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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
When you think of exercise, you might think of sweating it out in a cycling class, racking up miles with a brisk walk, or pumping the iron in the weight room. But there are other forms of exercise that use more than just movement to train you. This is an isometric exercise that has gained attention for helping lower and control blood pressure.
What is isometric exercise?
Isometric exercises focus on tightening or contracting a specific muscle or muscle group. There is no noticeable change in the length of the target muscle, and the joints involved do not move. This exercise is performed in a stationary position and uses your body weight to maintain strength and stabilize your joints and core.
Isometric exercises do not involve movement or a full range of motion and target specific muscles, so they can improve strength and stability for people recovering from injury or those with arthritis.
One misconception about isometric exercise is that it can increase your blood pressure because you have to tense up and hold your breath. Performing isometric or static exercises requires you to focus on breathing in and out slowly.
New research reveals that isometric exercise can be an effective tool for preventing or lowering high blood pressure.
Why is blood pressure important?
High blood pressure is harmful because it makes the heart work harder and less efficiently. To briefly explain blood pressure, there are two important numbers when measuring blood pressure: systolic and diastolic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines these as:
- Systolic blood pressure: Measures the maximum pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and relaxes.
- Diastolic blood pressure: Measures the arterial pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.
Healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg.
What are the new research findings about exercise and blood pressure?
In a large-scale study published in British Journal of Sports MedicineResearchers looked at exercise recommendations that can help lower blood pressure, building on older studies that emphasized aerobic and aerobic exercise, such as cycling and running. The study also investigated the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and isometric exercise on blood pressure.
The authors defined healthy resting blood pressure as less than 130/85 mm Hg and hypertension as 140/90 mm Hg.
The study authors reviewed 270 trials with 15,827 participants from 1990 to 2023, comparing isometric exercise, HIIT, aerobic exercise, dynamic resistance training, and the last two forms of exercise. The results of the combinations were compared. Their finding was that isometric exercise led to the most significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
How can you incorporate isometric movements into your workout?
Isometric exercises are a great addition to your cardiovascular or strength training routine.
Wall sitting and planks are two of the best isometric exercises for lowering blood pressure. Here’s how:
wall sitting
Stand with your back to the wall. Stand about 2 feet away from the wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and firmly on the ground. Keeping your abdominal muscles engaged, slide your back along the wall while bending your legs to 90 degrees or a right angle. It’s like sitting in a chair without holding it. Make sure your knees are straight over your ankles.
This exercise focuses on your glutes, or buttock muscles, and your quadriceps, or thigh muscles, as well as your abdominal and core muscles.
board
- wall board. Stand facing the wall. Place your elbows and forearms on the wall. Step back, tuck your butt in, draw your belly button toward your spine, and tighten your abdominal muscles. Press and hold for 20 seconds.
- Floorboards on the knees. Lie on your stomach and support yourself slightly with your forearms. Use your knees and forearms to lift your hips off the floor to about the same height as your shoulders. He holds this position for 20 seconds, concentrating on using his core muscles. For a harder version, press your toes into the floor, then lift your knees off the floor and squeeze your glutes and core to create a plank that tenses your entire body. Think about pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Planks focus on your back, shoulders, and abdominal muscles.
After doing both exercises:
- Remember to breathe slowly and regularly to provide your muscles with the oxygen they need.
- First, hold that position for 20 seconds. Continue working until you can hold the position for 2 minutes. Try to do 4 sets, 3 times a week, with a few minutes between each set.