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This One Exercise 3x a Week Could Keep Your Blood Pressure Down - And It Doesn't Take Long
ScienceAlert • • health
Key Points:
- A new study from Canterbury Christ Church University identifies isometric exercise training (IET), such as wall squats or planks, as an effective method to reduce blood pressure with only a few sessions per week.
- Over four weeks, participants doing IET three times weekly saw an average systolic blood pressure drop of 9.45 mm Hg, with continued sessions increasing the reduction to 13.73 mm Hg after eight weeks.
- Maintaining at least two to three sessions weekly is important for sustained blood pressure benefits, while stopping IET leads to blood pressure returning to previous levels within weeks.
- IET is simple, quick, requires no equipment, and offers a practical exercise option for individuals with limited time, motivation, or mobility to engage in longer workouts.
- Researchers suggest that IET may relax and widen blood vessels and calm the nervous system, but longer-term studies are needed to confirm mechanisms and potential lasting structural changes.
