Study suggests isometric exercises best for reducing blood pressure
bjsm.bmj.comTo save time on reading here is the key finding on the decrease of blood pressure from various exercises.
aerobic exercise training (−4.49/–2.53 mm Hg)
dynamic resistance training (–4.55/–3.04 mm Hg)
combined training (–6.04/–2.54 mm Hg)
high-intensity interval training (–4.08/–2.50 mm Hg)
isometric exercise training (–8.24/–4.00 mm Hg)
Here’s a link on what isometric exercise is.
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/isometric...
I wonder how much a standing desk counts as isometric exercise, or is it more a balancing exercise.
can anyone summarize the volume of such training that was used in the comparison?
EDIT: At least the isometric exercise part is answered in the comments below [1]
What is combined training?
Right, it's not mentioned what that is in the article.
On first search, something you do with your horse. I don't have a horse.
This site says
>Combination Training is an integrated form of training that combines lower body, upper body, trunk musculature and balance training all into one exercise, accomplishing three times as much training in the same amount of time.
https://nwpersonaltraining.com/blog/combination-training/
I think something like those Billy Blanks Tae Bo videos would fit the bill.
BBC thinks it is "aerobic and weights"
comparison with GPT4 answering the same question:
test 1
prompt: what are the key findings on the decrease in blood pressure on various exercises?
answer: The study found significant reductions in resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) following various types of exercise training:
1. Aerobic exercise training resulted in a decrease of approximately 4.49 mm Hg in SBP and 2.53 mm Hg in DBP.
2. Dynamic resistance training led to a decrease of approximately 4.55 mm Hg in SBP and 3.04 mm Hg in DBP.
3. Combined training (a mix of different exercise types) resulted in a decrease of approximately 6.04 mm Hg in SBP and 2.54 mm Hg in DBP.
4. High-intensity interval training led to a decrease of approximately 4.08 mm Hg in SBP and 2.50 mm Hg in DBP.
5. Isometric exercise training resulted in the most significant decrease, with approximately 8.24 mm Hg in SBP and 4.00 mm Hg in DBP.
In terms of specific exercises, the isometric wall squat was found to be the most effective for reducing systolic blood pressure, and running was found to be the most effective for reducing diastolic blood pressure (Pages 1, 5, 8, 11).
test 2
prompt: you're a world-class educator who can explain any concept, no matter how esoteric or technical. what are the key findings on the decrease in blood pressure on various exercises?
answer: Sure, I'll break down the key findings from the study on how various exercises affect blood pressure:
1. *Aerobic exercise training*: This type of exercise includes activities like jogging, swimming, or cycling. The study found that aerobic exercise training can reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading, indicating the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats) by an average of 4.49 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number, indicating the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest between beats) by an average of 2.53 mm Hg.
2. *Dynamic resistance training*: This involves exercises like weight lifting where you're moving your body against some type of resistance. The study found that this type of training can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 4.55 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 3.04 mm Hg.
3. *Combined training*: This is a mix of different types of exercise. The study found that combined training can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 6.04 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 2.54 mm Hg.
4. *High-intensity interval training (HIIT)*: This involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by short periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. The study found that HIIT can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 4.08 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 2.50 mm Hg.
5. *Isometric exercise training*: This involves exercises where you're holding a position and contracting your muscles without much visible movement, like planks or wall sits. The study found that isometric exercise training can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 8.24 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 4.00 mm Hg, making it the most effective exercise mode in this study for reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
In terms of specific exercises, the study found that the isometric wall squat was the most effective for reducing systolic blood pressure, and running was the most effective for reducing diastolic blood pressure.
Remember, these are averages, and individual results can vary. It's also important to note that any exercise program should be undertaken with the advice of a healthcare professional, especially for individuals with high blood pressure or other health conditions.
I don't know if people think these posts are useful but they are starting to become tiring enough to be spam.
If I wanted ChatGPT's response I'd ask it.
sorry, thought others might also be curious since LLMs are notorious for hallucinating but fared well here.
unfortunately, cannot delete because of our comments. :(
Might be better to preface this was that explanation. Something like "interesting it didn't hallucinate" and summarize the response. When it's copy-pasted verbatim it looks like spam.
