A growing body of evidence suggests that isometric exercise is superior for reducing blood pressure. Photo / 123RF
There is a growing body of evidence in favour of isometric exercise as the superior exercise for reducing blood pressure.
The phrase “cardiovascular event” is one of those unintentionally deadpan science terms no one wants to hear. Events should ideally involve champagne, a chance to wear your best shoes and a seating plan.
Cardiovascular events are responsible for an estimated 18 million deaths globally, according to the World Health Organisation and many are related to high blood pressure.
But the good news is exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure and a new analysis has identified the most effective approach.
A meta-study of existing research released earlier this week by Canterbury Christ Church and Leicester Universities showed isometric exercises, such as the infamous plank, work best.
The team looked at 270 pieces of research involving a total of 15,827 participants and found that while all exercise reduces blood pressure, static tensing moves like planks and wall sits lead to the greatest improvement.
Until now most of the guidance suggested moderate cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking or jogging as the best way to build a healthy heart.
But a growing body of evidence has been building over the past two decades in favour of isometric exercise as the superior exercise for reducing blood pressure.
HeartUK, the cholesterol charity, defines blood pressure as “the force that your blood puts on your blood vessel walls as it flows around your body”.
High pressure puts a strain on the heart and can lead to the aforementioned unwanted events.
Sindy Jodar, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation explains that exercise has a two-pronged benefit, “High blood pressure is caused when the arteries become stiffer or narrower. When we exercise blood pressure rises and forces the arteries to become wider and more flexible so when exercise is over the pressure drops as a result. In addition when we exercise we release catecholamine hormones, which widen the arteries and also keeps blood pressure under control.”
Master trainer at fitness chain Gymbox, Firas Iskandarani continues to recommend both cardio and isometrics as the evidence for beneficial effects of cardio are sufficiently well established, he says, to merit combining the two approaches. “If you can do both, why not magnify the effects? Aerobic benefits will be quite slow and isometrics quicker.”
Sport scientist Andy Turner at ATP Performance says holding positions like the plank has many advantages. “Isometrics improve aerobic function, the ability of the body to convert oxygen into energy, without the need for movement, so it’s easier to do at home. There is a lower physical stress response than there would be in a high-intensity session. You are also using far more muscle mass in a plank than in, say, running. A plank will use pretty much every muscle in your body. You’re using arms, shoulders, core, trunk, legs, and glutes and by using more muscle mass you will improve overall cardiovascular health.”
Isometric strength training is far from new. It uses static tensing positions as opposed to movement. Head of outdoor training company Strength& Brett Sizeland says, “During isometric exercises, the muscle tenses against an immovable resistance, such as pushing against a wall or, probably the most common exercise, holding a plank position. Isometric Resistance Training (IRT) has been used for decades as a method to increase strength and improve muscle endurance. It’s quite an old-school approach.”
When it comes to reducing blood pressure, HIIT (high intensity interval training), while still significant, was the least effective; aerobic exercise and resistance training were roughly equal in the middle of the pack.
We asked Brett Sizeland, Andy Turner and Firas Iskandarani for their ultimate blood pressure-reducing exercises. Pick and choose these as you please and blend them into your current exercise regime (all of which will be helping to lower your blood pressure too).
This is essentially pressing against a wall as if you were attempting to push it over.
Place one leg in front of the other, arms at shoulder height, press and hold with everything you have for 10 seconds then relax and repeat three to five times.
A great entry level move for someone who is not a fitness regular and may be unable to perform the more demanding isometric exercises.
The friendlier and more accessible cousin of the full plank. Lying on a soft carpet or mat, support your weight on your elbows and look a few feet ahead.
Rest your knees on the floor and focus on keeping your back in a straight line, not bowing up or drooping down. Your core muscles should be working to keep you in line.
If any pain crops up, stop immediately but your goal is to hold that pose perfectly. Twenty seconds is a good starting time to aim for if you’re not someone who spends much of their time working out.
The clue is in the name. This is the other end of the plank spectrum. This exercise is for those who probably have their own locker in the gym and know the receptionist by name.
A similar position to the kneeling plank but with knees off the ground, this is an exercise in conscious tensing. Press your fists into the floor, dig your toes into the mat and focus every muscle in your body on being as clenched as possible.
This should be so tough you can only hold the position for 20 seconds before melting back on to the ground.
A classic exercise in holding tension. Place your back against the wall, feet comfortably planted roughly shoulder width apart and slide down until your legs are at 90 degrees to the wall.
Using thighs, glutes and core, press yourself into the surface and hold. Be aware of your arms, it is tempting to use your arms to assist and essentially cheat. Folded them in front of you to ensure all the work is done in the right places.
The duration of the hold will dictate how hard you are working. A good starting point is 20 seconds hold and 20 seconds rest, repeating three to five times.
A two-minute wall sit is a good target for the more experienced fitness enthusiast.
For the advanced fitness addict, one way for your workout to become a more blood-pressure focused session is to turn your usual strength moves into holds.
A pull-up becomes a dead hang – simply hold yourself suspended beneath the bar and tense everything.
Similarly, a deadlift can be transformed by holding an unweighted bar in a mid-lift position and engaging the muscles. It’s time efficient – allowing you to switch back to conventional strength moves (also good for reducing blood pressure).
A 45-minute gentle aerobic exercise session – a static bike ride, a run, a brisk walk in the park – but with the added spice of a break every four minutes for a 20-second plank hold.
So if you were, for example, on a static bike, you would jump off every four minutes, perform a 20-second plank and climb back on.
The key in the aerobic session is the heart rate, it doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you use to increase the work your heart is doing.
The magic of gentle cardio, also known as zone 2 exercise, is keeping your heart rate at a steady tick that never drops into being too sedentary or drifts up into a level that starts to create physical stress.
A good guide is whether you are able to speak full sentences while working without… panting… interruptions… but you are still aware of making an effort.
Combining low-level aerobic effort with isometric exercise is an efficient way to enjoy the benefits of both. Remember to watch your form as you transition down into plank position.
This is a safe way into whats is a more energetic form of aerobic training for most people but that doesn’t involve the impact of running on concrete.
It does allow the bones to strengthen with each landing. If you don’t own a rope or never learnt the skills, simply jumping on the spot can be a really effective movement.
Bones, muscles and joints all benefit. The duration will depend on your fitness level but 20 jumps are a good starting point to get your heart moving, and someone who is fitter can aim for 60 or more.
This is another way into cardiovascular exercise for those reluctant or unable to entertain time-consuming runs or cycle rides.
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