Exercise isn’t just for weight loss and fat burning; it’s also highly effective for lowering blood pressure. But which type of exercise is best for this purpose? Family medicine physician Dr. An Xinyu shared a new UK study revealing that while running, walking, cycling, strength training, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) all help reduce blood pressure, one particular category of exercise you can do at home is most effective!
Which Exercise is Best for Lowering Blood Pressure? “Isometric Exercise” Like Wall Squats Outperforms Running and Cycling!
Dr. An Xinyu from Chiayi Christian Hospital highlighted a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. This research, which analyzed 270 studies involving over 15,000 participants, examined the relationship between different exercises and blood pressure reduction.
As expected, all forms of exercise—including running, walking, cycling, strength training, HIIT, and combined aerobic/resistance training—were beneficial for lowering blood pressure. However, the most effective type was isometric exercise. This involves contracting a specific muscle group without moving the surrounding joints, with the classic example being the wall squat (or “wall sit”) that can be done easily at home.
How Much Can Exercise Lower Blood Pressure? A Comparison of 5 Types
Metabolism and Endocrinology specialist Dr. Cai Mingjian cited the same study to compare the blood pressure-lowering effects of five exercise types, ranked from most to least effective for reducing systolic blood pressure (the top number):
- Isometric Exercise Training: Reduced systolic blood pressure by 8.24 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 4.00 mmHg. Examples include grip strength exercises, isometric leg extensions, and wall squats.
- Combined Training (Aerobic + Resistance): Also showed good results, reducing systolic pressure by 6.04 mmHg and diastolic by 2.54 mmHg.
- Dynamic Resistance Training: Reduced systolic pressure by 4.55 mmHg and diastolic by 3.04 mmHg. Examples: deadlifts, bench presses, dynamic squats.
- Aerobic Exercise Training: Reduced systolic pressure by 4.49 mmHg and diastolic by 2.53 mmHg. Examples: walking, running, cycling.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Showed the smallest reduction in this analysis, lowering systolic pressure by 4.08 mmHg and diastolic by 2.50 mmHg.
The exact reason why isometric exercise is particularly effective against hypertension is still being studied. Dr. An shared that study author Dr. Edwards hypothesizes that when you contract a muscle without moving, the surrounding blood vessels are compressed. Upon relaxation, blood rushes back in, causing the vessels to dilate or widen. Over time, this mechanism may lead to more effective blood pressure reduction than dynamic exercises like running.
Grip Strength Training for Lowering Blood Pressure? Wall Squats Offer 5 Versatile Benefits!
Many people assume that effective blood pressure exercise must be intense and leave you breathless, which can be daunting and lead to inconsistency. The good news is that relatively static exercises like grip strength training and wall squats are highly effective.
Dr. Cai Mingjian referenced another study published in Hypertension Research where hypertensive patients performed grip strength training at 30-40% of their maximum effort. The protocol was 2 minutes of exercise followed by a 1-minute rest, repeated for 4 sets (totaling 11 minutes per session), 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The result was an average systolic blood pressure reduction of 8.11 mmHg—an effect nearly equivalent to taking one blood pressure medication.
Furthermore, squats offer benefits beyond blood pressure control. As summarized by fitness expert Kelly, squats are a compound movement engaging not just the legs but also the core and back muscles. Additional benefits include:
- Promoting blood circulation and improving cardiorespiratory fitness.
- Improving hip and knee joint mobility, potentially reducing spinal stress.
- Enhancing balance and coordination, which helps prevent falls in older adults.
- Strengthening bones and protecting joints (when performed correctly).
- Aiding fat loss and body shaping.
The Bottom Line
“Any exercise is better than sitting still or lying down scrolling through your phone.” The most important thing is to choose a physical activity you enjoy and can stick with consistently. Whether it’s squats at home, walking, running, cycling, or gym-based resistance training, the key is to find what works for you and make it a sustainable habit for long-term health.