Simple weekly exercises shown to lower blood pressure, study finds

A new clinical study has found that performing certain simple exercises once a week can help maintain lower blood pressure, even for those who struggle to stick to a regular fitness routine.

The study involved 100 participants with an average age of 37, who followed an eight-week training program to assess how reducing exercise frequency affects health benefits.

Researchers focused on isometric exercises, where muscles contract without changing length or moving joints, such as wall squats and planks. After four weeks of training, participants saw their blood pressure drop by about 9.5 mmHg compared to the control group.

Results showed that over the following four weeks, those who exercised once or twice a week maintained some of this reduction, while those who trained three times a week achieved the best outcomes.

Jim Wiles, one of the study's authors published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, explained that exercising three times a week is linked to greater blood pressure reduction and more physiological benefits, but noted that even a single weekly session may help preserve some health gains.

Harry Swift, another study author, emphasized that exercise should not be viewed as an "all or nothing" activity, noting that one session per week could help maintain blood pressure benefits during busy periods.

The researchers stressed that reducing exercise frequency may be better than stopping altogether, but cautioned that the study does not prove that exercising once a week is sufficient to treat high blood pressure, and that regular training brings greater benefits.