Medical research on hypertension provides a practical method of reducing blood pressure

The modest wall sit, a straightforward bodyweight exercise, is proven to be beneficial for cardiovascular health in addition to being a simple but effective strength builder.

According to a new research that was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, isometric exercises like wall sits and wall squats may lower blood pressure more effectively than other types of exercise like high-intensity intervals, weight training, or aerobic workouts.

For those who find it difficult to achieve the suggested 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, this is very welcome news.

According to the research, three times a week, only eight minutes of isometric exercise may dramatically reduce blood pressure.

To put that into perspective, it only takes 14 minutes total to hold a wall sit for two minutes, followed by a two-minute break, four times. Regular isometric exercise was shown to reduce blood pressure on average by 5 mmHg in the diastolic range and 10 mmHg in the systolic range (the highest number).

The results cast doubt on current exercise recommendations and raise the possibility that isometric workouts might enhance current regimens.

The study’s principal author, Jamie O’Driscoll, emphasized the beneficial effects of all forms of exercise on blood pressure while highlighting isometrics as an extra technique for those looking for alternatives to medication.

“Our main takeaway is that exercise in and of itself is great, and any kind of exercise can lower blood pressure,” he said. However, if you’re someone who follows the recommended exercise regimen but is still having some trouble lowering your blood pressure and you’d prefer not to take medication, maybe isometrics is an extra kind of exercise to add to your regimen.”

Isometric exercises: what are they?

Static contractions without changes to muscle length are a part of isometric workouts. Any workout that requires retaining tension without dynamic movement is considered isometric, according to Jamie Edwards, the study’s primary author.

The study, which included 270 trials involving 15,827 people, found that isometric exercises—like wall squats, extending legs against resistance, and squeezing a handgrip dynamometer—were the most successful in lowering blood pressure on both the systolic and diastolic levels.

By momentarily stopping blood flow to the tightened muscle, isometric workouts lower blood pressure by triggering the relaxation of blood vessels. As a result, blood flow resistance is decreased.

Wall sits lower blood pressure and enhance strength, balance, and range of motion by using many muscles.