Doctors have praised the value of exercise in lowering blood pressure for decades. This is especially true for cardio exercises such as running or jumping rope. However, a new study from the UK turns this idea on its head.
A team of researchers in the UK looked at 270 previous studies that explored the link between exercise and blood pressure and published their results in the British Journal of sports medicine. No one was surprised, they found that exercises such as running, walking, cycling, strength training and high-intensity interval training all helped to reduce blood pressure.
However, the most effective types of exercise they looked at were not cardio or weight lifting at all. Isometric exercise, which involves injuring a group of muscles without moving them, was the best way to reduce blood pressure, especially for people who already suffer from some form of hypertension. The most common forms of isometric exercises are walls and boards, both of which may seem simple but can be difficult to hold for several minutes.
To help support this idea, the researchers looked at three types of isometric exercises in particular: pressing the hand Ripper, holding the leg extension machine in place, and squatting with your back against a wall (also known as a wall).
Dr. Jamie J. Edwards, one of the study's researchers, recommended adding a quick isometric routine to your workout regimen of four two-minute walls with two-minute breaks between each one. He also warned not to hold your breath while doing this, according to the New York Times.
Scientists are not completely sure why isometric exercises are so effective in combating hypertension. High blood pressure can harden the arteries and prevent them from expanding properly, thereby restricting the amount of blood they can deliver, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Edwards hypothesized that stretching your muscles without moving them causes the blood vessels around them to contract, and when they release, blood rushes back through them, causing them to widen in a way that they do not widen during dynamic exercises such as running.
If you are worried about high blood pressure, consider adding the wall to your routine, either at home or at the gym. Just do not completely abandon all other exercises.
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