Active walking, cycling, swimming, and other exercises are recommended by doctors for managing high blood pressure. However, there is research evidence (Exercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials) suggesting that isometric exercises such as planks and wall sits are more effective in lowering high blood pressure than aerobic exercises.

 

The research team at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK investigated clinical trial data on the effects of exercise training interventions lasting more than two weeks on resting blood pressure. The team analyzed the interventions categorized as aerobic exercise, dynamic resistance exercise, and isometric exercise.

Healthy resting blood pressure is defined as less than 130/85 mmHg, prehypertension as 130-139/85-89 mmHg, and hypertension as 140/90 mmHg or higher. An analysis of 270 clinical trials involving over 16,000 participants between 1990 and 2023 showed that systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased after various types of exercise at rest.

 

 

Isometric exercise has the greatest effect on lowering blood pressure

 

In particular, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 8.24/4 mmHg after isometric exercise, showing the greatest reduction. The combination of aerobic and dynamic resistance exercise resulted in a decrease of 6.04/2.54 mmHg, dynamic resistance exercise alone decreased by 4.55/3.04 mmHg, aerobic exercise alone decreased by 4.49/2.53 mmHg, and high-intensity interval training decreased by 4.08/2.50 mmHg.

 

Additional analysis results showed that isometric exercise, and in aerobic exercise, running, were identified as the most effective individual exercises for lowering blood pressure. Isometric exercise involves muscle contraction without changing the muscle's length or movement. For example, pressing the palms of both hands together and pushing.

 

Typical isometric exercises include planks and wall-sits. Among them, wall-sits can be seen as a squat against the wall. Exercise methods for planks and wall-sits are well introduced on the internet and YouTube.

 

 

Combining aerobic and strength exercises reduces the risk of high blood pressure

 

In addition to these individual exercises, combining aerobic and strength training can significantly reduce the risk of hypertension. A combination of more than 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week and strength training at least once a week has been shown to most effectively lower the risk of developing hypertension.

This is the result of a four-year longitudinal analysis of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) data involving 5,075 Koreans aged 40 to 70 residing in Ansan and Anseong, conducted by Dr. Jaeho Park and his postdoctoral team from the Department of Genomic Epidemiology at the Future Medical Research Division of the National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

According to the results, aerobic exercise was associated with hypertension in terms of intensity, and strength training was related to hypertension in terms of frequency. The combination of moderate or higher intensity aerobic exercise and strength training at least once a week resulted in the lowest incidence of hypertension, reducing it by up to 34% in men and 44% in women, making it the most effective.

 

Consistent effects were observed with just over 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. This resulted in a 31% reduction in hypertension incidence in men and a 35% reduction in women. However, adding strength training once a week or more further reduced the risk of hypertension by an additional 35%.

 

On the other hand, low-intensity aerobic exercise was insufficient in effectiveness, and no preventive effect against hypertension was observed when only strength training was performed. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is defined as △more than 150 minutes per week, △causing sweating, or △being of a level where one is slightly out of breath but still able to converse with others.

It includes walking, brisk walking, hiking, and running. Strength training refers to resistance exercises that use the weight of the body or equipment to repeatedly contract and relax muscles, increasing muscle mass.