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GrowMore
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Gym, blood pressure and missing out on a pump

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It’s been a busy couple of weeks moving and renovating the new gaff but tonight was the night I hit up my new gym which happens to be a 3 minutes walk from the property. I had already scoped the place out last week with my 9 month old daughter in hand. We both were impressed, the place was certainly a step up from my current saw dust on the floor, rusty dumbbells - current gym. Huge weight section, sauna, swimming pool and the rest.

I haven’t trained in 2 weeks, busy repairing my DIY mistakes, I have the thirst of a mad man to get back lifting heavy things. An hour before hand I have a pre workout meal of white rice, chicken breast, peppers and red cabbage, the whole time I focused on what I was going to accomplish in my new iron den. 15 minutes the meal was crushed and I injected test p, mast e and a ml of test aqua and readied myself for war.

After downing a electrolyte filled water I entered my new place of worship to be greeted by the receptionist, damn I forgot to sign up. Skimmed through the paper work as I could feel the anticipation of the up coming workout building up in me, leg day was on the menu.

The receptionist then mentions a medical, okay no big deal let’s have it out then I’ll smash the weights. We stroll past the lifting area and my imaginary lat syndrome starts to play up into a small box room where the medical will take place. At this point I’m ready to burn the place to the ground and lift anything in sight, the thought of sitting down and filling out more laborious paper work is killing me. Paper work completed and the gym instructor/medical professional pulls out a blood pressure monitor.. let’s get this show on the road so I can crack on with chest and arms.. I mean legs.

Long story short after 3 tests I’m averaging 167/97 with a resting heart rate of 110 something. I was blow away and now an honourable member of the hypertension Stage 1 crew. I knew preworkout Injectibles shot up BP but seeing it for myself had me worried and so was the gym instructor, with a grim look on her face informed me she wasn’t going to allow me to train with this reading and she’ll be writing a letter to my doctor. No way, I’ve been thinking about this moment more than a virgin thinks about handing in their v card. You can’t send me home with out a pump?! Well she did.

Arrived home, deflated and pumpless.. I had spoken to the Mrs on the phone who already had my BP monitor out and we rechecked, still high but it fall falling. 4 hours later and my BP looking better at 131/86. I’ll be carrying my BP monitor to work tomorrow and be testing throughout the day, the stress of the move would have some share in the blame but I’m ditching the electrolyte powder, stopping the test aqua, as always making sure to keep water intake high and diet clean. Just started a course for the ebc, BP has been perfect in the 5/6 odd months I’ve been checking it with my BP monitor (get one if you haven’t, it’s £30 odd well spent) so with a few adjustments I’ll get back in good levels ready to hit single digit bf%.

GrowMore's picture

Another update. I’ve managed to avoid the dreaded BP test since the first time. I’ve been monitoring at home/work and I’m getting healthy readings. Went to train today and unfortunately I was collared and forced into the small room again to get checked. High numbers, worries faces and all that shit. It came down a little as I tried to relax but the numbers were still to high for them to let me in.

Turns out in their small print you don’t get a medical if you join online so I’ve cancelled and I’ll join and again online, by passing the BP check and I’ll be free to lift once and for all.

I think it is the ‘white coat syndrome’ or something along those lines, I got anxious while I waited to see the reading which wouldn’t of helped. I am yet to experiment with the test aqua but I will once things calm down and I get the green flag to train again.

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pickle's picture

Had that issue donating blood one time. Rushed in as i was in a hurry and they took me right away. Gave me the tablet to answer the required questions and said they would check my RHR when i was done. Started thinking about it and checked heart rate on apple watch, kept climbing the more i thought about it. By the time they came to check i had a reading of 120 beats per minute. They turned me down. As soon as i got into my car i checked again and it was 80 lol....

giardap's picture

you didnt do bloods recently/last few months by chance mate did you? you're not running hem's a little high or anything?

what about water? you got any retention going on? even a little?

GrowMore's picture

No bloods unfortunately and 0 water retention, I’m just a lot fatter than I normally am. What are you thinking mate?

