URL: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260319-isometric-exercise-the-most-efficient-fitness-regime
The results were extremely attention-grabbing for anyone who cares about their health, showing that isometric holds were more effective than cardio, weight training, combined training and high-intensity interval training (Hiit). Blood pressure is measured with two numbers which represent when the heart is beating and resting; a healthy reading is considered anything below 120/80 mmHg. The reduction in blood pressure from aerobic exercise was just 4.49/2.53 mmHg compared to 8.24/4.00 mmHg for isometric exercise.
By comparison, standard medications for lowering blood pressure typically reduce it by about 9/4.00mmHg – only a shade better than the isometric exercise. Given that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death, the potential benefits to our well-being as we age are enormous.
When you do an isometric exercise, you contract a muscle (or several muscles) and hold it, meaning the length of the muscle does not change as it does in other types of exercise that involve continuous movement. Such static holds compress the blood vessels, leading to a lack of oxygen and a build-up of waste products in the active muscle. This stimulates the brain to try to send more oxygen to the area, which, combined with the increased resistance, raises blood pressure. When the muscle contraction stops, the blood vessels can expand again, increasing blood flow to the area and causing a temporary reduction in blood pressure. The idea is that the repetition of this process can lead to lower blood pressure in the long run.
And the benefits extend beyond blood pressure. By stimulating the blood vessels, isometric exercise reduces the stiffening of the arteries and recent studies suggest it also improves overall heart function.
Isometric exercise can also boost muscular strength by helping us to generate more force. That's because it engages neurons in the brain and spinal cord that turn on "motor units" – collections of nerves going into the muscle – making them contract. "Once you hold that muscle statically, all it does is just turn on motor units," explains Dan Gordon, a professor of exercise physiology at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK. He adds this can help improve overall athletic performance.