Celebrity personal trainer Scott Parker has been touched by hypertension for as long as he can remember. While Parker never had high blood pressure himself, he has seen firsthand what it’s like to deal with it on a daily basis. He remembers learning how to use a blood pressure cuff when he was just 6 years old, as his father dealt with dangerous hypertension. He would help his dad put the cuff on and became very knowledgeable about all the medications his father took. Parker says he can’t recall a time when his dad wasn’t on at least five different medications.

His father’s blood pressure would hit astronomical highs, and he was admitted to the hospital several times when Parker was just a kid. Now, at 88, his father needs dialysis three days a week to manage kidney failure that is the result of long-term hypertension.

“I grew up in a household that was very sensitive to high blood pressure, so I didn’t eat a lot of sodium and drank a lot of water,” Parker says. “Now that I’m in the fitness profession, I understand how to help people. Although it isn’t always the case, hypertension can sometimes be prevented and diminished through lifestyle changes, diet, and especially, exercise.”

The Problem With Hypertension

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventiom (CDC), nearly 1 in 2 adults in the United States have high blood pressure, and only 1 in 4 have their blood pressure under control.

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology published guidelines for diagnosing hypertension in 2017. Hypertension is now categorized into two stages. In stage 1, systolic blood pressure is between 130 and 139 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 89 mmHg. In stage 2, systolic blood pressure is greater than 140 mmHg and diastolic is above 90 mmHg.

The reclassification of hypertension was because adults in the stage 1 hypertension category are at a much higher risk for cardiovascular disease when compared to those with normal blood pressure.

Exercise to Fight Hypertension

While eating healthier and reducing sodium intake are great ways to lower your blood pressure, exercise is a crucial and potentially fun way to fight hypertension.

For instance, the American Heart Association recommends that adults carry out at least 30 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity workouts five days each week.

Research shows that aerobic exercise may help reduce high blood pressure. A systematic review published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living looked at the effects of aerobic exercise on people with hypertension. After examining 24 different studies, they found that aerobic exercise reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. On average, participants engaged in aerobic activity three to four times per week for 20 to 60 minutes per day over a period of 6 to 37 weeks.

Aerobic exercise includes hiking, biking, walking, swimming, running, dancing, gardening, and other exercises which increase your respiratory rate and your heart rate. Another form of exercise is resistance training, which can help you build stronger muscles while also increasing your endurance level.

For those who like lifting weights, there’s good news: Strength training can also help in the management of hypertension. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reviewed the effect of high resistance muscle strength training in 36 middle-aged to older adults. They found that six weeks of high-resistance muscle strength training reduced systolic blood pressure. They also found these reductions in systolic blood pressure at six-weeks follow up were largely maintained.

Jonathan Olivencia, a personal trainer, suggests that a combination of cardiovascular and strength training is the best way to help manage hypertension.

“Aerobic exercise increases the heart’s efficiency and vein elasticity,” Olivencia says. For aerobic activity, he suggests focusing on getting at least 30 minutes five days a week, and for strength training, at least two or three times a week to maintain bone density and muscle mass.

Aerobic activity is an excellent option for older adults who want to manage their blood pressure. A review published in Clinical and Experimental Hypertension reviewed 53 manuscripts that investigated blood pressure in samples of adults 65 and older. They found that both aerobic and resistance training and a combination of these practiced over a minimum three month period significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

4 Blood Pressure–Lowering Workouts

Although not every form of exercise will be right for you, there are a number of ways you can stay active to keep your blood pressure down. Here are four options:

1. Go for a Swim

Both Olivencia and Parker say swimming is a good, low-impact form of cardio that’s accessible to most people, especially seniors.

In fact, swimming may be good for both your heart and your metabolism. Research published in BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation reviewed the long-term effects of swimming on glucose levels, blood pressure, body mass, and fat mass percent in a randomized control trial. The authors found that those who participated in two hour sessions of moderate and below average intensity three times per week for 16 weeks had lower levels of cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index and body fat percent by the final data collection date.

If you are not a strong swimmer, you may want to try aquatic training, or water aerobics. A review published in Sports Medicine examined 15 other studies measuring the benefits of aquatic training. The researchers found that upright aquatic training promoted a reduction in systolic blood pressure among hypertensive participants. The authors also reported a reduction in diastolic blood pressure in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive participants.

According to the CDC, the use of water aerobics can also be beneficial in minimizing symptoms related to arthritis, and improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mood changes.

2. Take a Walk

Parker says that a lot of people who are intimidated by the idea of a gym workout can just go for a simple brisk walk. And research backs this. One study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine reviewed the effects of walking on blood pressure. After reviewing 11 studies which involved a total of 762 people with hypertension, they found that walking reduced both systolic and diastolic pressure by 5.94 and 2.66 mmHg, respectively.

According to the National Institute of Health, walking can reduce risk of hypertension, diabetes, and weight. It may also elevate your mood and strengthen your bones and muscles. Walking is a good exercise to do both at the gym and with friends and family.

Parker currently leads a group of seven women, including his mom, for a walk every Saturday morning. “We walk about 1.5 to 2 miles each week,” he says, adding that exercising in a group is especially beneficial. “Exercising with two or three other people on a regular basis makes it less of a chore and more of a fun social thing.”

3. Ride a Bike

Parker says that a morning bike ride is a big part of his routine and one that he emphasizes with his clients.

“Something like a simple 30 to 35 minute bike ride can get your heart pumping, could get you outside, and could boost your cardiovascular health in a fun way,” he adds.

Olivencia adds that fitness routines coupling aerobic exercise, like biking, with resistance training, like lifting weights, could reap benefits for people dealing with hypertension.

A review published in Current Problems in Cardiology aimed to review the effects of different types of physical activity among a variety of populations, including those with and without hypertension. The researchers analyzed 24 different studies during their review and found that any kind of short- or long-term aerobic exercise, including a combination of aerobic exercises, reduced blood pressure. This included populations of men and women ages 18 to 75-plus years, and those with and without any category of hypertension.

4. Hit the Gym

The gym is a great place to go if you’re looking for exercise options. Most contain a mixture of cardio and strength-training machines that you can adjust to your particular skill level.

Olivencia suggests doing a mixture of upper body, lower body, and core exercises to maximize the circulation of your blood and the number of muscles you’re working out.

The National Institute on Aging notes that a decline in muscle mass, strength, and function due to aging, medically known as sarcopenia, can be slowed with exercise, including strength training. For people who are 50 and up, a safe practice is a “peripheral heart action system,” Olivencia says. It alternates lower body exercises with upper body exercises and core. This method helps with high blood pressure because it helps the blood circulate to different areas of the body to avoid localizing. “At the same time, you’re able to create a safe circuit style of training, which we know is great for fat loss and blood sugar control,” he explains.

Olivencia adds that older people looking for a safe workout should avoid the supine position for extended periods of times. This means you don't want to be on your back, like while doing a bench press, for too long. In your workouts, “alternate positions to avoid blood from localizing and the possibility of getting light-headed from a sudden change in positioning,” he adds.

Both trainers note that people should consult with their doctors about the best way to lower their blood pressure and which exercises are safe to try.

“I always emphasize three things: stay hydrated, eat more greens, and move around each day,” Parker says.

Additional reporting by Alexandria Jones-Patten.