High Blood Pressure- More intense sessions?

[Monty Thrupp]

After several years of complete indolence i have been diagnosed with really high blood pressure and am on Ramipril to help combat it. My doctor said to row 3/4 days a week ( i walk 3-4 miles per day) and be able to hold a conversation. For the last month i have done gentle 5k's steady state at about 2.36/500m. My BP is now even worse. Do i need to do more intense work to make the positive change in my BP i pray for? I know rowing is deemed really good for regulating things but i just dont know the way to go about things. As an aside i have suffered for years with chronic anxiety and for the past two years hellish health anxiety. Could this play a part in my issues? The latest GP assigned to me wouldn't say one way or another. I have about 4st to lose and i know that losing timber would benefit me greatly. Any advice would be greatfully recieved

[iain]

I am no health professional and am not aware of studies that indicate what aspect of rowing leads to lowering of chronic high BP. WHat I would say is that my wife also suffers anxiety and her BP definitely increases when she is anxious. Unfortunately this is sometimes anxiety about having high BP, a self-fulfiling anxiety!

As for what pace to row at, 2:36 doesn't tell us very much. To put this in context we need to understand what rating this is at and your perceived exertion when doing these 5ks as well as what experience of rowing and other sport you have and how briskly you walk. A 2:36 5k would be a challenge for some and definitely not be the right pace for steady state. Can you hold a conversation at any stage when doing it?

[Dangerscouse]

To echo what Iain said, details are really important as 2:36 pace may be the correct pace, or too fast.

You might not be doing this, but don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others, and what you perceive is a good pace. A good pace is the correct pace, and that might be 2:36 or it might be 3:36.

I'm a big advocate of rowing at a pace that just instinctively feels right for a newbie, rather than at a specific pace, so you ease off some internal pressure to achieve something that isn't absolutely necessary. Rowing a specific distance and/or time is the only target that you need to focus on.

Incremental improvement is what you're looking to focus on, and making sure that you aren't overreaching just yet. I'd say after years of indolence you need to get two or three months of gentle and steady sessions nailed down before you start to ramp things up. You will make fitness gains, ideally through being more active and also wanting to be healthier as you enjoy the process of rowing.

Good luck with it all

[JaapvanE]

My doctor said to row 3/4 days a week ( i walk 3-4 miles per day) and be able to hold a conversation. For the last month i have done gentle 5k's steady state at about 2.36/500m. My BP is now even worse.

I'm no medical professional.

Looks like your doctor wants you to train at low intensity. I guess that your doc wants to improve basic fitness, and by doing so lower your heartrate. Where that easy pace is differs from person to person. I do know it takes a lot of time (as in months) to see effects.

[jamesg]

Pace 2:36 is 92W; likely enough to keep fit, which is essential. If that is in addition to walking an hour a day, well done.

Walking fast certainly has a large effect on fitess, and 3-4 miles a day is a lot (8000 steps?), even more so if on hills.

Increased BP is due to hardening of the arteries. I haven't seen exercise alone have much effect on blood pressure, but it does reduce our resting heart rate, which helps. I'm 83 and have been taking medication in small doses for blood pressure and fluidity and a statin for about 20 years. I row the C2 WODS every day if I can, but slow, never more than rate 23 and around 1.5W/kg (120W), which keeps HR not too high, about 120.

4 stone (25kg) is a lot of extra weight to carry around. Suggest that's your main priority. I've found a diet based on fruit and vegetables can be very effective. My idea is that our metabolism slows with age; but eating habits tend to remain constant, leading to an imbalance.

[JaapvanE]

Pace 2:36 is 92W; likely enough to keep fit, which is essential. If that is in addition to walking an hour a day, well done.

Please refeain from this kind of rule of thumb assessments.

I row twice a week with a large group of rowers in EXR. For some in the OP's age group 1:50 is an easy paddle, for others 2:50 is a huge challenge to keep going for 30 minutes. Technique but also personal fitness play a huge part here. The OP has to find his own optimum pace, and in all honesty the pace he uses is just a given for him at that part of his fitness jouney.

Please note that the pace of "being able to hold a coversation" typically feels slow, be it rowing or walking. If it doesn't bring the benefits the medical professional anticipated, then that should be discussed with the professional in question.

[Monty Thrupp]

Thank you all for your kind replies. Im rowing on a setting of 3 on the machine. Having read and then worried on the subject of high blood pressure i know there is a school of thought that short bursts of more intense exercise are supposed to have a positive effect on this issue but i was unsure if that was 'running before i could walk' scenario? Im very aware that my crippling anxiety is having a dreadful effect on my physical self as i am in a constant state of muscular tension and it's only in brief periods of sleep that i can relax. Iain is correct in how the anxiety becomes self perpetuating. Hopefully being consistent with these sessions will help but im very aware i barely sweat during them and i was always told by my grizzled old rugby coach you have to get a proper sweat on to get results.