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Ozninjaguy's picture

I'm really worried about you mate. I reckon you shouldn't go to the gym. Don't want to hear about you falling off the perch while trying to lose that fat. Oh, and my concern has nothing to do with the EBC......

GrowMore's picture

Thanks for your concern mate, I’ll go sit on the sofa and order a takeaway to relax and help my BP down. If I was on Tren I probably would be thinking the gym is against my EBC entry and they’re out to get me.

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Ozninjaguy's picture

lol. Just kidding around mate. Think about supplementing with some Berberine and NAC. They lower BP and are natural.

GrowMore's picture

I know bro Smile so was I but it’s difficult to get that across sometimes Great recommendation. NAC is on my list as it seems like a solid supplement

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Ozninjaguy's picture

Not a medical site but the info has links to research. Very interesting:

https://selfhacked.com/blog/nac-top-25-science-based-health-benefits-n-a...

giardap's picture

just thinking aloud really man, wonder if there is any low hanging fruit WRT: BP.
water would be an easy 1 to shed with water pills for example, should drop you right down, if ya had retention.

on the numbers, just wondering if hem's/rbc's etc are riding high generally, would bump it up a notch.

also thinking out loud again, but are you sure they have a big enough strap for testing your BP? You tested it yourself at home?
sometimes the smaller strap will cause higher/false readings...

also, kibby has a blood pressure post somewhere... he swears by apples
might be worth hitting him up about it?

GrowMore's picture

I’m really dry at the moment if anything, drinking loads and plenty of good healthy food/supplements as we spoke about in pm a while back.

I’ve got a bigger strap and I double checked theirs and it’s a large. It was around 60mm from the limit but it was within range.

I’ve seen Kibby’s post, I’ve ran the juice intermittently. It’s odd because BP hasnt been an issue before which leads me to believe im being a giant flannel and getting the white coat syndrome.

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GrowMore's picture

That’s a crazy increase. It did calm down on the 3rd reading to 130ish/90ish but resting heart rate was above 100. Makes me think it’s all in my head. Morning checks are nice and healthy which is keeping the Mrs away from throwing away my gear stash. L

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fusebox's picture

I hope you went home and put the aqua test to use at least GM. Glad to hear your bp is back to normal.

GrowMore's picture

I’m afraid I sat on the sofa researching high blood pressure while my Mrs who usually is supportive about my gear usage lectured me about stopping. She’s more understanding now my BP is normal and I explained to her about what the contributing factors could be.

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fusebox's picture

High BP is part of it unfortunately. Gotta keep track of it. Make sure you have an XL cuff. And you should bring your home monitor someplace to verify it's reading correctly. I have a post about it where my home monitor was reading 20-30 points higher. Gotta get em calibrated.

GrowMore's picture

Good news I’ve been testing my BP throughout the 2 days and it’s been steady at a level, I’m going to go to the doctors and get it check with one of their more accurate machines but for now I’m happy. I couldn’t post the photo on here for some reason but it’s been around 120/80

I’m going to have an experiment individually with the aqua test, salt and paper work stress. Thanks for all your input both on this thread and via pm. I’ll keep you all updated on my results.

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GrowMore's picture

Good to hear mate, BP scared the hell out of me. I started 10mg of lisinopril the evening I had the reading, I had some in the stash just incase.

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wanted's picture

I cant believe you had cabbage BEFORE LEG DAY
YIKES !!!!! Lol On another note --i hope you get it all worked out man.

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GrowMore's picture

Haha, it’s red cabbage which is sweet. It helps digestion apparently? Helps fill me up. Thanks bro. I’ve got an update up too

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Sam I Am's picture

Usually BP is taken wrong. Your supposed to set for a few minutes. It should be taken on the left arm and machines are not accurate for bodybuilders. A cuff that's to small will give a higher reading..
Having said that I'd abstain from the preworkout gear.
Just run your usual gear and have some tea..
If its running high cut back on your sodium. That will open a can of worms but I'm not quoting studies. I've done it and it does in fact work..

