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  • Blog
  • 4 Best Exercises to Lower Blood Pressure
  • December 7, 2020 |
  • General Health and Wellness

4 Best Exercises to Lower Blood Pressure

Are you looking for the best exercises to lower your blood pressure? 

Or, 

Do you have high blood pressure and want to know if it is safe for you to work out? 

One of the best ways to lower your blood pressure is by maintaining a healthy body Mass Index (BMI), and the best way to do that is exercise. 

Therefore, if you have high blood pressure, you can breathe a sigh of relief that there are exercises that can naturally help lower your blood pressure. Your lifestyle plays a critical role in controlling your blood pressure, so a few tweaks your lifestyle can really make a difference.

Physical exercises will not only help you control hypertension or high blood pressure, but it also helps with weight management, improving cardiovascular strength, and lowering stress levels. So let us explore what the best exercises to lower blood pressure are. 

Things to remember before you begin

Before you explore the exercises to lower blood pressure, you need to prepare yourself mentally. Start by practicing some self-motivational talking with yourself to reassure you that you will get there and accomplish your goals. 

That said, you will have to develop good habits, and drop a few bad ones along the way. 

You are in charge

Exercising should be a part of your routine, and routines are not developed overnight. You will need to be your own boss on this one. You do not have to get competitive or tough on yourself; a moderate activity such as a brisk walk can be beneficial. 

Something is better than nothing

Always remember every little helps. Being inactive is not good for your health as people with a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to health problems such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes, etc. A simple 15-minute brisk walk a day can help reduce stress and control weight, hence contributing to lowering your blood pressure. 

Doing an extensive workout once a week is no good either; spread out your activities throughout the week. A 30-minute exercise daily is far more effective than a grueling 2 hours workout once-a-week. 

Be consistent

Have you ever joined a gym or taken up an exercise routine at home but gave up after a short while? Do not worry; we have all done that. The point is, you have to find ways to motivate yourself to enjoy and look forward to your next exercising session. Consistency is the key here; an irregular fitness routine is no good. 

Find exercises you like or enjoy

Not everyone is cut out to run a marathon or lift super heavy weights. Therefore, you have to experiment with exercises to lower your blood pressure. 

You can combine your exercises with something else you love. For example, if you enjoy music or listening to a podcast, put on your headphones while you jog on a treadmill or an elliptical machine… or try a fun group fitness class like Zumba!

Think about it, what is something you love that you can combine with your fitness routines? 

2 Main types of exercises to keep your blood pressure low

There are several exercises to lower blood pressure with other benefits. For example, aerobics improves our cardio strength and burns calories; whereas, strength training can strengthen your core, build muscles, etc. By simply having a little bit more muscle mass on your body, your metabolism throughout the day will rise.

Let us dive a little deeper to see which types of exercise might suit your lifestyle, health, and fitness levels. 

1. Cardio exercises

Performing cardio exercises requires your heart to pump faster and breathe more deeply, which helps deliver huge oxygen doses to your muscles. Your systolic blood pressure will rise with cardio exercises, but research shows that it helps drop the overall blood pressure after the exercise. 

Best cardio exercises to lower blood pressure may include speed walking, jogging, dancing, cycling, and swimming. According to the American Heart Association, an adult must perform at least 2 ½ hours of moderate to intense cardio exercise. 

2. Resistance training exercises 

These exercises involve circuit workout and weight training or weight lifting. Studies have shown that a dynamic resistance training routine could moderately help lower your blood pressure

To start, choose exercises that target big muscle groups. If you’re new to resistance training don’t worry! Speak to a personal trainer at Fitness 19 and sign up for a free introductory session. 

4 Best Exercises to Lower Blood Pressure

No matter what physical fitness level you are currently on, here are some exercises that can help lower your blood pressure. You do not have to go pro-athlete or X-games mode; a moderate workout session with consistency will give you all the benefits along with controlling your high blood pressure. 

Remember, the entire idea behind taking on a fitness routine is to enjoy and improve your lifestyle. So always try to find ways to make your fitness sessions fun and motivating. 

1. Brisk Walking

If you are looking for the least strenuous exercises to lower blood pressure, this is it. A 10 minutes brisk walk a day or moderate walk three times a day will do the trick just right. This exercise will help reduce the stiffness of your blood vessels so the blood can flow with ease. Try a treadmill or elliptical at Fitness 19. You can easily adjust the pace and incline of your walk. 

2. Cycling

Similar to walking, cycling is a cardio exercise; therefore, the same rules apply here when it comes to why it is one of the best exercises to lower blood pressure. However, you will need more than just a single 10-minute session to break the sweat. 

So, a 30-minute a day cycling on the tracks or a stationary bike at a gym or home will be enough. If you find half an hour to be too strenuous, break it down into two blocks of 15 minutes or three blocks of 10 minutes cycling session at a time. Not only does Fitness 19 have stationary bikes for you to use, we also have extremely fun indoor cycling classes that are perfect for all fitness levels, from beginners to experienced athletes. 

3. Hiking

Physical activities, such as hiking, are moderate to strenuous exercises to lower blood pressure. As you climb an inclined track, a mountain, or a hill, your entire body muscles will work hard. 

This will make your heart pump father, and you will breathe more intensely. Hence increasing the oxygen levels in your bloodstream delivers it to the muscles. 

Can’t make it outside? Stair climbers at Fitness 19 are a fun way to get your hike in while you tune in to your favorite Netflix show, podcast or playlist. 

4. Weight Training

You may think weight training is going to increase the blood pressure because of all the strength and hard work involved. However, the post-workout results of weight training are exactly the opposite. 

Weight training or weight lifting may temporarily raise your blood pressure. However, not only does it improve your overall fitness and stamina, but it lowers your blood pressure to healthier levels and can increase your resting metabolism throughout the day.

Some Additional Tips and Safety Precautions

Yes, the benefits of exercises to lower your blood pressure are worth it. However, here are some tips for you to get the most out of your workout sessions. 

  • Be consistent; no exercise is good if you cannot sustain it as an integral part of your lifestyle. 
  • Listen to your body, no matter your fitness level; if you feel dizziness, chest pain, and tightness in the body, shortness of breath or excessive fatigue, stop exercising, and seek medical help. 
  • All the above-mentioned exercises to lower blood pressure are safe. However, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, always seek your doctor's advice before taking on any fitness activity. 

Speak to a personal trainer

If you are someone who needs initial guidance to incorporate exercises to lower blood pressure into your lifestyle, a personal trainer at Fitness 19 is your new BFF... best fitness friend. Fitness 19 has many certified personal trainers and state-of-the-art gyms in California, Nevada and New Jersey. Visit one near you and speak to a fitness trainer today.

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