[Sakly]

Point one: check your dietary habits. Inform yourself about cause and effect of different aspects of your diet, as it is very likely that this part of your previous lifestyle (or current, if not changed) had the most significant impact on your overweight and metabolic issues (including effects of the brain).
Sports in itself is fine, but not a must for a functioning metabolism. Good amount of movement is indicated for everyone, but you are doing well in this it seems.

[p_b82]

Nothing more to add really, but just wanted to say keep it up and good luck.

It'll take a while for you to see results, but if you keep going you'll see the results in time. I only do 3 rows a week, and in the 2 years I've been erging I've become the fittest I've been in my life - and recently finished a rowed full marathon.

While doing some harder sessions will be good for your fitness, it is very easy to make mistakes when starting and cause yourself harm - I pulled both my biceps due to flaws in my technique as I increased my intensity (bending the elbows before the leg drive had finished).
So when you feel you're ready to increase your pace, do so gradually. If you go down the increase volume first route, try not to increase total distance by more than 10% a week. The same as if you chose to move from 3 sessions a week to 4/5/6 - do it gradually & listen to your body & your Dr.

I know that my mum has exactly the same issue RE her BP on taking it, she was given a monitor by the Dr's in the end to use at home, as otherwise it was always off the chart in the Dr's surgery - they'd take about 4 readings as it would always be trending downwards, but none were as low as when she took it at home herself and sent them the results.
As soon as she started to send her results in, they massively dropped her meds, as the previous readings had been making the numbers look worse than they were in real terms.

[Monty Thrupp]

The blood pressure machine is currently winging it's way to my abode courtesy of Bezos! My own GP said exactly the same that using the machine in the surgery actually adds to one's anxiety when getting tested. So it's increased meds and steady progress week on week in the hope that i can get a grip on things once and for all. Once again a huge thank you for all of your advice. It is greatly appreciated

[Dangerscouse]

The blood pressure machine is currently winging it's way to my abode courtesy of Bezos! My own GP said exactly the same that using the machine in the surgery actually adds to one's anxiety when getting tested. So it's increased meds and steady progress week on week in the hope that i can get a grip on things once and for all. Once again a huge thank you for all of your advice. It is greatly appreciated

I'm confident that you'll succeed if you keep at it and keep trying to convince yourself of that too.

Anxiety is a terribly crippling but at least to some extent you can control some of it, it's not easy at all, but you can train your mind with a lot of patience and continuous attention. Best of luck with it all.

[Me, Myself and I]

The blood pressure machine is currently winging it's way to my abode courtesy of Bezos! My own GP said exactly the same that using the machine in the surgery actually adds to one's anxiety when getting tested. So it's increased meds and steady progress week on week in the hope that i can get a grip on things once and for all. Once again a huge thank you for all of your advice. It is greatly appreciated

I found when I have my blood pressure taken at the GP's the readings are around 10/5 higher than when done at home. Have taken 5mg blood pressure pills for over 20 years.

I record the results on a simple Excel spreadsheet. Every six months when I go for a new prescription, just print it out and give to the GP to look at. They then scan and add it to my file.

Also you have a record for yourself and can refer to it at any time.

My erging only lowered my blood pressure slightly. But then again I've always been skinny and never had any anxiety/stress issues. My general health & fitness has definitely improved though. I just take it easy and don't over exert myself on the erg.

As is said everyone is different. Keep at it and I'm sure you'll see a lot of benefit.

[iain]

Nothing to add on the main point. But I notice that you say you "row on 3". I assume by this you mean the setting of the damper lever. The workings and approach to this are covered on many threads that are worth a read. In summary there is no "better" setting unless you are trying to match a particular boat and you can row gently or hard on any setting, but it is worth experimenting on different settings to find what works best for you.

Good luck.

Iain

[Monty Thrupp]

Thank you all for your advice. It is greatly appreciated. Sadly my BP issues have been pretty lousy this past month meaning two trips to A&E which was bloody awful. I am about to start much stronger meds tomorrow. It would appear that chronic anxiety/alarm over a long period can add substantially to these issues. A medic recommended a mild beta blocker in conjunction to help control it which i shall also start taking. It is quite sobering to realise that you're not that bloke in his 30's anymore who didnt really give a monkeys about his health but are slap bang in middle age and all that entails. I shall be stepping up the rowing now to get more of a sweat on and doing some kettlebells as well. Commitement and diligence is the only way forward now

[Dutch]

Thank you all for your advice. It is greatly appreciated. Sadly my BP issues have been pretty lousy this past month meaning two trips to A&E which was bloody awful. I am about to start much stronger meds tomorrow. It would appear that chronic anxiety/alarm over a long period can add substantially to these issues. A medic recommended a mild beta blocker in conjunction to help control it which i shall also start taking. It is quite sobering to realise that you're not that bloke in his 30's anymore who didnt really give a monkeys about his health but are slap bang in middle age and all that entails. I shall be stepping up the rowing now to get more of a sweat on and doing some kettlebells as well. Commitement and diligence is the only way forward now

Hiya, sorry to hear you going through this, not a nice thing at all. Could I ask what you bp scores have been if you dont mind. I fully understand if you don't want to share.