A recent study suggests that performing isometric exercises, such as wall squats, even once a week can contribute to lowering blood pressure. Researchers from Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent conducted an eight-week trial involving 100 participants who had either normal or high-normal systolic blood pressure readings, ranging between 120 and 140 mmHg, and who did not regularly exercise.

Participants were divided into groups, with one group not performing any training, while the remaining four groups engaged in isometric wall-squat exercises three times a week during the first month. In the second month, these groups varied their exercise frequency, performing the workouts zero, one, two, or three times weekly.

Each training session consisted of four intervals of holding a wall-sit position, separated by two minutes of seated rest. After the initial four weeks, all exercising participants showed an average reduction of approximately 10 mmHg in systolic blood pressure. Over the full eight-week period, those who maintained thrice-weekly sessions experienced the largest decrease, averaging a 13.73 mmHg drop from baseline.

Participants who exercised once or twice per week also saw significant, though smaller, reductions—averaging 6.56 mmHg and 6.95 mmHg, respectively—resulting in overall systolic readings near 123 mmHg. By contrast, individuals who ceased exercising after the first month saw their blood pressure rise back toward baseline levels, similar to the control group that did not engage in any training, averaging around 128 mmHg.

The research team emphasized that even minimal weekly engagement in isometric exercise could provide meaningful blood pressure benefits for those unable to commit to more frequent workouts. The findings were published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.