Honestly I think aerobic training is more effective than isometric training at reducing blood pressure, I think most people (and studies) just don't do enough of it to see the effect. You really need to be doing a minimum of 90 minutes of zone 2 training 5 - 6 days per week, which isn't especially difficult but it's just more than most people are willing to do.
There's no doubt that doing squats or whatever will reduce your blood pressure more in the short term, but the effects generally only last for a few days. Whereas the effects of aerobic are larger and longer lasting, you just need to do it correctly and reasonably consistently.
That number is insane. I ran sub 3:30 marathons doing 2.5 hours of aerobic training a week, which is perfectly reasonable for a healthy adult.
Seeing these decrease in numbers really emphasizes the strength of exercise as an intervention. It's lot just isometric exercise, but all types here that significantly lowered blood pressure. And it's not just blood pressure, it's basically all bad health outcomes, according to other meta analyses. People want to know what food to eat, what food not to eat, and what supplements to take, what drugs to take. But we should be asking how we can make room in a week to get 3-6 hours of moderate physical activity, first.
This can't be emphasized enough. Exercise is likely the single most important and effective intervention we have available from a preventative medicine standpoint.
If you're not optimizing adequate exercise alongside controlling bodyfat levels first and foremost you're doing it wrong.
Eat less, move more, make sure you sleep.
Sleeping is actually not easy. I reserve 9 hours in bed, but I snore and wake up very tired, also insomnia and therefore it’s a feedback loop to open the phone in bed otherwise I ruminate (potentially suicidal) thoughts… I bet less than half the population is able to sleep properly while laying in bed (and yes, I’ve heard all the advice about sleep habits and seeing someone).
Once you fix sleep, you become much more brave and courageous for sports. And it’s a positive feedback loop, it’s a blind spot for sporty people (I’ve practiced 8-9hrs a week) to tell “Just do sports and sleep soundly”.
I see your comment about intrusive thoughts. Don't hesitate to speak to a doctor about them and take medication for it.
I put off doing that for almost two decades, when I finally did after an attempt it really changed my life around.
I'm now on a maintenance dose of trazodone, and thought I've went off of it a few times, I think I'll stay on it for good now. It keeps future episodes away and it does wonder for your sleep. I'd agonize over the days event's for an hour or so after going to bed, but it really helps me fall asleep in 15-20 minutes.
Have you been tested for sleep apnea? Your symptoms are pretty on the money.
lol dude you have sleep apnea. you're suffocating.
That "eat less"needs to be elaborated. Eating less beef is not the same as eating less tomatoes. :-)
In the context of caloric intake, it basically is the same thing. People (population level) eat too much food. Which foods should they eat, exactly, is essentially premature optimization in this context.
In the context of caloric intake, it’s especially true due to caloric density. Cutting out the beef cuts significantly more calories than cutting out the tomatoes which are mostly water. There are about 77 calories per oz of steak and about 5 calories per oz of tomato. Which foods you choose to eat and their calorie density can have a huge impact on overall calorie consumption.
What about eating fewer chocolate/coconut covered almonds?
Dark chocolate, of course. Healthier.
"Exercise makes you healthier" is hardly an earth shattering revelation. Everyone knows the benefits of exercise, especially unhealthy people. That is still usually not enough of a motivator, however, hence the reliance on fad diets and drugs.
Given the obsession with changing what a person invests over the obsession with exercise, I'm not sure people really know how effective exercise is.
I don't think people realize that even a little amount exercise will make a difference tho.
Something as simple as a daily fast walk is going to do wonders for one's health when compared to a 100% sedentary life.
Taken from Mayo clinic, for anyone not clear on what isometric exercise refers to:
Isometric exercises are tightening (contractions) of a specific muscle or group of muscles. During isometric exercises, the muscle doesn't noticeably change length. The affected joint also doesn't move. Isometric exercises help maintain strength. They can also build strength, but not effectively. And they can be performed anywhere. Examples include a leg lift or plank.
Follow up details - isometric exercises don't have to be just bodyweight, and can be trained for strength by performing the exercise against something to constrain the motion. Imagine crawling under your bed before performing the plank (now more of a pushup, since you're pressing with your chest muscles) mentioned above. You can push as hard as possible, but you won't budge the bed.
They're incredible for returning from injury, since you can specifically train ranges of motion, and the person performing the exercise has full control of the "load" - aka how hard to exert themselves.
