A no-equipment workout shown to help reduce blood pressure

Doing the exercise three times a week delivered the greatest benefit

Wall squats and planks performed just once a week may help lower blood pressure and keep it under control, according to a new clinical trial.

Researchers looked at whether particular types of exercise could preserve blood pressure improvements even when workouts were done less often.

They focused on isometric exercise, a type of strength training in which the muscles tense without any joint movement or change in muscle length.

That differs from standard movements such as bicep curls or squats, where muscles shorten and lengthen as a weight is moved through a full range of motion.

The study involved 100 participants with an average age of 37 who completed interval endurance training (IET).

In IET, people alternate between high-intensity periods that raise the heart rate to up to 85 per cent of maximum capacity for as long as five minutes, followed by shorter recovery or rest intervals.

Participants then gradually cut back the number of sessions to see whether exercising less frequently could still maintain the gains.

Researchers tracked the biological changes linked to blood pressure improvements over an eight-week period.

After four weeks, those following IET had blood pressure readings about 9.5 mmHg lower than the control group.

During the final four weeks, participants who exercised once or twice a week were still able to retain some of those reductions, the study found.

People who kept exercising three times a week saw the strongest results, but those who continued with one or two isometric sessions, such as wall sits or planks, still maintained lower blood pressure.

“Our findings show that exercising three times a week was associated with better reductions in blood pressure and maintenance of a wider range of physiological benefits,” said Jim Wiles, one of the study authors published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.

“But even exercising just once a week can help maintain some health benefits over a short four-week period, making it a practical option for people,” said Dr Wiles, professor of exercise science at Canterbury Christ Church University.

Overall, the results suggest that how often people perform isometric exercise matters, with different training volumes affecting both blood pressure and heart health.

The researchers said the findings offer “the first robust evidence of a frequency-dependent dose-response to IET”.

“Exercise does not have to be all or nothing. Our findings show that when life gets busy, as it often does, reducing to just one isometric exercise session per week may help sustain the blood pressure benefits already achieved until a more regular routine can be resumed,” said Harry Swift, another study author.

“This flexibility could make isometric exercise training a more sustainable way for people to manage their blood pressure and support their long-term cardiovascular health,” Dr Swift added.