igh Blood Pressure and Exercise Being Active
Working at it
Before you begin any exercise routine, your blood pressure needs to be checked. Talk with your doctor before you start.
Do not do any exercises that cause you to strain or hold your breath as you do them. These exercises make your blood pressure go up:
Also check with your doctor if you exercise and:
• weight-lifting • push-ups • rowing
• have any pain or pressure in your chest or shoulders • tend to feel dizzy or faint • g et very breathless after a mild workout • a re middle-aged or older and have not been active Being active is a step toward helping you manage your high blood pressure. Even light exercise, if done each day, can help lower your risk for heart disease. Try these to be more active: • u se the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator • g et off the bus one or two stops before yours and walk home
If your doctor says it’s OK to exercise, start slow and build up slowly. You want to get the benefit as well as enjoy what you are doing. Aerobic exercises are the best kind to do. They help your heart and lungs if you do them for at least 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week (although doing them every day is best). These increase your heart rate and oxygen use as you do them: • brisk walking
• running
• swimming
• jumping rope
If you don’t have 30 minutes, try to find two 15-minute times or even three 10-minute times you can do some exercise. Try to do some type of aerobic exercise each week.
• p ark further away from the store or your office • ride a bike • work in your yard or garden • go dancing
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Product # 380
Sample Walking Program* Do each exercise at least 3 times a week. If you can’t do all the week’s program, repeat it before going on to the next week. It’s a 12-week program, but it may take you more than 12 weeks. Your goal is to increase your brisk walking time to 30 to 60 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week. Weeks Weeks Warm Up
Target Zone Exercise
Cool Down Time
Total Time
1&2
Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 5 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
15 minutes
3&4
Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 10 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
20 minutes
5&6
Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 15 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
25 minutes
7&8
Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 20 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
30 minutes
9&10
Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 25 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
35 minutes
11&12 Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 30 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
40 minutes
13&14 Walk 5 min.
Walk briskly for 35 min.
Walk normally 5 min.
45 minutes
15 and thereafter: continue adding 5 minutes to target zone exercise until you reach 50 minutes
While you are walking you need to check your pulse rate. This simple method can help: 1 F ind your pulse at your wrist with your first two fingers 2 Count the beats you feel in 15 seconds. 3 M ultiply this number by 4. This is your 1-minute pulse rate. Example: 20 Number of beats in 15 seconds x 4 = 80 Your 1-minute pulse rate
You want to see if you are exercising within your target zone. To find your target zone use the chart below. Look for the age grouping that is closest to your age and read the line across. As you build up your walking, try to keep your pulse rate at the top end of your target rate zone.
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Age 20 years 25 years 30 years 35 years 40 years 45 years
Target Heart Rate Zone 100 –150 beats per minute 98–146 beats per minute 95–142 beats per minute 93–138 beats per minute 90–135 beats per minute 88–131 beats per minute
Age 50 years 55 years 60 years 65 years 70 years +
Target Heart Rate Zone 85–127 beats per minute 83–123 beats per minute 80–120 beats per minute 78–116 beats per minute 75–113 beats per minute
*from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
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