’t have to join the local Gold’s Gym to get enough exercise. Generally, doctors just want you do be active enough on a regular basis, so that your heart beat goes faster (which is good for your heart) and you breathe a bit harder for a while (which is good for your lungs).

You can do 30 minutes of brisk walking each day, or you can go with biking (stationary or otherwise) instead. But you don’t have to go for 30 minutes straight. You can do 10 minutes of exercise at a time, 3 times a day. Do this 5 days a week. Other options include swimming, hiking, jumping rope, and rowing. 

If you can, you might opt for more vigorous exercises instead, such as jogging instead of brisk walking. This is great if you’re short on time, as you just need a total of 20 minutes for 3 or 4 days each week. 

The point is that you need to do this regularly. So, pick a workout or exercise that you find fun and interesting. Set it into your weekly schedule. You might also want to work out with a friend or a group, which can make things fun and social. And they can encourage you to continue when you feel like quitting—you don’t want to let your buddies down, right? 

Starting the Workout

It’s best that you don’t immediately go with 30 minutes of exercise for 5 days a week, if you have been living a sedentary lifestyle in front of your TV or PC monitor for the last few years. You should start slow, with maybe just 10 minutes of brisk walking per day. You can then increase the time gradually, so that in a few weeks you’re up to 30 minutes a day for 5 days. 

Just before you begin working your muscle, you should first warm up your body. Before brisk walking, you might try a more relaxed walk for 5 to 10 minutes, before the brisk walking part. Do some additional home exercise, as it assists with injury prevention. 

But just how strenuous should your exercises be? A good rule of thumb is that while you’re rowing, walking or jogging on a treadmill, or biking, you should still be able to talk while you exercise. But if you’re still able to sing, then you might want to increase the intensity. 

Once you’re done with the exercise, don’t just immediately stop. It’s better to wind down over a few minutes. If you have high blood pressure, it's especially vital for you to do this. 

Final Words

While working out is generally safe even when you have high blood pressure, you should still pay attention to what your body is telling you. Stop your workout if you feel any pain, lightheadedness, dizziness, or weakness. 

The symptoms should stop after a few minutes. If they don’t stop, then you might want to call a doctor or even seek emergency treatment.