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Holding a wall squat for a few minutes may not sound like an intense workout, but growing evidence suggests it could be one of the most effective ways to lower your blood pressure.
A trial published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine found that isometric training, where muscles contract without moving joints, leads to significant drops in resting blood pressure in just four weeks.
Researchers also found that daily exercise may not be necessary to maintain these benefits, because just one physical activity per week was enough to preserve some improvements in heart health.
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The study followed 100 inactive adults with normal to high blood pressure, defined as a systolic reading between 120 and 140 millimeters of mercury.
For the first four weeks, participants performed lower-body isometric squats three times per week at home. The routine consisted of four two-minute sessions separated by two minutes of seated rest, monitored using heart rate straps to ensure consistent effort.
The study followed 100 inactive adults with normal to high blood pressure, defined as a systolic reading between 120 and 140 millimeters of mercury. (iStock)
After four weeks, the highest blood pressure number (systolic pressure) fell by about 9.5 points on average, while the lowest number (diastolic pressure) also fell compared to the control group.
The researchers then looked at the effects of reduced exercise frequency. Over the next four weeks, participants were randomly assigned to exercise three, two, one, or zero times per week.
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Those who stopped exercising completely saw their blood pressure return to baseline within four weeks, reversing their progress.
In contrast, participants who continued to exercise once or twice a week managed to maintain a significant portion of their blood pressure reduction.
Participants who continued to exercise once or twice a week managed to maintain a significant portion of their blood pressure reduction. (iStock)
Only the group that continued to train three times per week maintained key improvements in the following metrics.
- Total peripheral resistance, which measures the resistance encountered by blood as it flows through the vessels
- Heart rate variability, the variation in time between heartbeats
- Reflex sensitivity, which reflects how effectively the nervous system regulates blood pressure on a beat-to-beat basis
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“This is a fascinating study revealing that a little bit of exercise, even once a week, likely has demonstrable cardiovascular benefits in terms of reducing blood pressure,” Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and metabolic health specialist at Ovadia Heart Health in Florida, told Fox News Digital.
“It also doesn’t cost anything to do wall squats at home.”
Isometric wall squats performed three times per week produced significant drops in resting blood pressure in just four weeks. (iStock)
Malhotra, who was not involved in the study, noted that physical movement is only one piece of the puzzle.
“In my personal clinical practice, I regularly see significant improvements in blood pressure, with many patients stopping their medications solely because of a change in diet,” he said.
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“A low-carb Mediterranean diet is, in my opinion, the most important and effective intervention, not only for blood pressure, but for all metabolic markers of health.”
Completely stopping the isometric routine caused blood pressure levels to return quickly to their original baseline. (andreswd/Getty Images)
The study cohort was relatively small, consisting of 100 generally healthy adults who were non-smokers and did not take blood pressure medications.
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The findings cannot be automatically generalized to people with diagnosed hypertension, older populations with mobility limitations, or patients already taking heart medications, the researchers acknowledged.
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Additionally, because the maintenance phase only lasted four weeks, the researchers noted that longer-term trials are needed to see if a weekly session can maintain a reduction in blood pressure over months or years.
Because the study involved physical activity, participants and researchers knew each person’s assigned exercise group.
Gn Health
