Just one simple exercise performed against a wall, once or twice a week, could help maintain lower blood pressure, according to new research that suggests cardiovascular benefits may not require frequent workouts, personal trainers or elaborate equipment. In a study of 100 adults, researchers from England found that participants who performed wall squats once or twice weekly maintained significant reductions in systolic blood pressure over the short term. Those who continued exercising three times a week saw the largest improvements, while people who stopped exercising lost their earlier gains.
The findings, published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, suggest that lower-frequency isometric exercise may offer a practical way to preserve some blood pressure benefits when regular workouts are difficult to maintain. "This study has shown that four weeks of isometric wall squat exercise lowers resting blood pressure in people with high-normal blood pressure, who arguably stand to gain the most from performing this type of exercise to help prevent them from developing stage 1 hypertension and its associated disease risk," the study's lead author, Jim Wiles, a professor at Canterbury Christ Church University, told Newsweek. "It also shows that after completing an initial four weeks of 4 x 2 minutes of wall squat three times weekly, it is then possible to reduce the training frequency to once a week for at least another four weeks before the reductions in resting blood pressure start to revert back to previous levels.
"This makes blood pressure management using this highly accessible form of exercise even more efficient for a significant majority who struggle to find the time and motivation to exercise." Isometric exercise involves contracting muscles while keeping the body in a fixed position. Wall squats, planks and handgrip exercises are common examples often seen in workout routines. Previous research has found that isometric training can reduce blood pressure effectively, sometimes producing reductions comparable to or greater than those achieved with certain medications.
However, researchers have been less certain about how frequently people need to exercise to maintain those improvements. The new study involved 100 adults with an average age of 37.4. Participants had systolic blood pressure between 120 and 140 mmHg, ranging from normal to high-normal levels, and did not regularly take part in structured exercise.
Systolic readings between 130 and 139 mmHg fall into the high-normal category under expert guidelines and warrant specific lifestyle recommendations from health professionals. None of the participants had been diagnosed with hypertension. Volunteers were non-smokers, consumed no more than 14 units of alcohol per week and had no current or previous use of blood pressure medication.
They were also required to be free from injuries and illnesses. Participants were randomly divided into five groups. Four groups initially completed the same four-week home exercise program, while the fifth served as a control group to compare results against.
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