January 11, 2024 – What you already know: Physical activity can help reduce high blood pressure.
What you may not know: Researchers have found that certain types of exercise, and one exercise in particular, are particularly effective at lowering blood pressure.
2023 review of 270 prior studies They found that the isometric exercise program lowered systolic blood pressure by 8.24 mm Hg (the milligrams of mercury doctors use to measure blood pressure) and diastolic blood pressure by 2.5 mm Hg.
Isometric exercise had a greater blood pressure effect than aerobic exercise (4.49 points vs. 2.53 points reduction in blood pressure), resistance training (4.55 points vs. 3.04 points reduction), and interval training (4.08 points vs. 2.5 points reduction in blood pressure). brought.
„We, along with other research groups around the world, have clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of isometric exercise in lowering resting blood pressure in people with blood pressure ranging from normotensive to hypertensive,“ said study co-author said Director Dr. Jim Wiles. Clinical exercise science research at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK.
Why is isometric exercise good for blood pressure?
Perform isometric movements when you flex your muscles and maintain your posture. (When moved, they are called iso)tonic muscle contraction. )
Dr Neil Smart, professor of exercise and sport science at the University of New England in Australia, said: „Many people actually do isometric exercise, but they don't realize it when they go to a yoga class, for example. says.
Imagine squeezing a tennis ball for 30 seconds. Holding an isometric pose tenses your muscles and constricts the surrounding blood vessels. This partial blockage of blood flow during flexion allows anaerobic metabolites (substances that inhibit the flow of oxygen) to build up.
„My body doesn't like them,“ Smart says. “As soon as you stop squeezing, blood flow normalizes and increases blood flow to try to clear up the mess that has created in your forearm.”
„Enhanced“ means: The surge of red blood cells creates stress along blood vessel walls, triggering the release of nitric oxide, a compound that dilates blood vessels. Blood pressure decreases.
„Even though it's only a localized activity, there seems to be a systemic effect on blood pressure,“ Smart says.
The study only looked at three exercises: leg extensions (done with weight on a leg extension machine), handgrip squats, and wall squats. Other isometric exercises may also have benefits, they just haven't been studied specifically when it comes to blood pressure.
Wall squats seem to be particularly effective.Tests were conducted on 24 middle-aged men with normal high blood pressure. isometric wall squat A 2022 study found that systolic blood pressure decreased by 8.5 points and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 7.3 points after taking it three times a week for one year. hypertension journal.
Study author Dr Jamie O'Driscoll said: „It is not well understood how this repeated acute response leads to chronic blood pressure changes, but it is important to note that local vascular function, autonomic vascular function, and possibly structural vascular adaptations „It's related to potential changes.“ , a researcher at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK.
These changes may include your body adapting to your workout by releasing more nitric oxide each time and causing blood vessels to dilate.
Of course, when you lift heavy weights, run, or do any other physical activity, your muscles flex and your blood vessels become compressed for a short period of time. However, consecutively repeated two-minute isometric holds appear to be the key to triggering the vasodilatory effect.
Add rather than replace
If you have blood pressure problems, don't pack your running shoes or stop lifting weights.
„Aerobic exercise should not be replaced with isometric exercise,“ says Dr. Philip Miller, associate professor of physiology at the University of Guelph in Canada. „For example, isometric training does not seem to change cholesterol levels, a known cardiometabolic benefit of aerobic exercise.“
Think of isometric exercise as an addition to your regular physical activity. It's easy because you can do it in a small space without leaving the house, and you don't need any gym equipment or extra time.
This is especially important for people with limited mobility, especially older people and obese people who find it difficult to walk for 30 minutes. And even those who can't afford a gym membership, travel often, or simply lead a busy modern life can always incorporate his isometric exercises.
„If you have physical limitations that prevent you from training normally, it's worth a try,“ says Dr. Linda Pescatello, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. she, recent papers We call for further research before physical activity guidelines are fully updated to include isometric training.
People who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure should consult their doctor before starting a new exercise routine. However, if you're ready to try isometric exercise, try performing any of these movements three times a week, with at least one day of rest in between.
isometric hand grip
The important thing to remember here is that you shouldn't go all out every time. Maintaining an isometric muscle flexion with more than 50% force can cause your blood pressure to spike, Smart says.
Tennis balls are effective. Then you need to estimate the grip strength. To be more precise, you can get cheap hand grip dynamometers online for less than $30. (Professional models cost a few hundred dollars.) You need two, so you can hold both at the same time.
„There's evidence to suggest that if you try alternating hands, it may actually be less effective,“ Smart says.
If using a dynamometer, first find the maximum pull of the hand grip. Place your forearms on the table and grip the dynamometer as tightly as possible with both hands, paying attention to maximum force. (Displayed in either kilograms or pounds.) Then calculate his 30% of that number to find your target value. So if your hardest squeeze is 100 pounds (a typical pull for a middle-aged man, and a woman will pull closer to his 55 pounds), your goal on the dynamometer would be 30 pounds.
To perform one rep, place your forearm on a table or armrest and hold a dynamometer (or tennis ball) with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Grip until you reach 30% of your maximum grip and hold for 2 minutes or until you reach fatigue.
„Most people can't do it from scratch,“ Smart says.
Rest for 2 minutes and repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 repetitions.
Wall squats (or wall sit)
Stand with your back to a wall, feet shoulder-width apart, heels about 12 inches from the wall. Use your hands to steady yourself and slide down the wall until you are in a sitting position with your knees bent. Adjust your feet so your knees are directly above your ankles. Keep your shoulders and butt against the wall throughout the movement and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold the position for as long as possible, up to two minutes, then stand up and rest for two minutes. Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 repetitions.
If you find the exercise too difficult, squat shallowly until you feel a sufficient burn. It will improve over time.
board
Note: Although it has not yet been studied whether Planck lowers blood pressure, researchers included in the previous study suspect that Planck may lower blood pressure once tested. . Beyond speculation, the plank is an easy, challenging, and low-impact exercise that's worth trying.
Get into a push-up position with your forearms on the floor and balance on your toes. Engage your core and buttock muscles and maintain position by keeping your entire body in a straight line. (For example, if your butt is sagging, your form is poor and you should stop.)
Press and hold for as long as possible, up to 2 minutes. (Don't worry if you don't have enough; even 30 seconds can be difficult.) Repeat this a total of 4 times.
Important tips for all isometric exercises: Remember to breathe. „Especially when doing a plank, we find that people are trying to hold their breath,“ says Dr. Veronique Cornelissen, professor of kinesiology at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. „This may increase blood pressure fluctuations and cause arrhythmia.“
Try inhaling for a count of two and exhaling for a count of two as you perform each exercise.