Exercise for blood pressure

[Linds]

I have a family history of high blood pressure. Mine's lately been kind of high. I know exercise can help keep it down. But I already exercise a few times a week.

I did a quick google but everything I saw seemed aimed at sedentary people just begging them to move their ass off the couch even a little bit.

Do different kinds of exercise have a different impact on bp?

 

[CPP]

Yes.
Include some low intensity cardio in your program (ie jogging at 75% Max Heart rate, 2x45 min/week). It may seem boringly easy, but it's not just good advice for couch potatoes.
Also: see a real doctor. You may need medicine.

 

[Pearse Shields]

Good post, white belt!

In addition to the moderate cardio, you could also include some light to moderate strength training. General guidelines state to refrain from overhead presses and movements, and I'd personally keep the intensity low, as blood pressure can increase quite a bit during resistance training.

Of course, all of this is on the proviso that your doctor gives you clearance to exercise.

Out of curiosity, do you have any other medical conditions which may contribute to your blood pressure? Furthermore, what is your blood pressure?

 

[Tosa]

Talk to your doctor about a referral for to see a dietician, and a home sphygmomanometer.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

Excersise and diet, my friend are two things you have control over that can greatly affect your BP.

 

[redaxe]

I had high BP when I was a fat teenager. It was 140 over something. I brought it down to 110 over something by going for daily 2 mile runs and not eating any red meat for a year. Also lost 30 lbs in the process and dropped my resting HR from 80 to 55.

I have no idea what my BP is now, but I don't think it's an issue because I train BJJ a lot and still jog at least once a week. BP goes up temporarily while you're lifting though.

 

[48mpg]

Excersise and diet, my friend are two things you have control over that can greatly affect your BP.

as well as your health in almost every aspect.

 

[Flash_Monsta]

As stated above in previous posts, if it runs in your family then speak to your doctor about your concerns, they may prescribe Beta-blockers to control it, or they may give you advice on keeping it down.

 

[Mike Piekarski]

Avoid caffeine, I stopped drinking coffee because it had too much of an effect on my BP.

 

[Boekind]

Mike... giving up coffee, man oh man, you must be a fighter 'cause I sure as heck don't have the mental fortitude for that

I'm on BP medication myself... hoping a winter of lots of cardio and the weight loss that will come from it will help me get off the stuff. Get a decent BP checker and do it at home, different times of the day with the arm rested and you sitting idly/quietly for 5 minutes prior. Record the readings... then talk to your doctor, you may or may not need meds but it's not a bad thing to keep tabs on it.

 

[Poatan Power]

Excersise and diet, my friend are two things you have control over that can greatly affect your BP.

this.

ditch the salt, hit some cardio. simple but true. a lot of people don't need their beta blockers/ace inhibitors/diuretics because of a good lifestyle change.

 

[Linds]

Excersise and diet, my friend are two things you have control over that can greatly affect your BP.

I know that. But what exercises?

 

[MKashew]

I know that. But what exercises?

Obviously some running.

Biking if you wanna save your joints into old age, but getting some inserts for my running shoes really helped with shock

 

[Chernabog]

I have a family history of high blood pressure. Mine's lately been kind of high. I know exercise can help keep it down. But I already exercise a few times a week.

I did a quick google but everything I saw seemed aimed at sedentary people just begging them to move their ass off the couch even a little bit.

Do different kinds of exercise have a different impact on bp?

Do more. Clean up your diet, drink more water, and lift weights.

 

[Seriously-Dead]

How high is 'high'? And how often have you got it read?

Lots of doctors jump the gun and are willing to say you have high BP after only a single reading where you're only 10-20 above the average. It's best not to read into this too much if that's the case. Also keep in mind that BP is a relatively poor predictor of health outcomes when taken alone.

So I wouldn't fret over it too much if you haven't validated the BP reading by doing it daily, and/or don't have other signs of declining health too.

 

[Linds]

Do more. Clean up your diet, drink more water, and lift weights.

Lifting weights is mostly what I do.

How high is 'high'? And how often have you got it read?

130 over 80

whenever the fuck i remember to check it.

 

[CPP]

Lifting weights is mostly what I do.

Yes but did you read the [link] in my first post? I'm sorry if I hid it too well as it explains the answer to your original question better than I could.

Anaerobic exercise (lifting, HIIT), may actually increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke (especially when your heartrate is up) because it makes your heart even more swole than it already is.

Aerobic exercise makes your heart chambers and therefore stroke volume bigger, allowing your heart rate to be lower for the same amount of oxygen delivered (effort). This should reverse some of the concentric cardiac hypertrophy caused by hypertension. Also it's part of a balanced conditioning program and if done on an empty stomach a relatively easy way to keep the fat % down so three birds one stone. (four if fat is a factor in your hypertension).

 

[Pearse Shields]

Lifting weights is mostly what I do.



130 over 80

whenever the fuck i remember to check it.

That's actually not too high at all.

 

[Boekind]

130/80 is not bad... increase cardio and ditch the salt and you should be fine.

 

[Linds]

Would almost 18% body fat be the cause of high bp or just another symptom of the kind of lifestyle that would lead to high bp?