Study: Planks, Wall Squats Best for Blood Pressure
A minute can feel like an hour when you're doing a plank or a wall squat. But while they can be difficult, these exercises are not only good for strengthening muscles — they can also help lower your blood pressure.
That's according to researchers from the UK's Canterbury Christ Church University.
In their study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers looked at data from between 1990 and 2023 that included a total of nearly 16,000 people.
And while all different types of exercise were found to lower blood pressure, the most effective were isometric exercises — exercises that improve muscle strength without movement. These include things like planks and wall squats.
The researchers looked at the effect of exercise on both systolic blood pressure — which refers to the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats — and diastolic blood pressure — which refers to the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.
Wall squats were found to be the most effective for reducing systolic blood pressure, while running was found to be the best for reducing diastolic blood pressure. But isometric exercises were found to be the most effective for reducing blood pressure overall.
To reduce high blood pressure, the UK's National Health Service says adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week — which includes activities like cycling or fast walking. They should also eat healthy food and not smoke, among other things.
However, based on these results, researcher Jamie O'Driscoll told the BBC it might be useful to add isometric exercise, three times a week, to these recommendations.
