The Best Type of Exercise to Lower Blood Pressure: New Research

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading modifiable risk factor for morbidity and mortality. 

For decades, medical experts have recommended exercise as a means of reducing resting blood pressure in people with hypertension.  Specifically, experts have recommended the performance of aerobic exercise.  

Authors of a new meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed 270 studies to answer the question: What type of exercise is most effective for reducing blood pressure?  This meta-analysis represents the new, data-driven framework to provide exercise recommendations to both prevent and treat hypertension. 

Researchers examined five modes of exercise:

1. Aerobic exercise

2. High intensity interval exercise

3. Dynamic Strength Training (“dynamic” simply means that participants lifted and lowered the weight)

4. Combined Strength Training and Aerobic

5. Isometric strength training only (Isometric refers to pushing against an immovable object; the limbs don’t actually move)

The results?

Ranked from least effective to most effective (effective = most significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure):

• High intensity interval training (least effective)

• Aerobic exercise (second least effective)

• Strength training only and strength training combined with aerobic exercise (essentially tied for second most effective)

• Isometric strength training (most effective).

To be clear, all forms of exercise resulted in improved blood pressure.  The authors concluded, “Aerobic exercise training, dynamic resistance training, combined training, high-intensity interval training and isometric exercise training are all significantly effective in reducing resting Systolic Blood Pressure and Diastolic Blood Pressure. Comparatively, isometric exercise training remains the most effective mode.”