A few weeks ago, Linda, 70, told me, “I want to stay active, but I have high blood pressure and had a stent two years ago. I’m scared of pushing too hard. My watch shows my heart rate going up, and I don’t know if that’s safe or if I should stop.”

Linda’s concern is very common — and very valid.

When you have heart concerns or blood pressure issues, training safely is more important than training hard. The goal is to challenge your body enough to get stronger without putting unnecessary stress on your heart.

Two of the best tools for this are:

• RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) — How hard the effort feels to you on a scale of 1–10. A good target for most people with heart conditions is 4–6 (moderate effort — you can speak in short sentences but feel like you’re working).
• Heart Rate Monitoring — Useful, but not perfect. Many blood pressure medications (especially beta blockers) keep heart rate lower than expected. That’s why combining RPE with heart rate gives you the clearest picture.

You don’t need to hit high heart rates to get benefits. Steady, consistent effort with good form is much safer and more effective long-term.

You’ve already been training in this thoughtful way with us — focusing on controlled movement, proper breathing, and listening to your body rather than chasing numbers.

This week, try this simple “safety check” during any movement you enjoy:

Do your activity for a few minutes, then ask yourself:

• On a scale of 1–10, how hard does this feel? (Aim for 4–6)
• Can I speak short sentences comfortably?
• Does anything feel off (dizziness, chest pressure, unusual shortness of breath)?

If the answer is yes to moderate effort and no to warning signs, you’re in a good zone. Always err on the side of caution and talk to your doctor if something doesn’t feel right.

If you know someone with heart concerns or high blood pressure who wants to exercise but is unsure what’s safe… please forward this email to them right now.