28 July 2023 , 13:04
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Scientists have revealed that an easy-to-follow 14-minute workout could well help drastically reduce your blood pressure, bringing about huge benefits for your overall health.
According to a team of experts from Canterbury Christ Church University, wall squats could be the best way to combat hypertension, being even more effective than exercises such as running, walking, cycling, or strength training.
It was discovered that the most beneficial workouts were those that included some form of isometric exercise, ie exercises that involve tightening a specific muscle or group of muscles.
Isometric exercises include high planks, glute bridges, and, of course, the simple wall squat, which requires no specialist equipment or incredible athletic prowess.
All you'll need is a wall to lean against (Stock Photo) (Getty Images)The team looked at three particular types of isometric workouts during their research, which has been published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
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These workouts included: squeezing a handgrip, using a leg extension machine, and squatting against a wall. This third option, often referred to as a wall sit, was regarded as the easiest, most accessible choice.
The New York Times reports that the lead author of the study, Dr Jamie J. Edwards, recommends people add a 14-minute routine to their usual exercise schedule: a two-minute wall sit, repeated four times over, with two-minute rest periods in between, all while making sure not to hold their breath.
Co-author Jim Wiles advises staying at the same squat height throughout each of the four rounds, remarking that the workout will feel trickier the more you do it.
On your first go, you should be at an exertion level of four out of a possible ten, with the last being around an eight out of ten, leaving you thoroughly tired out by the end.
Although it's unclear why isometric exercises are so very effective, Dr Edwards revealed one theory suggests that, when a person clenches their muscles without moving, this compresses their local blood vessels.
Once they unclench, this causes blood to flush back, resulting in the dilating of vessels should such workouts become a key part of your overall exercise routine.
This widening can be very important for a person's health, given that high blood pressure can result in stiff arteries that don't dilate properly, meaning they can't deliver as much oxygen-rich blood as they should. This in turn puts an individual more at risk of heart attacks or strokes.
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