I had a watchOS app made (Hold Steady on App Store) for my olympic pistol isometric training if anyone feels like exercising their arms instead. Have no idea if it has a comparable effect on blood pressure though.
Yep! The isometric leg extension is more commonly known in the US as a plank. Pictures here: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66303982
"isometric handgrip (IHG), isometric leg extension (ILE) and isometric wall squat (IWS) as IET subgroups. IET programmes commonly employ protocols of 4×2 min contractions, separated by 1–4 min rest intervals, performed three times a week. IHG"
It sounds like the three isometric exercises evaluated in these studies were wall sits, leg extensions, and handgrips.
Does anyone know how this study would go if these exercises were less medical intervention and more elite athlete? How would one even do a full body isometric workout?
Bruce Lee famously used isometrics, using a bar attached to a chain, attached to a platform to stand on.
A modern equivalent is the Isomax, which adds a strain gauge so you can see how hard you pulled, and audible feedback that tells you when you're pulling harder than your target weight. You can do deadlifts, squats, presses, rows, and so on. Even a chest press, it uses a strap made of seatbelt material and you can wrap it around your back instead of attaching to the platform.
https://www.dragondoor.com/products/isomax/
There's various stuff on youtube, and on the previous generation called the Isochain, which is heavier and a bit less convenient to work with but essentially the same. It uses a chain instead of a strap, and has a heavy spring so there's still a slight bit of give to it, which they say helps your nervous system make a strong effort. Here's one channel dedicated to it:
https://www.youtube.com/@NoLimitSquad
I recently got the Isomax and it seems to be a pretty solid piece of kit. I've mainly been using other gear so haven't done that much with it yet, but this study has me thinking I should get more serious about it.
If you don't want to start with something as elaborate, is some basic straps in a loop. Worldfit[0] sells these simple pieces, work great.
Sure that's a much cheaper way to start. I do find the feedback helpful. A lot of times I think I'm giving max effort but the device isn't beeping yet, and I find I've got more in me after all. It's kinda like lifting a barbell, where you have to exceed a certain force to get something to happen.
Some options that spring to mind for a more "serious" full-body isometric workout:
* Suitcase holds
* Pull-up holds
* Standing in a power rack with heavy barbell on back
* Bench press holds at the bottom (pressing just hard enough to keep weight off the chest)
* Overhead holds
Quite a few plank-variation-type options from the yoga world as well.
It’s more of a hybrid exercise but “pause squats”, in which you hold the weight at the bottom position before coming back up are a very good variation of a standard squat.
> Secondary network meta-analyses revealed isometric wall squat and running as the most effective submodes for reducing SBP (90.4%) and DBP (91.3%), respectively.
Wall squat was actually a close second to running for DBP reduction as well. As a member of late gen-X who is getting slightly elevated BP readings, this is very interesting and timely. I always assumed, without evidence, that aerobic exercises would be best for reducing BP. Be right back, going to do some wall squats.
Ben Greenfield, who is regarded as somewhat of a quack, has for a long time advocated for isometric exercise. I always found him interesting so I followed his blog for a while. I always thought the stuff about isometric exercise was bunk, but if the study is sound, then I guess I was too quick to judge. This is potentially great news for him and his brand.
Dr. Stuart McGill (PHD, written multiple books about back health), strongly promotes isometric exercises for back health.
However at the end of the day stability only gets you so far, since we are always moving, so it really makes sense to combine isometric exercises with other ones to get a robust exercise plan for whatever goals each person has.
Everyone at my Olympic weightlifting gym does the McGill Big 3. Great way to protect lower back.
Anecdotal, but worth considering: Bruce Lee relied mostly on isometric exercises to stay in shape.
This explains how Principal Skinner was able to keep so calm
"A big advantage of doing hand-grip exercises for lower blood pressure is that it doesn’t take a lot of time. You only need to do it for about 12 minutes a day, several times a week, and you can do it pretty much anywhere" https://highbloodpressurebegone.com/handgrip-exercises/
There is a free App (from J&J) that guide you to the 7-Minute Workout routine (has isometric exercises) - https://7minuteworkout.jnj.com
Would sitting on a rocking kneeling chair count as an isometric exercise?
So…yoga?