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GrowMore's picture

I agree mate, I’ve been messing around with salt preworkout and I think it hasn’t help. The BP reader my Mrs originally brought wasn’t big enough come to think of it, we had to buy a XL cuff. I’ll have to double check the gyms one.

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Dr.BroScience's picture

Does the gym realize that while working out every single patron in their gym has raised blood pressure?

Imagine if the powderpuffs over at Planet Fitness did such rubbish. Please check your BP while you suck on shitty pizza while you train, bro

GrowMore's picture

Planet fitness would go of business double time. Funny thing was she said that she only turned down a handful of people since working there for 3+ years. Made me feel special at least.

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Sam I Am's picture

X2

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0newheelup's picture

WTF! That blows. But it does reminds me of the pre-flight physical in that movie Armageddon....

https://youtu.be/IFTxfMCsKLM

Triglyceride this!!!

GrowMore's picture

If they have a physiological examination after the medical I’m down the pan

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Makwa's picture

Damn! Gyms taking BP to see if you can workout. lol

GrowMore's picture

Took me by surprise that’s for sure. I’m there to help lower my blood pressure by exercising!

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giardap's picture

Might just be time for a bleed mate

GrowMore's picture

Last donation 21/02/19 mate. I don’t think I’ve got the bottle to do it myself.

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giardap's picture

Its honestly not as hard as you think, bit awkward, but not bad. If a fkn gearbag can do IV dowb a dirty alley, then we can do it clean and chilled at home!
;-)

That said, feb donation = not a chance you need it now. So stick with the obvs, TNE in water, gonna blow it up every time!

GrowMore's picture

How often do you donate/self draw?

I’m going to have a experiment with it - the salt and see the outcome.

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giardap's picture

This will sound silly, but it works like clockwork for me... once my hem's and rbc's are high enough, my gums bleed dayglow red when brushing teeth. So, about every 3 months or so I reckon.

IIRC zeusmarada donates (or maybe Carlos or someone else... my god damned memory is fucked) once per month on just a TRT schedule. Think it was Zeus that said it to me.

So, to each their own I suppose.

Give me a shout if you end up trying it.

GrowMore's picture

After my ebc run I’ll pull bloods and see where I’m at. I would give blood as regularly as possible, I feel fantastic afterwards. I’ll have to watch fit any sides which pop up nearing the time of donation

I will do bro thanks for always giving your input.

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JUICEBOX0331's picture

lol, great read. Strange gym though.

GrowMore's picture

Thanks mate. As rob said below it’s probably something to do with their insurance.

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robb's picture

I've seen similar, at a gym I went to before. You had to tick no to each health related question, if you ticked a single yes to any of the questions you had to get letter off your doctor saying you were ok to train. It was one of the virgin gyms. A very nice gym btw, everything you could imagine.
It's Incase you injure yourself or whatever these days, people are looking to make a claim out of anything.
Their just covering there ass, it'll be part of the insurance policy.

robb's picture

Fortunately it wasn't anything close, it's about £60. Great value for money it's just the distance and a new shinny gym opening literally a 2 minutes drive or 10 minute walk away. It's another chain gym, which are practically everywhere nowadays here in the UK.

Which brings with them kids juicing from the moment they start there memberships.

GrowMore's picture

This is true mate, can’t blame them with all the legal issues now a days.

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dextetherdog's picture

My gym, even if I was on my knees passing out, no would not give a shit, still would let me train, would just check if my monthly membership has not expired, that’s all lol
But good thing issue is identified though and you can deal with it.

GrowMore's picture

My old gym was the same, I could have been bleeding from the eye balls and the owner would have been nodding.

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GrowMore's picture

I hear you mate. A big reason for moving to the area was because of that bloody gym. It must be their policy. I’m going back there today and I should pass with flying colours and get the pump on.

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GrowMore's picture

Fuck that! Idwork out in my local park doing body weight exercises rather than pay anywhere near that.

The new gym is £42 per month - huge gym, swimming pool (my kids go half price), sauna, steam room etc. Place is a real step above my old warehouse gym

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