Taking the time to exercise on a regular basis (daily if possible!) is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, not everyone can handle intense workouts–and we don’t just mean those of us who tire quickly after running a few laps. As it turns out, there are certain health conditions that can be worsened by activities that are too intense, including hypertension. In fact, health experts warn against a few types of exercises in particular if you struggle with high blood pressure, as they can exacerbate the issue.
To learn more about the exercises you should avoid if your blood pressure is already high, we spoke to fitness experts Jake Dickson, CPT-NASM and Contributing Editor of BarBend, Jesse Feder, RDN CPT from Strength Warehouse USA, John Gardner, a NASM certified personal trainer and the Co-Founder of Kickoff, and Sean Ruff, a fitness coach and NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist. They told us that any high-impact exercises like as sprinting, along with heavy weightlifting, are exercises you should leave out of your workout routine to avoid worsening hypertension. Find out why below!
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High-impact exercises like sprinting
Health experts agree that, ultimately, the best rule of thumb when it comes to exercising with high blood pressure is to avoid any sort of high-intensity, high-impact workout. "If you are dealing with high blood pressure, it is best to refrain from high-intensity exercise as this can raise your heart rate and blood pressure drastically," Feder tells us.
Dickson explains that any exercise that requires you to hold your breath is a bad idea for people struggling with hypertension. "When exercising, your blood pressure naturally rises, but holding your breath and doing more intense resistance training tends to increase it even more,” he says. “If you already have high blood pressure, it makes sense not to do exercise that makes your blood pressure go up a lot."
One such exercise that you should steer clear of if you don’t want to make matters worse is sprinting. As Dickson notes, this high-intensity running exercise can cause sudden spikes in blood pressure. "It is possible to have a heart attack or stroke while engaging in strenuous exercises like sprinting, where too much activity occurs in a relatively short period of time,” he warns. Yikes! Best to stay on the safe side.
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Heavy weightlifting
In addition to sprinting, lifting heavy weights is another exercise it’s best to stay away from if you have high blood pressure. As Gardner says, “Heavy weight lifting should also be avoided as it has the same impact on the heart and blood vessels [as high-intensity workouts].”
When done safely, strength training can actually help to lower your blood pressure–but keep in mind that “safely” is the important word here. This means you should focus on using lower resistances at higher repetitions and avoid anything too heavy. Additionally, remember not to hold your breath, because, as Dickson shared, this will likely make matters worse.
Ruff warns against “exercises which require you to lift your hands over your head with resistance” in particular, such as an overhead dumbbell shoulder press. This, he warns, will “further raise blood pressure which is contraindicated for individuals with high blood pressure.” Got it!
What to do instead
Of course, hypertension is no reason to give up exercise altogether. There are plenty of ways to stay active, and the right exercise can even help lower your blood pressure. Dickson suggests cycling for 30 minutes at a time, and Gardner notes that activities like swimming, pilates, and yoga are always a good idea as well. As long as you keep the intensity to the minimum, you’ll be good to go with any of these options!
