A recent research study suggests which exercise mode is best for reducing blood pressure. Read on what this research says.
The very thought of doing plank exercise raises blood pressure for most people. But a research study suggests it is, in fact, the most effective way to lower it.
This study conducted by the Canterbury Christ Church and Leicester universities compared the efficacy of different forms of exercise on lowering blood pressure and discovered that “isometric exercises,” – exercises that work on muscles without movement, were the most effective for reducing blood pressure. They cited that isometric exercises such as planks and wall sits were almost twice as effective than the government-recommended exercise guidelines.
Note: Isometric exercises are those that engage muscles but without any movement, such as planks and wall sits.
The NHS, a UK Government website, advises that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like fast walking or cycling, each week, along with dietary and other lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure. Lowering systolic blood pressure is linked with lesser incidences of major cardiovascular disease events such as heart failure, stroke, and all-cause mortality. But this recommendation does not mention newer forms of exercise, such as isometric exercise and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Most Effective Exercise Type To Lower Blood Pressure
The new research studied the effects of particular forms of exercise on resting blood pressure. It analyzed 270 randomized controlled clinical trials involving 15,827 participants. The different exercises were classified as dynamic resistance training; aerobic; a combination of these; HIIT; and isometric exercises. The researchers examined the effects of exercise on systolic blood pressure, which measures arterial pressure when the heart beats, and diastolic blood pressure, which measures arterial pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.
The study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It reported that there were significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after all the forms of exercise. Though all categories of exercise, namely, aerobic exercise, squats, weights, high-intensity interval training lowered blood pressure, isometric exercises were the most effective.
The muscle remains contracted in the isometric exercises but doesn’t change in length. This static contraction squeezes the vessels that supply blood to the working muscles – which decreases the flow of blood to the muscle during the exercise and so oxygen supply to the muscle.
When the muscle is relaxed afterward, it makes a large blood flow through the vessels (this is different from other modes of exercise), leading to more significant improvements in blood flow regulation.
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# 1
Plank – Isometric Exercise For Upper Body
Perform 30-60 seconds plank, 2-3 times with 1-minute rest in between every alternate day.
Learn here how to do plank correctly
# 2
Wall Sits-Isometric Exercise For Lower Body
Perform 1-2 minutes of wall sits, up to 3 times, with 2 minutes of rest in between, every alternate day.
The above isometric exercises are an effective way to lower blood pressure. You should aim to do them along with other exercise modes to get the maximum range of exercise choices rather than limiting them.
Here are the limitations:
- If you have some medical conditions or fitness issues, you must consult your doctor before you start any exercise routine.
- Although the study’s findings are encouraging, the question is how practical it would be for many people to implement the above suggestions. The fact is many will not be able to do wall sits or planks or may not enjoy these types of activities.
- In reality, if you do such modes of exercise that you enjoy, you will tend to carry on for longer, which is crucial in maintaining lower blood pressure.
- It is also essential to make certain lifestyle changes too, like losing weight, eating more healthily, reducing alcohol consumption, and avoiding smoking.
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We need to find solutions to make these exercises friendly to most individuals with high blood pressure. Health professionals should provide impetus to make exercise part of the treatment of not only high blood pressure but other medical conditions and so to reduce the burden of medication for the population.
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He
passed Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, USA obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me, age is just a number!”
