Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in today’s modern society. Easy access to unhealthy food along with our sedentary lifestyle is the most common culprit. Further to that, hypertension or high blood pressure are hereditary. This means if any of your parents are diagnosed with high blood pressure, chances are, you are at a higher risk of inheriting it too, if you don’t start taking care of yourself.
You can always minimize your risks by watching the food you eat and exercise. While diet is important, regular physical activity makes your heart stronger and more efficient, lowering your blood pressure. If you’re already diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor will most likely tell you to watch your food by eating less salt, fat and sugar, and start exercising – and that’s pretty much it (apart from prescribing you your meds).
I have clients with hypertension and they come to me for guidance when it comes to exercising. Many people are told to exercise but are not sure what sorts of exercises are effective to manage their high blood pressure. As an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, I adopt the following principle to most of my clients. Here are some guidelines when it comes to exercising with hypertension.
Before we begin, here are some important ground rules:
- Get your doctor’s clearance before starting any exercise regime. Ask your doctor if any of your medication will affect your body when exercising.
- Have your blood pressure checked regularly, best before you begin your exercise. If your blood pressure reading is high (refer to chart above), it is important to see a doctor first before beginning any exerting activity.
- Exercise in a cooling environment with good ventilation. Exercising in a hot and humid environment puts you in a risk of heat stroke and may cause heart palpitation. A no no for those with hypertension.
- STOP exercising whenever you feel dizzy, light headed, nausea, chest pain or uneasy.
- Try to avoid exercises that place your head below the level of your heart.
- Breathe while you exercise. Holding your breath can elevate your blood pressure.
- Do not lift heavy weights or perform isometric exercises for a long period (An example of an isometric exercise is a squat hold). It may increase your blood pressure. Use lighter weight with higher repetitions instead.
Now that we’re done with the rules, I going to give you an example of an exercise program that is suitable for most people with hypertension, without the need of a gym or any equipment.
Regularly performing 150 minutes of exercises a week has consistently been shown to reduce Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) by an average of 2 – 6 mmHg (Kenney & Holowatz, 2008). It is safer and more effective if you break down your duration to 30-40mins of exercise 4-6 days a week instead of exercising for 120 minutes in a day. A good exercising program must have the following – cardiovascular activity AND strength training.
In summary, cardio exercises strengthen your heart, making it more efficient. Strength exercises on the other hand strengthen your muscle and reduce risk of joint, muscle and bone degeneration. In other words, you’re getting the best of both worlds.
CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE
Choose any of the following cardiovascular activity below and perform 30-40 mins, 3-4 times a week.
Instructions:
Start easy for 5-10mins as warm up. After warm up, perform them at intensity level of RPE 2-4 (more information on RPE here). You can cross train by splitting your exercising duration. For example, 20mins of Cycling and 20 mins of Elliptical. Stretch after exercise.
- Walk
- Elliptical
- Cycling
- Brisk Jog
- Swimming
- Rowing
- Stepper
- Dance class
- Aerobics Class
STRENGTH EXERCISE PROGRAM
Perform the following strength exercise program 2-3 times a week. This program strengthens your core and targets your major muscles and movements.
Instructions:
Warm up for 10mins before beginning this exercise program by doing a cardio activity at an easy-moderate level. Perform 8-12 reps for 2-3 sets each exercise. Take 60-90sec rest between sets. Perform the exercise in a controlled manner with good form. Increase your reps and sets as you get stronger. Stretch after exercise.
1. Glute Bridge
2. Bird Dog
3. Supine Reverse Marches
4. Superman
5. Squats
6. Lunges with Torso Rotation (Medicine Ball Optional)
7. Bent-Knee Push Up
This is not a one off program. The key to successfully reduce your blood pressure is to exercise regularly and treat exercising as a lifestyle, while you watch your diet. Remember to measure your progress and I wish you all the best!
For more information on Ke Wynn – Personal Trainer, please visit his website at www.kewynnpt.com or email him at info@kewynnpt.com
Exercise library taken from: https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/excercise-library/