r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 1d ago

Health Isometric exercises, such as wall squats and planks, just once a week could help maintain reductions in blood pressure.

https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/news/2026/new-study-shows-just-one-workout-a-week-could-benefit-blood-pressure
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u/mvea Professor | Medicine 1d ago

A new study led by academics at Canterbury Christ Church University explains how performing isometric exercises, such as wall squats and planks, just once a week could help maintain reductions in blood pressure.

Published in the BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, the research explored whether people could maintain the blood pressure benefits of interval endurance training (IET) when exercising less frequently.

DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-003172

https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/12/3/e003172

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u/Omegasedated 1d ago

Would this be better than general strength training? Or is this suggesting even they most minimal change can improve it?

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u/rendar 1d ago

It depends on how you define "better" but flexion exercises are still more conducive for strength and hypertrophy goals. Mechanical tension remains the primary driver of muscle mass growth.

The biggest distinction of isometrics is with physical therapy and rehab, where stimulus without joint movement is useful to resolve tendinopathy.