High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition where your blood pumps through your blood vessels with too much force. While your blood needs a level of this pressure to efficiently move through your body, when it becomes too intense, it can do significant damage on your veins and arteries. “In the US, 47% of the population is diagnosed with hypertension (meaning likely more have it but are yet diagnosed),” Says Dr. Rand McClain, Chief Medical Officer of LCR Health. While uncontrollable things like genetics can increase your risk, your lifestyle can play a role—things like lack of exercise, poor nutrition, excess alcohol consumption, and tobacco use can significantly increase your risk.
When you have high blood pressure, it’s important that you lead a lifestyle that keeps your symptoms at bay. Exercise is one thing that you should be particularly careful about. Although research has shown that regular exercise can reduce high blood pressure, it is important to exercise thoughtfully.
The main thing you have to keep in mind is the intensity of the exercises you do. “The risks of exercising when it pertains to high blood pressure is a matter of exercise intensity. Short bursts of high intensity exercise such as sprinting and heavy resistance training can dramatically raise blood pressure temporarily, even in an otherwise non hypertensive individual.” Says Sean Ruff, a fitness coach and NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist. “For the hypertensive exerciser, it is imperative to be vigilant about monitoring your exercise intensity. Exercise intensity can be carefully manipulated by adjusting the load, exercise tempo, body positioning, and the rest periods. Moderate exercise intensities are warranted for those who are hyertensive.”
With this in mind, what is one exercise that you should avoid if you have high blood pressure? According to Ruff, the overhead dumbbell shoulder press is one that you shouldn’t add to your fitness routine. “Exercises which require you to lift your hands over your head with resistance further raise blood pressure which is contraindicated for individuals with high blood pressure.”
At the end of the day, doing exercises that are low impact and low intensity is the way to go. While exercising regularly can help lower your high blood pressure, it’s important to do exercises that keep your own unique health background in mind. Before you begin any new fitness program, especially if you have high blood pressure, always speak with your healthcare provider to make sure that it’s the right choice for you.
