Strength training and exercises for hypotension

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2011-03-25

Hypotension refers to decreased tone in blood vessels or muscles. It is often called arterial hypotension, which means low blood pressure. (Wikipedia)

This might be news to some, but you can not only train with "iron" while having hypotension but can also recover from it through strength training. When you exercise, you train not just your muscles but also your cardiovascular system (CVS). When discussing hypotension, I mean both chronic conditions and temporary drops in blood pressure during training. If you experience such temporary drops in pressure, you likely at least have a predisposition to hypotension.

Let's first consider the signs of low blood pressure during workouts.

1. During workouts, you often experience weakness and a state close to fainting—especially when training the lower body (legs, glutes, calves).
2. The longer you train (within one session), the sleepier you feel. By the end of the workout, you may find yourself yawning constantly and struggling to move your legs.
3. When performing strength exercises where your head is below your torso, you may experience dizziness. This could occur with hyperextensions, leg curls on a machine, incline bench twists, or decline bench presses, among others.

I should note that all these symptoms are most commonly observed in untrained individuals, and they typically disappear as the body adapts to the loads.

Why does this happen? Why do you feel fine in everyday life (even with chronically low blood pressure), but when you start exercising, it all falls apart?

The thing is, under otherwise equal conditions, blood pressure depends on the width of blood vessels and blood sugar levels. These two parameters begin to change rapidly as soon as you start your workout. As you exercise, the blood vessels in the muscles, especially the ones you are training, dilate to ensure adequate blood flow. Blood sugar levels begin to drop quickly, leading to decrease in blood pressure, as pressure is directly related to blood sugar levels. Add to this a weak cardiovascular system, an untrained body, and a predisposition to hypotension, and you have a situation where even those who have never particularly complained may experience a sudden drop in blood pressure. This phenomenon is particularly common when performing exercises for the legs, as blood rushes there, and it's easy to see that blood pressure in the upper body, especially in the head, drops even further.

Now that you know why you feel "off" during workouts, let's discuss how to prevent this.

Training Principles for People with Hypotension

1. Always bring sweetened water (juice, compote, tea) to your workout and take sips after each set. This will ensure a steady influx of sugar into your bloodstream.
2. Before starting your workout, spend 10 minutes on a general warm-up. This will help prepare your body for the upcoming load.
3. Remove exercises that place your head lower than your torso from your training plan for 1-2 months if they cause dizziness. If you do not experience dizziness, you can keep them.
4. Perform all exercises for the legs at the end of your workout. This reduces the chances of fainting (a bit of dark humor).
5. If you feel signs of low blood pressure, drink something sweet and lie down on the floor for 2-4 minutes with your legs elevated on a bench.

That’s all the recommendations. "But how do I recover, and where are the exercises?!" you may ask. No special exercises are needed. Your workout will only differ from your usual routine based on the parameters listed above. In the Methods/General Principles section, you'll find training plans for beginner men and women. Choose any you like. Just place your leg exercises at the end of your workout and go for it!

In a few months, you'll notice that you can train your legs even at the beginning of your workout and manage without sweetened drinks. And your head won't spin any longer. Congratulations! You have strengthened your body, muscles, heart, and vessels. This process is both about building fitness and recovery. After all, the root cause of most illnesses lies in a lack of physical activity (hypodynamia). Good luck!