Page 1 of 12 - mcssl.com...You don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive bikes either, investing in a stationary bike will allow you to gain the same benefits whilst staying
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Welcome …
Nearly 1 in 3 adults suffer from high blood
pressure.
While eating healthy and reducing your sodium
intake are great ways to lower your blood
pressure, exercise is a crucial step to fight
hypertension.
The American Heart Association recommends
“People with high blood pressure and high
cholesterol perform an average of 40 minutes of
moderate to vigorous-intensity workouts three to
four days each week”
Here are 5 of the best exercises to lower your
blood pressure...
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1. Swimming
Swimming is a great form of low impact cardio
that's accessible to most seniors and easy on your
joints.
Even if you can’t swim, walking in water or doing
water aerobics is also a fantastic way to improve
co-ordination and muscle tone.
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A study published by The American Journal of
Cardiology found that swimming reduced systolic
blood pressure by an average of 9 points in 60
year olds who engaged in swimming 3-4 times per
week over 3 weeks.
Safety Tip: Make sure you are confident in water
and don’t exert yourself. If looking into water
aerobics, ensure your trainer is qualified. Some
councils run water aerobic classes for seniors
which is a great way to also meet new friends.
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2. Brisk Walking / Jogging
There’s nothing better than a brisk walk first thing
in the morning to wake you up and get you ready
for the day ahead.
It’s one of the main reasons why dog owners have
improved fitness.
Walking is one of the most natural movements for
humans and we know that 10 000 steps a day
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helps to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular
disease.
Safety Tip: Start off with a moderate walk for 15
minutes before attempting to jog and don’t forget
to stretch for 5 minutes before and after to
prevent injuries. Ensure that you have good
quality shoes for better support.
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3. Cycling
Light to moderate cycling is also a powerful way
to lower your blood pressure.
Depending on your speed and incline (going up
hills) you can do twice as much exercise in half the
amount of time of brisk walking.
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You don’t have to spend a lot of money on
expensive bikes either, investing in a stationary
bike will allow you to gain the same benefits
whilst staying at home.
Safety Tip: Think safety at all times! Be aware of
your environment and make sure you wear
protective gear with reflective elements especially
if cycling at night. Keeping hydrated is also
important so make sure you drink plenty of water
(or have a bottle of water handy). Always ensure
you follow local road rules when cycling on roads
and cycle with a buddy when exploring off-road
areas.
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4. Slow Skipping
Remember when you used to skip at school
with friends?
It didn’t seem like exercise did it? Skipping is
another form of cardiovascular exercise that
is fantastic for lowering blood pressure.
Safety Tip: Make sure that you wear
supportive shoes and don’t attempt this if you
have excessively high blood pressure or if you
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suffer from joint pain or arthritis. Ladies,
investing in a good quality, firm support bra is
also essential to prevent breast tenderness
and sagging.
When skipping, start off slow and gradually
increase your speed to improve your co-
ordination and breathing efficiency whilst
burning some major calories.
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5. Tennis
Tennis is a fantastic sport that encourages fast
bursts of speed and movement.
Great if you’re looking for a new social outlet, the
short cycles of high intensity are almost like
interval training.
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Other racquet sports such as badminton and ping
pong are also fantastic for cardiovascular disease
as well as reflex training.
Safety Tip: Warming up and stretching is
incredibly important before you start a game.
Like other high impact activities, ensure you
support your joints carefully and take rest breaks
if you feel dizzy. There are now tennis
associations for seniors that modify traditional
rules to ensure that the health and safety of
players is of utmost importance.
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