How to train with hypertension

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2012-12-11

Many doctors do not recommend exercising for people with hypertension (high blood pressure). They are generally correct, as any physical activity can raise your blood pressure, posing a risk of exacerbation and a sudden decline in well-being.

However, it is still possible to train with hypertension. My experience confirms this. Naturally, it is essential to adhere to specific recommendations and principles when structuring your training process.

Moreover, physical exercise in general, and workouts in the gym in particular, can help you lower your blood pressure over time. When you train, you also condition your blood vessels, making them more elastic. This serves as a good foundation for reducing your blood pressure.

Common symptoms of elevated blood pressure that I have observed during workouts include headaches and dizziness. Therefore, if you regularly experience these symptoms during exercise, check your blood pressure.

So, if you have hypertension, you should:

1. Avoid eating sweets before your workout. Any sugary food can raise your blood pressure, which may lead to exacerbation.
2. Start your workout with leg exercises. By training your legs, you direct a large volume of blood to the lower body. Therefore, the first 2-4 exercises should be for the legs.
3. Do not drink excessive amounts of water during your workout. While you can drink, avoid consuming 2 liters.
4. Reduce the intensity of your workouts. The higher the intensity, the higher your heart rate tends to be. Consequently, a higher heart rate generally leads to increased blood pressure. Therefore, it is better to conduct workouts using the split method. As a last resort, consider using supersets.
5. Avoid exercises where your head is below your torso. For example:

In summary, these are all the recommendations. I believe that elevated blood pressure is not a condition that should require you to abandon training (except in extreme cases). If you are visiting the gym for the first time and know you have hypertension, do just 3-5 exercises, focusing primarily on your legs. If you feel fine, increase the load in your next workout. Good luck!